Lockdowns vs Shelter-In-Place in Schools
Matthew Colpitts, EdD, CPP
Higher Education, K12, Safety and Security, Student Affairs, Consulting
Posted on October 18, 2019 by mcolpitts
Recently, I have been in a few discussions where people have asked about the difference between a Lockdown and a Shelter-In-Place. In the context of schools, both are options for protecting students, faculty, staff, and visitors during emergencies.
A Shelter-In-Place is used to keep our community members safe from danger outside of the school buildings including police activity, fire department activity, severe weather, etc. and allows our students and staff to continue with their learning and work with the outside doors locked.
A Lockdown is used when there is a threat to student or community safety in the immediate area or in the school buildings. During a Lockdown, the school is closed to all visitors. School personnel secure all building entrances and doors, ensuring that no unapproved people enter or leave the school. In a Lockdown situation, all students, staff, and visitors are kept in locked classrooms or other designated locations.