Every school should have an organized and systematic emergency operations plan in place to reduce risks, prepare for, and respond to emergency situations.
As a school, ICS wants to ensure every student, employee, and parent feels confident in the safety and security of everyone on campus. We routinely practice our four emergency drills including: Lockdown, Safe Haven, Evacuation and Earthquake, and as such, periodically implement earthquake and evacuation drills. The earthquake and evacuation drill took place on the morning of Thursday, 10 December.
The drill began with a beeping alarm on the PA system signaling the earthquake drill was underway and an announcement that all employees and students are expected to duck & cover under their desks or tables. This was followed by a loud siren alarm on the PA indicating our evacuation drill and that everyone from all corners of the campus should evacuate by walking quickly and quietly to the field.
The process was implemented in orchestrated perfection. Teachers guided the students to the field where they were awaited by the First Responder Team consisting of the Head of School, Deputy Head of School, Principals, Deputy Principals, Security, Counselors and Health Office staff.
It took 15 minutes to have everyone evacuate from their respective locations to the field. The goal is to achieve this in 10 minutes.
It was the first time the entire school had congregated together at the same place and time since the onset of the pandemic and it didn’t go unnoticed.
“It’s a special moment. This is the first time that we are all together as a whole school,” Dr. Tim Stuart, the Head of School wistfully noted.
Before everyone safely returned back to their respective locations on campus, the moment seemed fitting for Music Teacher Adane Asnake to whip out his guitar and have Eagles of all ages sing the school song, in unison ‘step by step, hand in hand, let’s take care of this place”.