The federal government has placed the nation on orange alert, and Governor Pataki has responded by placing New York State on Orange alert as well.1 Anticipating the possibility of terrorist attacks, all of us must make the best possible preparations to eliminate or reduce the possibility of harm to those for whom we are responsible.

The New York State Education Department, the New York State Police, and the Office of Public Security, in consultation with the District Superintendents of the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), the BOCES Pupil Health and Safety Teams, and the New York State Center for School Safety, have created this guidance document: New York State Homeland Security for Schools. Its purpose is to provide a uniform system for notifying school districts of possible threats and appropriate response actions. It is meant to provide guidelines for school officials to make informed decisions in consultation with local law enforcement and emergency personnel in the context of district and building School Safety Plans.

The National Color Code System for Homeland Security was used as a baseline for this Homeland Security System for Schools. After the Governor has announced the alert level for New York State, the State Education Department in consultation with the State Police and the Office of Public Security will inform schools of appropriate alert status. Please keep in mind that in times of emergency, depending on the circumstance, you may be given additional guidance by any of the following authorities: the Governor, the State Emergency Management Office (SEMO), the State Police, Office of Public Security, your Mayor or County Emergency Management Coordinator or the State Education Department.

Please review your current school safety plan. There may be areas that need to be updated, in light of current realities. Of particular importance are the identification of people with responsibility to implement the safety plan; the availability of keys, equipment, communication devices; the identification of sites inside and outside your buildings that may be crucial to your response. A clear chain of command, combined with appropriate practice and rehearsal will help to maintain calm and ensure the safety of all concerned.

This manual includes the following tools to help you make decisions in your school districts:

• Color Coded Risk Chart
• Definitions
• School Safety Plan Review Procedures
• Response Actions
• School Safety Audit Checklist
• Bomb Threat Response Instruction Card
• Resources
• Legal Citations