October 8, 2004

LANSING, Michigan – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has called Michigan’s initiative to encourage public school administrators around the state to assess their school buildings’ state of emergency preparedness, a homeland security "best practice."

The Initiative, which began in October 2003, is funded by an $8.2 million grant from DHS that provides funding to school districts that assess their state of emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

"Our children are among our most critical assets and that’s why for us, homeland security begins at home," said Governor Jennifer M. Granholm. "Parents put an enormous amount of trust in the ability of teachers and administrators to care for their children while at school but unfortunately, any one of our schools could be touched by a crisis and that is why we want to be proactive in preparing for the unexpected as well as the unthinkable."

Under the Homeland Security School Grant Program, schools throughout Michigan assess their state of preparedness and response capabilities.

The school grant program identifies Michigan school systems as "critical infrastructure" within statewide homeland security initiatives. It requires the following:

• Completion of a comprehensive vulnerability assessment for each specific school building, from a template provided by the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management Division;

• Updates of School Safety Response Plans incorporating the concept of CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive) response components;

• Participation in a simulated exercise to a CBRNE event with community emergency responders.

The program reimburses each school district up to $2,200 per building for successful completion of their homeland security preparedness.

This comprehensive homeland security initiative is unlike any other in the United States. To date, the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division has signed grant agreements with 571 districts, including charters and academies, incorporating 3,434 school buildings – about 94 percent of all eligible buildings.

"The Russian school siege that killed more than 300 people confirms that schools are a soft target for terrorists and there is a heightened need for awareness and preparation on the part of students, school employees and parents," said Sgt. Jerry King of the Michigan State Police Emergency Management Division’s Homeland Security Section. "While we are close to the program’s December 31^st deadline, we are encouraging those public schools that have not yet taken advantage of this program to do so."

In Beslan, Russia, last month, more than 300 people – many of them students – were killed in a siege carried out by terrorists. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have analyzed the incident and urge school officials to be wary of:

• Persons attempting to obtain site plans for schools, bus routes and/or attendance lists;
• Prolonged surveillance by people disguised as panhandlers, shoe shiners, vendors or street sweepers;
• Observations of security drills; and
• Groups of people who appear to be working on campuses.

The public is encouraged to report suspicious activities to local police officials. For more information, log onto www.michigan.gov/emd.