A public library was converted to a communications command center and was quickly stocked with networked computers, printers, fax machines, telephones, cell phones, bullhorns, and walkie talkies, as well as office supplies, bottled water, basic sundries, and food.
The suffering of the victims and their families, as well as the relentless pressure and lack of sleep, need to be factored into planning for large-scale events, according to Kleinz; otherwise, even the strongest and most capable leaders will start collapsing from exhaustion and emotional fatigue.
“Outside support is critical to sustaining the effectiveness of your response in the long term,” says Kleinz. “The physical toll alone on those in charge of managing the crisis is enormous and must be factored into advance planning and preparation. The importance of community and collegial resources and support cannot be underestimated.”
The importance of managing the psychological aspects of a crisis, particularly for those managing the response, is a critical lesson many school districts still overlook.
While making counseling available for students and staff members is a routine part of most crisis plans, making sure that principals and district leaders get the emotional support they need is not.
Fostering a sense of normalcy among students, teachers, parents, and staff members by reopening school is an important step in the healing process. The comfort of such routines doesn’t mean things are really normal for anyone involved, however.
The Columbine team brought in trained crisis volunteers from the National Organization of Victims Assistance and the National Association for School Psychologists, who helped guide the response effort and brought in a deeper level of expertise in dealing with extreme trauma.
Working in concert with a variety of experts helped the district focus on what mattered most: the people they served.
“As I reflect back, I hope in some small way [that] my actions and those of my team were able to make it easier for the Columbine families and students and staff to heal,” says Kaufman. “That, above all else, is what drove us to do what we did and make decisions that we did, even when those conflicted with media and political pundits.”
Columbine and other school crises have also placed greater emphasis on prevention and intervention.
A three-year, $9 million study by the Colorado Trust commissioned after the Columbine massacre showed that teenagers need more and better relationships with caring, competent adults.
When teens are connected in healthy ways to adults, bullying and other anti-social behaviors are dramatically reduced.
Having a good relationship isn’t enough. Adults have to be willing to take action and intervene when students or young people misbehave or when adults see other warning signs.
Students must be willing to speak up, as well, when they see their peers being treated inappropriately or in a harmful manner.
According to the Colorado Trust, “Bullying decreased when adults and students were willing to intervene, treat each other fairly, and show they care.”
The study also showed that students in schools with less bullying achieved at higher levels on state tests and that anti-bullying initiatives could reduce incidents of inappropriate behavior, including cyber or online harassment.
“Every student needs an adult mentor, regardless of race, creed, color, ethnicity, sexual preference, et cetera,” says Kaufman. “We must take an interest in the lives of every student who walks through our doors. Failure to do so leaves to chance a student who might become disenfranchised [and] turn to inappropriate behaviors and actions that could bring harm to themselves and/or others.”
Students who feel connected to a school also are more likely to report suspicious behavior to a trusted adult–a key factor in preventing violence from erupting on school campuses.
“We must always, always remain vigilant, because we still know that today, as it was 10 years ago, the No. 1 deterrent to a violent school act is when someone comes forth with information that allows staff and police to intervene,” says Kaufman. “These are the success stories.”
Nora Carr, APR, Fellow PRSA, is chief of staff for Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, N.C, and an award-winning columnist for eSchool News. She was one of several crisis communication experts who assisted Jefferson County Public Schools on-site during the aftermath of the Columbine High School tragedy.