Starting this school year, Burroughs High School and other Sierra Sands schools have introduced a new safety protocol system that incorporates a color-coded notification scheme and LED lights installed in classrooms.
Burroughs students and staff had their first look at the system late last month. On Aug. 29 at 9 a.m., the school carried out an evacuation drill that practiced many of the different procedures to be followed during emergencies.
“It was only a drill, and it went very smoothly,”said Assistant Principal Chris Ostermann.
The color-coded system has five different colors, each representing unique emergency situations. Purple indicates holding in classrooms and clearing the halls, while blue signifies getting inside and locking outside doors. Red indicates a situation that requires a lockdown, and green denotes the need for an evacuation. Finally, orange conveys a situation where taking shelter is necessary.
In the event one of these emergencies occurs, the corresponding color will flash in classrooms alongside an announcement and alert on all teacher computers.
“The LED lights in the classroom with the coordinating colors are a good addition,” said sophomore Xander Barney. “I’m glad that the school is taking new measures to ensure the safety of students and staff.”
To ensure that the system is easily comprehensible, teachers carry a card with them that explains the meaning of each color. This is particularly helpful as the system is new and has not been used in past years. In addition, a sign is placed next to the exit of each room on campus that displays information about what each color represents and outlines the necessary actions to take in each emergency situation.
Although we hope to never have a reason to use these new safety protocols, we can all go into this school year with peace of mind knowing that we have them in place!
