In a time of nationwide concern for student safety, OPS has officially adopted the four,
action-based responses within the Nebraska Department of Education-approved Standard
Response Protocol district-wide.
Schools all well as after school program providers are being trained district-wide to ensure
consistent use of the protocols at every OPS school.
The Standard Response Protocol is used to address emergency situations related to weather
events, fires, accidents and intruders.
District officials emphasize that in the event a critical threat has reached school property, it is
imperative that there is a proactive, uniform response to such threats in order to ensure a
consistent response to the threat, and a consistent understanding of the protocols.
The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is designed to help ensure the safety of students and
staff in the school environment. Schools regularly conduct drills to practice the actions within the
four steps, which call for Lockout, Lockdown, Evacuation, and Shelter.
Below are the details of each action step and how they are implemented for both students and
staff:
●Lockout: “Get Inside. Lock Outside Doors” – This is the protocol used to safeguard
students and staff within the building. Lockout is called when there is a threat or hazard
outside of the school building.
○STUDENTS: Return to inside of building • Do business as usual
○STAFF/TEACHERS: Recover students and staff from outside building •
Increased situational awareness • Do business as usual • Take roll, account for
students
●Lockdown: “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” The protocol used to secure individual rooms
and keep students quiet and in place. Lockdown is called when there is a threat or
hazard inside the school building.
○STUDENTS: Move away from sight • Maintain silence
○STAFF/TEACHERS: Lock classroom door • Lights out • Move away from sight •
Maintain silence • Wait for First Responders to open door •Take roll, account for
students
●Evacuate: Always followed by a location, and is used to move students and staff from
one location to a different location in or out of the building. Evacuate is called to move
students and staff from one location to another.
○STUDENTS: Bring your phone • Leave your stuff behind • Form a single file line
• Show your hands • Be prepared for alternatives during response.
○STAFF/TEACHERS: Grab roll sheet if possible • Lead students to Evacuation
Location •Take roll, account for students
●Shelter: Always followed by a type and a method and is the protocol for group and
self-protection. Shelter is called when the need for personal protection is necessary.
Hazardous examples include Tornado or Hazmat
○SAMPLE SAFETY STRATEGIES: Evacuate to shelter area • Seal the room
○STUDENTS: Appropriate hazards and safety strategies
○STAFF/TEACHERS: Appropriate hazards and safety strategies • Take roll,
account for students
Lockout versus Lockdown
The differentiation between Lockout and Lockdown is a critical element in SRP. A Lockout
recovers all students from outside the building, secures the building perimeter and locks all
outside doors. This would be implemented when there is a threat or hazard outside of the
building. While the Lockout response encourages greater staff situational awareness, it allows
for educational practices to continue with little classroom interruption or distraction.
Lockdown is a classroom-based protocol that requires locking the classroom door, turning off
the lights and placing students out of sight of any corridor windows. Student action during
Lockdown is to remain quiet. In some cases, locking outside doors inhibits entry of first
responders and increases risk as responders attempt to breach doors.
OPS’s intended impact by enforcing these four actions are to help prepare staff and families
through practice and drills. Student and staff safety is a top priority for the school district. Over
the years, OPS has worked diligently with the Omaha Police and Fire Departments to
implement and practice these four emergency response safety drills. Each action has a
corresponding response that is communicated to local law enforcement agencies and
emergency responders.
These drills have provided ongoing opportunities for school leadership, staff and students to
practice and be adequately prepared in the event of a real incident. More than 200 school
districts in the state use SRP and OPS has adopted the recommendation from Nebraska’s
Department of Education requesting that all schools in Nebraska use the SRP. For a detail of
the SRP as it relates to a national scope, please visit: iloveuguys.org/srp.html.

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