Emergency Preparedness

Meridian School recognizes that it has a responsibility to take all reasonably practical steps to secure the health and safety of staff, students and others using school premises or participating in school-sponsored activities. It believes that the prevention of accidents, injury or loss is essential to the efficient operation of its school and is part of the good education of its students.

We would like to inform you as parents of your part in our school’s Emergency Response Plan.

• Practice and review emergency plans, family meeting places and emergency telephone numbers regularly with your children.
• Each year make your child’s teacher aware of his/her health or physical needs that would require special action or supplies during an emergency. Make sure your child’s teacher has a supply of vital medication on hand in their class emergency backpack.
• Make sure that student Health Information Sheet has the name, address, and phone number of anyone you want to pick up your child during an emergency. Students will NOT be released to ANYONE not listed on this sheet.
• Make sure your child is familiar with the people he/she may leave with and that they know that it is OK to leave with them in the event of an emergency.
• Make sure that vital medication, emergency phone numbers, etc. are given to the person/persons you want to take care of your child in the event of an emergency when you can not get home to take care of them.

The Emergency Preparedness Committee has developed a preparedness plan for emergencies involving earthquakes, fires, or other disasters. Parents need to be advised as to what to expect while their children are in school. The procedures that follow will be implemented in case of an emergency:

1. In case of a fire alarm, students will be evacuated from the building. In the event of an actual fire and bad weather, students will be evacuated to Orem High School.
2. Sometimes an emergency may make it necessary to also evacuate the school grounds. The school will call the MPO president, who will in turn contact room parents to inform parents. Notice will be left on the front door informing parents where to find their children. Only parents or adults listed on the Health and Safety Information forms will be allowed to check students out.
3. If there is an earthquake, students will be kept in classrooms until quaking stops. Students will be evacuated from the building. If there is too much damage to use the school as shelter, see number 2.
4. Floods, power outages, severe storms, nuclear problems or any other disaster will normally result in students being held at school in regular classes until the usual departure time or sent home as in number 2.
5. Parents should discuss with their students what to do in an emergency, and alleviate their fears.

Emergency Response Plan