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A State-wide Model

Keys  Crisis Management Quick Response Teams Training provides the professional education and practical training required to provide an appropriate response to a critical incident anywhere within the state. Specific topics covered include the following. These and other essential elements are presented by subject matter experts whose vitae are available upon request.

	Emotional Issues in a Crisis		Media Management
	Chemicals and Hazardous Materials		Mental Health Counseling
	Crisis Management Response Teams		Bombs Threats
	Preservation of a Crime Scene		Traffic Control
	Directed Debriefing		Recovery
and much more…

The key to crisis readiness is Prevention. Maximizing efforts at preventing a crisis from developing will minimize the need for reacting to an unexpected critical event. Therefore, the starting point in crisis readiness must be specific programming aimed at the detection and prevention of violence.

Second to prevention is Intervention. Even when communities and schools create a positive climate, clear policies, and effective violence prevention plans, the warning signs of impending violence may still be present among troubled individuals. Intervention involves getting help as early as possible for individuals who exhibit problem behaviors that may lead to violence. To be effective, intervention must be timely, thorough, and well-coordinated. It needs to be innovative, comprehensive, and tailored to the specific communities and school district.

The next element is the Crisis Readiness Plan itself. One-size-fits-all plans will not work for every school or community. An effective plan is coordinated during development with all first responders and stakeholders. Unless everyone involved supports the plan, it will fall apart during an actual crisis event. An effective Crisis Readiness Plan will include:

	Specific names & Specific duties		Traffic Control
	Law Enforcement Jurisdictions		Student Release Procedures
	Calling tree notification list		Medical Procedures
	Alternate Command Post Operations		Media management
And much more…

The final element is recovery. It is important to return to business as usual as quickly as possible. To accomplish this, counseling may or may not be required but must be considered and provided when needed. After a Crisis an action assessment must begin immediately and culminate in a formalized report of lessons learned. The plan must address memorials so that decisions made in the aftermath of a critical event do not have adverse long-term effects.

The State’s role in a crisis is to support the community and local school district. In the case of school shootings, most have occurred in small, rural or urban school districts that do not possess the resources for dealing with a crisis of national interest. The State should have a Crisis Management Team or teams trained specifically for responding to crises. The team or elements of it may be centrally located or regionally based depending on the State’s geography and resources. Media management, traffic control and communications are the areas where communities and school districts usually needs assistance. It is important for the State’s team to assume the posture of supporting rather than assuming control of the crisis.