Campus Safety
Introduction
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) takes a proactive approach to ensuring the safety and security of students and their families, staff members, volunteers, contractors and visitors. Our emergency management efforts are designed to prevent or reduce adverse impacts of a potential or real critical incident.
Emergency Management
FSDB has a comprehensive emergency management plan and accompanying protocols for a variety of crisis and non-crisis situations. Our intention is to provide a swift and decisive response to occurrences that are not part of normal school operations and which may result in one of the following:
Shelter in Place
The action of seeking safety within the building that a person already occupies. Students and staff remain indoors and continue normal operations.
Lockdown
A course of action ordered to contain an incident by controlling the movement of people on or off campus. Students and staff go to hard corners, stop all activities, and become quiet while awaiting further instructions from law enforcement.
Evacuation
The transfer of students and staff members from the entire campus or a partial area of campus to a safe area off campus or a safe area within the campus to mitigate or prevent injuries.
Reunification
The process by which students are released to their parents/legal guardians in the event that routine dismissal is not possible given an emergency situation.
Practice Drills
Florida schools are required to practice emergency response procedures by conducting practice drills throughout the academic year. If you arrive at FSDB campus during a drill, you may be asked to wait outside the campus until the drill concludes. If you are on the FSDB campus either inside a building or outside during a drill, you will not be able to leave the campus until the drill concludes.
Alerting Systems
The FSDB Safety and Facilities Operations and Campus Police departments are responsible for oversight of campus-based emergency alert and messaging systems. The school campus is outfitted with a variety of interconnected devices, both outside and inside buildings, as described below. If an emergency alert/messaging system is activated, please consult with your campus representative for appropriate action.
Message Board Alerts
When you see or hear an indoor message board alert (scrolling text messages and audible alerts), follow the directions associated with shelter in place, lockdown or evacuation.
Digital Display Alerts
When you see an indoor emergency digital display alert (emergency messages in American Sign Language), follow the directions associated with shelter in place, lockdown, tornado warning, severe weather, or evacuation.
Fire Alarm Alerts
When you see or hear an indoor fire alarm alert (white flashing strobes and audible messages), evacuate the building quickly and walk 300 feet or more. Wait for further instructions or incident expired notification.
Weather Alerts
When you see an outdoor severe weather alert (white flashing strobes and message board alerts), seek shelter indoors. If you are indoors, wait for further instructions or incident expired notification
Lockdown Alerts
When you see or hear a lockdown alert (indoor and outdoor blue flashing strobes and message board alerts, digital display and giant voice messages), seek shelter immediately, close and lock all doors, and move to hard corners. Wait for further instructions or incident expired notification.
Giant Voice Alerts
When you are outside and hear a giant voice alert (audible message broadcast to all corners of the campus), follow directions of the voice alert. Wait for further instructions or incident expired notification.
Alyssa's Alert Badge
Our priority at the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is to keep our students and staff safe. In support of Senate Bill 70 “Alyssa’s Law,” FSDB has installed CENTEGIX’s Alyssa’s Alert solution throughout our campus to further support and empower our staff.
With Alyssa’s Alert, all staff wear a mobile badge that empowers them to request help easily and discreetly from anywhere on campus. The badge is easy to use and does not require staff to download an app to their mobile phone. It operates on a private network and does not depend on Wi-Fi or a cellular signal. The badge can be used in the following way:
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Alyssa’s Alert can activate a Campus-Wide Lockdown Alert. With this type of alert, the goal is to immediately notify everyone on campus that the school is under a threat and to get to safety as soon as possible. CENTEGIX® immediately delivers that alert to first responders and provides a map of the school showing where the alert was triggered.
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Staff have an opportunity to practice using the solution as part of their annual training so everyone knows what to do when an alert is activated.
CENTEGIX Alyssa’s Alert is an additional step the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is taking to increase safety for the FSDB community.
FortifyFL
FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials.
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​Someone who knowingly submits a false tip through FortifyFL may be subject to further investigations by law enforcement, and may be subject to criminal penalties under section 837.05, F.S.
Families Staying Connected
Parents and legal guardians of FSDB students are encouraged to regularly log on to the Skyward Family/Student Access portal to keep their contact information up to date. FSDB needs to be able to reach families for routine purposes as well as in case of emergency.
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Skylert is the system that FSDB uses to send out automated phone calls, text messages and email notifications, including emergency messages.
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Parents and legal guardians who are unable to log into the Skyward portal are encouraged to contact their child’s school administrative assistant.
Campus Police
The FSDB Campus Police Department provides 24/7 security and access control for school. The Department strives to provide a safe and secure, crime-free and drug-free environment for the education of students and to equip them with the tools and responsibilities needed to live productive, law-abiding and rewarding lives.
Call/Text for Assistance
Campus Police provides both emergency and non-emergency assistance. They also work closely with city and county emergency services and law enforcement personnel.
Emergency
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If you see suspicious activity, a person with a weapon or are involved in a campus situation that requires immediate FSDB assistance, call 904-827-2911.
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If you observe an imminent threat of great bodily harm or death to self and/or others, press the Lockdown button. Lockdown buttons are located in every building on campus.
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If the campus situation requires city of St. Augustine emergency responder assistance, call or text 911.
Non-Emergency
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If you require Campus Police assistance for any campus situation that does not require emergency assistance, call 904-827-2315.
Visiting the Campus
Visitors, volunteers, contractors and delivery drivers who seek access to the FSDB campus are required to display a valid photo identification (preferably a state issued ID card or driver’s license) and be prepared to give campus police the name of the staff member they are meeting and the purpose and location of their visit.
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Campus representatives are expected to provide the following information to their visitors:
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Health & Safety Protocols (mask usage, hand hygiene, social distancing)
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Campus ID badge usage expectations
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Call/Text guidelines, including emergency and non-emergency numbers
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Shelter in place locations
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Fire evacuation routes
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Emergency kit locations
Contact Information
Campus Police provides both emergency and non-emergency assistance. They also work closely with city and county emergency services and law enforcement personnel.
General
904-827-2200 Voice/Text (7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. weekdays)
904-215-1022 VP (7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. weekdays)
Campus Police
904-827-2315 Non-Emergency Voice (24 hours/7 days a week)
904-827-2911 Emergency Voice (24 hours/7 days a week)
904-245-1022 VP (7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. weekdays)
Health Care Center
904-827-2410 Main Voice/Text
800-850-7800 Toll Free
904-201-3910 VP
Purchasing Department
904-827-2331 Voice
904-827-2356 Voice
Safety & Facilities Department
904-827-2372 Voice