2026
2026
Emergency Preparedness Booklet
Index
Incident Levels.....................................................3 Emergency Procedures ..................................4 Communication Flow...................................... 6 Students on Trips................................................7 Glossary.................................................................. 8
American Embassy School, New Delhi Emergency Preparedness Booklet
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This Emergency Preparedness Booklet is for parents and guardians of AES students to understand our safety procedures and the role you can play in the event of an emergency. You may access this booklet at any time from the MyAES portal. All emergency response plans are founded upon student safety first. The booklet incorporates visual logos and bullet points to inform you what to expect in the event of different emergency scenarios. Our incident response begins with a three-tiered approach to defining and addressing any emergency.
CRISIS MAJOR INCIDENT MINOR INCIDENT Incident levels based on assessment criteria (across ERM and CMP) Level 1 – Minor Incidents People – No injury or hospitalization & no threat to life. Operations – Minimal disruption, no closure, asset unaffected. Reputation – No external exposure & concerns limited to those directly involved. Example – Isolated student injury treated on campus or a small fire contained etc.
Level 2 – Major Incidents People – Serious injury or distress, hospitalization required. Operations – Disruption for 1–3 days, partial asset damage, limited data/security issues. Reputation – Regional/social media exposure, parent complaints, declining board confidence. Example – Bus accident with multiple injuries etc.
Level 3 – Crisis People – Fatality, acute risk of life or multiple causalities. Operations – Sustained disruption (>3 days), school closure, critical data compromised. Reputation – National or international scrutiny. Widespread loss of trust. Example – Fatality on campus, several natural disaster affecting school etc.
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Emergency Procedures Emergency Contacts: Security: Pawan Kumar, Ext 3930; +91 11 2688 8854 Health Office: Pippa White Ext 3700; +91 11 2688 8854 Division Heads: ES Charles Bellomy Ext 3400; +91 11 2688 8854 MS Anthea Clifton Ext 3300; +91 11 2688 8854 HS Iftekhar Syed Ext 3200; +91 11 2688 8854
Bomb Threat Procedure “See something, say something—safety first.” The school’s Security Team and Emergency Response Team immediately assess the situation, including preparation for a rapid evacuation or lockdown to ensure everyone’s safety. Parents will be informed as soon as it is safe to communicate, and updates will be shared through official communication channels.
Earthquake Procedure “Drop, Cover, Hold On—Stay Safe.” Everyone on campus should immediately drop to the ground, move away from windows, and seek cover under desks, tables, or archways. If you’re outside, move away from structures. After shaking stops, check for injuries and follow evacuation instructions. Check official communication channels for updates and anticipate aftershocks.
Controlled Release Procedure “Orderly release. Safe reunification.” Controlled Release is designed as an orderly, secure process that prioritizes safety over speed. During this procedure, you will be directed to a designated reunification area where students are released systematically—and only to authorized guardians—after strict identification checks. Please familiarize yourself with the Controlled Release Form in this booklet, as it helps ensure every child is reunified with an authorized adult. We appreciate your patience as these steps take time to complete safely. Continue to monitor official communication channels for updates.
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Emergency Procedures Evacuation Procedure “Route to Location.” Upon the order to evacuate, staff focus on safely moving and accounting for all students. They lead an orderly evacuation along pre-planned routes to a designated assembly point and conduct a roll call for each class. Everyone remains in their class groups until an official “all clear” or further instructions are given for Controlled Release or Relocation. Check official communication channels for updates.
Lockdown Procedure “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight.” If an immediate threat is on or near campus, staff will execute a Lockdown to secure internal barriers. Students will be moved away from windows, blinds will be drawn, doors will be locked, lights turned off, and noise eliminated (silence all devices). This procedure turns classrooms into safe, hidden, and secure zones until the all-clear is given. Check official communication channels for updates
Safe Haven Procedure “In your space. Keep the halls clear.” This procedure moves students and staff to a pre-determined, designated secure area (often internal to the building) to protect them from external threats (e.g., severe weather or civil disturbance). We establish a controlled, calm, and supervised environment to ensure protection and accountability until the situation is resolved. Check official communication channels for updates.
Please note that in the event of an emergency requiring medical support, first responders and health staff will report to either the primary First Aid Station, located in the PreKindergarten cafe (Neem, ground floor), or the secondary location in the Board Conference Room of the main office.
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Communication Flow How We Communicate With Families A key element in our detailed emergency response plans is timely communication with parents and other stakeholders. These plans stipulate that factual updates will be shared through official communication channels as quickly and often as it is safe to do so. We strongly recommend parents frequently check for updates via the following AES-approved communication channels:
1.
PowerSchool Contact Information Accurate contact details are essential for timely communication. Please ensure your mobile number and email address in PowerSchool are always up to date. If you need any assistance, please contact maintech@aes.ac.in
2.
SMS, WhatsApp Alerts, or MobileApp We send brief, urgent notifications via SMS or WhatsApp to ensure you receive real-time updates.
3.
Email Updates Email provides more detailed information during and after an incident. Always check that our messages aren’t filtered to spam or promotions.
4.
School Website Key updates and status alerts are posted on the homepage during major events.
5.
Social & Emotional Support Following any significant event, our counselors offer follow-up care to students and their families.
6. How You Can Help Stay calm and follow the school’s official communication channels for updates.
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Do not come to campus unless the school specifically instructs you to do so— this keeps emergency routes clear and students safe.
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Keep phone lines open to receive updates promptly.
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Follow all instructions provided by the school during and after the event.
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Students on Trips Off-Campus Travel AES prioritizes the safety of our students above all else. There is an inherent uncertainty around travel, and with it, travel to any destination may be called into question. For this reason, all travel is approved by our local US Regional Security Office (RSO) in communication with the RSO located in the host city. Note that trip-specific updates will be coordinated by the trip leader. If you have any concerns about Activities and Athletics-related travel, please contact Matt Lautenbach at mlautenbach@aes.ac.in or on 971-789-7612.
For communications regarding Division-led travel, please direct them to the following Assistant Principals: •
ES - (Ranthambore) Scott White
Ext 3410; +91 11 2688 8854
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MS - (WOW), Kasey Shiver
Ext 3306; +91 11 2688 8854
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HS - (Mini Course), Derwin Kitch
Ext 3229; +91 11 2688 8854
Teresa Hjellming
Ext 3233; +91 11 2688 8854
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Glossary Explanation of Evacuation Assembly Area, and Safe Haven, Controlled Release Desk, and Controlled Release Process.
Evacuation Assembly Area Move to after evacuation and before Controlled Release. This is a pre-identified, division-specific, outdoor location used when evacuation from campus buildings is necessary due to a threat (e.g., bomb threat).
Safe Haven Activated during imminent threats, this is a pre-identified, division-specific, indoor, secured location used during a threat or crisis (e.g., presence of an active shooter, extreme weather) for the temporary holding, safe relocation, or controlled release of students and staff before reunification.
Controlled Release Desk Division-specific desk set up near a Safe Haven for coordination of the reunification process. Managed by Assistant Principal and Executive Secretaries.
Controlled Release This process is initiated if the situation remains unsafe and students need to be taken off-campus. It involves a systematic approach to ensure safety while allowing for a controlled return to normalcy, and can be carried out from a Safe Haven or an Evacuation Assembly Area. NOTE: This process is designed for safety, not speed. Patience is key, as parents must understand that the process may take some time to ensure every child is safe and released to the correct parent or designated guardian.
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Controlled Release Form Have photo identification out and ready to show school personnel. (PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY)
Student Name.................................................................................................................................................................................................... Student Grade ...............................................................................Student Cell Phone Number ....................................................... Name of person picking up student........................................................................................................................................................ Signature.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. Phone number of person picking up student..................................................................................................................................... SCHOOL PERSONNEL COMPLETES Photo identification matches name of the person picking up student?
Relationship to student being picked up ............................................................................................................................................. Yes or No
Parent/Guardian completes: Print Student Name Again ........................................................................................................................................................................... Student Grade .................................................................................................................................................................................................. Teacher ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. SCHOOL PERSONNEL COMPLETES UPON RELEASE OF STUDENT
Student Birthday ............................................................................................................................................................................................. TIME INITIALS OTHER
Signature .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. Print Your Name ............................................................................................ Date.........................................................................................
Parent Guardian Sign Off Parent/Guardian Sign Off
7.
Please don’t shout at school or district staff. We’ll get through this as quickly as possible.
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If there has been injury or other concerns, you may be asked to meet with a counselor.
5.
After check-in, staff will split this card and a runner will be sent to recover your student. Please step over to the Reunification Location.
4.
Select the check-in line based on either student last name or student grade.
3.
Prepare identification (If you don’t have ID with you, please move to the side of the line; it may take a little longer to verify your identity.)
2.
Please complete the information on the other side of this card.
1.
Instructions First, AES wants to thank you for your patience during this controlled release process. Please recognize this process is designed for safety, not speed. Parents must understand that any delay is to ensure every child is released to the correct person. We share the same goal: Getting you & your student back together as quickly as possible. The reason we’re going through this is that an event has occurred at school that mandates we personally reunite you & your child. First, AES wants to thank you for your patience during this controlled release process. Please recognize this process is designed for safety, not speed. Parents must understand that any delay is to ensure every child is released to the correct person. We share the same goal: Getting you & your student back together as quickly as possible. The reason we’re going through this is that an event has occurred at school that mandates we personally reunite you & your child.
Controlled Release