Spring has started out as a very dry season and unfortunately, weâre seeing grassfires in nearby areas. Although we havenât had fires close to the school to date, circumstances can shift quickly and we need to be prepared to deal with the situation should it arise.
We understand parents and caregivers have concerns about studentsâ health and wellbeing due to the unpredictability of wildfires, and I wanted to reach out to let you know about the contingency plans we have in place.
¡ To keep air quality at healthy levels, air intake system is adjusted as needed to avoid bringing smoke into the building. When the air quality is poor outside, school administrators will initiate a âshelter in placeâ and keep students and staff indoors during the school day.
¡ School administrators monitor the situation through emergency alerts and information from Alberta Fire and other agencies. If we receive word the school community may be at risk due to proximity to the fire, the school will evacuate students and staff to a safe location.
¡ Lakeland Ridge School, like all EIPS schools, has a detailed evacuation plan to follow should emergency officials inform us that we must leave. If that happens, EIPS will contact you directly via both phone and email on its emergency channel.
¡ Staff and students will be transported via bus and taken to an emergency evacuation centre located a safe distance away, where a controlled release of students to their parents and caregivers will take place.
¡ IMPORTANT: If you receive notice the school is evacuating, DO NOT come to the school to try and pick up your child. During an evacuation, staff must focus on ensuring all students are accounted for and safely on busesâthey cannot manage the release of students from the school at the same time. Additional traffic and people coming to the school could also jeopardize the effectiveness of the evacuation and compromise the overall safety of the school community.
