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| Home > Parents > Emergency Procedures |
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| Emergency Procedures |
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In an Emergency
 The primary responsibility of Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD) school staff in an emergency is the safety and health of your child. Each Palo Alto school has made arrangements for rescue, first aid, sanitation, food, and other support in emergency situations. Elementary and middle schools will care for your children until you or your authorized representative arrive to pick them up. High school students will be released on their own as appropriate during moderate to major emergencies.
Who is in charge?
PAUSD is legally responsible for the health and safety of each child attending a District school. Jerry Matranga , Associate Superintendent, has specific responsibility for District Emergency Preparedness.
Each school site is prepared to function on its own, under the direction of its principal. In an emergency, each school site will attempt to coordinate with the District Office, which will in turn coordinate with local emergency services.
What You Can Do
If you are at home:
1. Take care of household members.
2. Check home safety—for example, turn off the natural gas supply.
3. Come to school and pick up your child as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you are at work or outside Palo Alto:
1. Complete the emergency procedures established at your workplace.
2. Return home as soon as it is permitted, safe, and practical to do so.
During a moderate-to-major emergency, use a battery-operated radio to get new updates and official directions.
Types of Emergencies
Minor Emergency—schools may be disrupted for only a few minutes
Examples of problems caused by minor emergencies:
- Localized traffic problems
- Some communications problems
- A few minor injuries
Moderate Emergency—schools may be disrupted for hours.
If you are outside the area, you will probably have difficulty returning. If you are nearby, you should pick up your elementary or middle school child. High school students will be released on their own as appropriate.
Examples of problems caused by moderate emergencies:
- Major utility outages
- Wide-spread traffic problems
- Many communications problems
- Many minor injuries, some serious injuries
Major Emergency—schools may be disrupted for days.
If you are outside the area, you may be unable to return to Palo Alto for hours or even days. You may even have difficulties reaching your school from a few blocks away. We will care for your children until you or your authorized representative arrive to pick them up.
Examples of problems caused by major emergencies:
- Long-term serious utilities outages
- Traffic paralysis
- Most communications cut off
- Serious injuries and deaths
Preparing for an Emergency
It is important to prepare in advance for all kinds of emergencies. Doing so will help you and your family survive a major disaster. Although most Californians consider earthquakes the most probable type of emergency, it is important to also prepare for floods, fires, and other crises.
What You Can Do to Prepare
- Discuss potential emergencies with your child.
- Prepare your home for an emergency and participate in emergency programs at work.
The City of Palo Alto Website includes information you may find useful, such as
- Create a "family emergency plan," and make sure your child knows what each member of your family will try to do in an emergency.
- Select at least one local person to take care of your child in case you cannot. Arrange pick-up permission for your elementary or middle school child by promptly completing and returning the Emergency Card given to you by your school.
- Let your children know that you, the schools, and government agencies will be working hard to take care of them.
- Teach your child that preparation, cooperation, and staying calm are the keys to surviving a serious emergency.
- Participate in emergency preparation efforts at your child's school.
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| Questions: |
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Answers: |
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| How do I determine the severity of an emergency in Palo Alto if I'm not here? |
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The more severe the emergency, the more difficulty you'll have. A battery-operated radio will probably be your best source of information. |
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| I'm new to Palo Alto, so how can I find someone locally to care for my child? |
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Community-building is often difficult, but it is your best resource for safeguarding your family. Contact a PTA officer for help and referrals. |
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| What happens if my child is injured? |
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School staff will administer first aid and treat minor injuries. Schools will attempt to evacuate seriously injured students to local hospitals. |
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| How will teachers and staff take care of their own families during an emergency? |
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Teachers and staff understand that it is part of their job to take care of their students first. |
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| What will really happen in a major emergency? |
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Obviously, no one can predict exactly what will happen in an emergency. Often, communications are seriously disrupted. In our emergency preparedness planning, we enable schools to be able to function independently during a crisis. |
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| May I change a pick-up authorization? |
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Yes, of course. It is very important that authorizations be current. See your school secretary to update your Emergency Card. |
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If you have questions, contact Victoria Geen-Lew at (650) 329-3735 or vgeenlew@pausd.org.
Revised August 2006 |
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