Emergency Preparedness at A.R. Lord Elementary

May 4th was the BIG ONE AT TWO emergency drill and a simulation of an earthquake and emergency procedures are carried out by students and staff. This is the second drill of the year and additional preparation and practice of procedures in followup to the Big Shakeout that was carried out in the fall.
Students practiced the DROP-COVER-HOLD procedure and took shelter in a safe place during the mock-quake. All occupants of the school then evacuated to the gravel field and checked attendance. A few parents were also asked to participate and practice authorized pickup of their children.
The VSB has designated School Emergency Response Teams (SERTs) in each school which consist of staff volunteers who are specially trained and have designated roles and responsibilities in the event of an incident. 

Big Shakeout Drill at A.R. Lord Elementary

The staff and students at A.R. Lord Elementary plan and practice emergency procedures. Drills undertaken during the BC Big Shakeout helps students practice and learn what they need to do in the event of an earthquake. It builds confidence for the students and also reinforces procedures for staff and teachers. 

At 10:20 am on Thursday October 20th, students were alerted to  Drop, Cover and Hold On. After 60 seconds they received an all clear and instructions to evacuate from the school  They assembled on the school field and all students were accounted for.  In a real earthquake they would be supervised until each child is picked up by a parent or an authorized “emergency contact”. 

Inspection of Schools after Recent Earthquake

Students Practice Emergency Drills

After the recent 4.3 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Dec 29th, 2015 - the Vancouver School District conducted visual inspections of the interior and exterior of school buildings and structures. For more information, see their recent announcement:  http://www.vsb.bc.ca/earthquake
Seismic stability of many of the aging schools continues to be a concern for parents. A comprehensive assessment was carried out in 2012.  Details of the assessment and status of project can be found at: http://www.vsb.bc.ca/seismic-information

The Great British Columbia ShakeOut

All Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary students, staff and teachers participated in the province wide ShakeOut Earthquake Drill last week on October 15, 2015.  The drill consisted of a simulation including an announcement of an earthquake, children practicing taking cover under desks and away from windows, waiting for aftershocks and then exiting the building calmly.  Everyone then met on the gravel fields for headcount and reporting of all divisions.


Ensure you develop a family emergency plan at home and practice with your children. 
For more details: http://shakeoutbc.ca

DROP, COVER and HOLD - Big ShakeOut

(3 photos) All Dr. A.R. Lord Elementary students participated in the province wide Big ShakeOut Earthquake Drill on Thursday October 16th.

They ran through the following simulation:
1. Announcement of earthquake was made at 10:16
2. Children crawled under desks with face away from windows
3. They covered their face with one hand and grabbed the desk table leg with the other

4. All clear announcement was made once the earthquake finished
5. They waited an additional 60 seconds (after shocks)
6. They checked their friends (for injuries)
7. The calmly exited the building
8. They met on the gravel field for headcount and reporting of all divisions




Reinforce these drills with your children and develop a plan for your own home 

For more details on the Big ShakeOut:   http://shakeoutbc.ca

School Activities This Week....

      

Big Shakeout Earthquake Drill Division 6

Active Play with Supervision Aids

Playground Fun

Morning Drills