Friendswood ISD is the recipient of a national level grant to improve Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) and recently conducted a tabletop exercise to assess its ability to respond to an emergency. The exercise was conducted by the Center for Safe and Secure Schools, a division of the Harris County Department of Education.  The exercise simulated severe weather with potential tornados approaching the Friendswood area from the southwest.  All six campuses as well as other district facilities were challenged with reviewing procedures for tornado shelter-in-place, accounting for students and staff, assessing the requirements for support of special needs students and staff, and reviewing communication capabilities and procedures

According to Superintendent Trish Hanks, “It is the mission of our schools to provide quality instruction for our students in a safe and secure environment. We take this responsibility seriously and continuously strive to prepare ourselves to respond to our environment.”  REMS grant project director Lynn Shigekawa worked with Assistant Superintendent Thad Roher to introduce the Safety Center drill coordinator to each campus and its safety leadership to enable him to conduct post exercise interviews and reviews.

The Center commended the district for two “best practices” including a well done, simplified guide that was laminated and provided immediate information for emergency response at the elementary school level.  The second “best practice” was centered on the maintenance/custodial communications capabilities. The director had taken the time to program in all staff to the maintenance/custodial phone system and was able to have immediate connectivity and accountability from all staff during an emergency regardless of where they were in the district.

The Center for Safe and Secure Schools also commended Friendswood ISD for its level of cooperation and participation at all facilities and suggested some areas for improvement in: procedures updating, communications, and dealing with contractors and changes due to bond election work on campuses.  The exercise was timely in light of the predicted heavy activity for the current hurricane season on the Texas Gulf Coast.