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Safety and Security Protocol: Hold!

Welcome back to our Safety and Security Campaign. If you’re unfamiliar with the Campaign, or what I Love you Guys Means then please check out the previous articles and videos and come back soon.

To recap, we’re looking at the “I Love U Guys” standard response protocols, offering insights on how school staff is continuously preparing for critical response, and sharing information on how you and your students can better prepare for the unexpected.  You can find the overview article explaining what I Love U Guys is in more detail here.

This week we’re covering “Hold.” Before we review the symbol, signs, and actions for this protocol, we’ll listen to a story about a relevant emergency from a friend in the district that demonstrates the value in utilizing I Love U Guys protocols and preparations.

Our district storyteller today is a return guest– it’s me again, Spencer Tuinei, and I’m sharing my story about a student with a medical emergency in which the Hold action would have significantly helped. 

Here’s where the Hold Response comes in. The call sign or the word that staff will use to inform other students and staff) for the protocol is “HOLD.” Hold is ordered when there is an issue in a part of the building that is under control, but is not yet fully removed. Business continues as usual within the classrooms with doors closed.

Hold might be called if there is an altercation in a hallway, a medical issue requiring student evacuation or emergency services in a classroom, or for unfinished maintenance operations in a common area.

When ordered, staff will:

  • Bring students into your classroom
  • Remain in your area until notified
  • Address situation with students and staff
  • Account for students and staff
  • Continue “business as usual”

When ordered, students will:

  • Leave school materials behind if required
  • Await instructions from teacher
  • Continue “business as usual”

And lastly, here is a list of preparative actions for the Hold protocol and general safety tips that we can take from my story:

For families who’d like to learn more, download our Emergency Reference Checklist and Tips, or browse the I Love U Guys website for more information.

Keep in mind that this is a broad overview of the protocol– more comprehensive training and training documents are available for staff members. Still, the goal is to put everyone on the same page to speak the same, simplified language in an emergency.

And that concludes this week’s coverage of the first I Love You Guys. 

Next week, we’ll cover LOCKDOWN. Instead of a district storyteller, we’ll dive into more details on the Lockdown protocol, and look forward to the security protocols we are putting in place to best prevent security emergencies in our schools.

Thanks for checking in, stay tuned for more safety and security information, and stay safe.

Spencer Tuinei
  • Communication Specialist
  • Spencer Tuinei
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