In this special edition of the Safety Circuit podcast, we walk through a scenario involving a chemical spill at a school. The scenario is broken into smaller time increments, and we pause at each one to ask how the crisis team should respond and what protocols they should follow. We also discuss the importance of preparedness and training for successful crisis response, and how this event may impact future planning. The scenario is based on a true event that was successfully handled by school staff and firefighters.

Here is a link to the companion worksheet: https://bit.ly/tabletopsheet

In this episode an inmate escapes custody and is reported to be heading towards a school. The school goes into lockdown and receives updates about the fugitive committing more crimes and evading the police. Students become restless and parents start calling the school for information. The crisis continues throughout the school day, causing complications with transportation and early dismissal. Staff must adapt and make decisions on how to handle the situation.

Here is a link to the companion worksheet: ⁠https://bit.ly/tabletopsheet ⁠

In this episode a gas leak is reported in a school, prompting the school to follow safety protocols and evacuate the students. After 45 minutes, it is discovered that the gas leak was caused by a nearby construction crew, but no one informed the school. The crisis team must then navigate the situation, including a student having an allergic reaction, finding a relocation site for the students, and managing upset parents.

Here is a link to the companion worksheet: ⁠https://bit.ly/tabletopsheet ⁠

In today’s episode, we are going through chronologically a medical incident at a school.

These episodes are meant to be tabletop exercises designed to challenge your thinking, test your instincts, and sharpen your response strategies. Important note before we begin: Every scenario you’ll hear is based on an actual event that took place in a school setting. These aren’t just hypothetical; they’re grounded in reality, which makes your response all the more important.

Here is a link to the companion worksheet: ⁠https://bit.ly/tabletopsheet ⁠

In this episode the hosts examine the disturbing but deeply informative progression leading up to the Covenant School tragedy, using the official attack progression report as their primary source. They trace the attacker’s psychological and social history from early childhood through the years of mounting mental health struggles, social isolation, and a growing fixation on violence. Key themes emerge around early emotional vulnerabilities, the lasting effects of bullying and lost peer connections, and the repeated missed opportunities for meaningful intervention despite therapy and assessments. The episode highlights how seemingly isolated red flags—like stalking former friends online, obsession with school shootings, and secret weapons purchases—formed a clear and escalating pattern when viewed together. Ultimately, the episode underscores the importance of sustained mental health support, vigilant attention to warning signs, and coordinated threat assessment efforts to identify and disrupt violent trajectories before they culminate in tragedy.

ASIS International is a community of security practitioners, their members represent virtually every industry in the public and private sectors, and organizations of all sizes. This episode of the podcast is Part 2 of the ASIS School Security Standard that is to be released in 2025. What is discussed in this podcast is NOT a final product of the ASIS School Security Standard and is subject to change. This is intended to help individuals consume the draft document in an audio format. This is meant to be a document review without commentary or judgement.

Part 4 explorers lines 607 through 708 of the DRAFT of the ASIS School Security Standard. Specifically, we're zeroing in on the Monitoring & Measurement and Management Review.

⁠ASIS Website

ASIS International is a community of security practitioners, their members represent virtually every industry in the public and private sectors, and organizations of all sizes. This episode of the podcast is Part 3 of the ASIS School Security Standard that is to be released in 2025. What is discussed in this podcast is NOT a final product of the ASIS School Security Standard and is subject to change. This is intended to help individuals consume the draft document in an audio format. This is meant to be a document review without commentary or judgement.

Part 2 explorers lines 299 through 606 of the DRAFT of the ASIS School Security Standard. Specifically, we're zeroing in on the and Implementation and Operation.

⁠ASIS Website

ASIS International is a community of security practitioners, their members represent virtually every industry in the public and private sectors, and organizations of all sizes. This episode of the podcast is Part 2 of the ASIS School Security Standard that is to be released in 2025. What is discussed in this podcast is NOT a final product of the ASIS School Security Standard and is subject to change. This is intended to help individuals consume the draft document in an audio format. This is meant to be a document review without commentary or judgement.

Part 2 explorers lines 19 through 298 of the DRAFT of the ASIS School Security Standard. Specifically, we're zeroing in on the General Purpose and Establishing the School Security Program.

ASIS Website

ASIS International is a community of security practitioners, their members represent virtually every industry in the public and private sectors, and organizations of all sizes. This episode of the podcast is part 1 of the ASIS School Security Standard that is to be released in 2025. What is discussed in this podcast is NOT a final product of the ASIS School Security Standard and is subject to change. This is intended to help individuals consume the draft document in an audio format. This is meant to be a document review without commentary or judgement.

Part 1 explorers pages 4 through 12 of the DRAFT of the ASIS School Security Standard. Specifically, we're zeroing in on the scope, the normative references, and crucially, the terms and definitions.

In this episode, the hosts take a careful, fact-based look at the Covenant School tragedy, focusing solely on information from the official investigation to avoid speculation. They emphasize the profound loss of life and detail the background of the attacker, Audrey Hale, highlighting a deep local connection to the school, educational and employment history, and aspects of personal identity. Investigators uncovered an enormous volume of material; notebooks, sketchbooks, and digital records. Offering an unusually detailed but fragmented view into Hale's life. Notably, no clear manifesto explaining motives was found, forcing investigators to piece together insights from scattered clues. The hosts stress the need for those working in school safety to recognize that warning signs may not be obvious or centralized but instead spread across many aspects of a person's life, underlining the complexity of violence prevention efforts and the importance of holistic, ethical approaches to assessing potential risks.

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