This Week’s SafeSchools Minute

Lockdown and Shelter in Place Are Different

Part of the Guided Weekly School Safety Program

How to Use This Week’s Reminder

Share this week's SafeSchools Minute with your staff through your school's usual communication channels.

Use the Ready-to-Send Email below to quickly copy and paste a message into your email, then attach the Reminder PDF before sending.

Each reminder takes about one minute to read and reinforces an important everyday school safety habit.

Included with this Reminder

📄Download Reminder PDF

  • Subject: This Week’s Safety Reminder: Lockdown and Shelter in Place Are Different

    Staff,

    This week’s SafeSchools Minute™ focuses on Lockdown and Shelter in Place Are Different.

    These two emergency procedures are sometimes confused, but they are designed for different types of hazards and may require very different actions.

    A lockdown generally involves securing against a potential threat, while shelter in place is used when remaining indoors is safer than evacuating.

    The most important thing is to listen carefully to the announcement and follow the procedure that is actually given.

    This week, take a few minutes to review our school’s lockdown and shelter in place procedures and make sure you understand the actions required for each one.

    Please take one minute to review the attached reminder.

    Different emergencies require different responses. Know which procedure you are being asked to follow.

    Thank you for helping us reduce confusion and improve our emergency readiness.

  • Lockdown and shelter in place are not the same response.

    A lockdown is generally used when there is a potential threat involving violence or unauthorized access. Staff may be directed to secure rooms, reduce visibility, maintain silence, and remain in place until an all clear is given.

    Shelter in place is used for hazards where remaining indoors is safer than evacuating, such as severe weather, an outside environmental hazard, or another condition that makes movement unsafe.

    The important point is that staff listen carefully to the announcement and follow the procedure that is actually given. Using the terms interchangeably can create confusion and lead to the wrong response.

  • What is the most important difference between a lockdown and a shelter in place?

    Suggested response:

    The procedures are designed for different types of hazards and require different staff actions.

    Staff should know:

    • What type of threat each procedure addresses
    • Where students should be located
    • Whether doors should be secured
    • Whether movement is permitted
    • What communication procedures should be followed
    • How the all clear will be provided

  • Pay particular attention to:

    • Staff using the terms interchangeably
    • Uncertainty about what actions each procedure requires
    • Emergency materials that do not clearly distinguish between the two procedures
    • Staff who may be unsure whether students should move or remain in place
    • Questions about communication or accountability during either response
    • Areas where posted emergency directions may be outdated or unclear

    If there is uncertainty, review the school’s established procedures before an emergency occurs.

  • Take a few minutes this week to review your school’s lockdown and shelter in place procedures side by side.

    Ask yourself:

    • What type of situation would trigger each response?
    • What would I do differently during each one?
    • What should students do?
    • How would I receive updates or the all clear?
    • Would I be able to explain the difference to a substitute or new staff member?

    Different emergencies require different responses. Know which procedure you are being asked to follow.

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