Emergencies

It is very important that we have up to date contact information and emergency contacts for every child. If an emergency occurs and we need to close the school urgently we will only release children to the caregivers who are listed in our database as emergency contacts. If your child’s emergency contact information is not up to date please complete this form

If we have an earthquake children will be kept safely at school until parents or other emergency contacts are able to get to school. We will attempt to communicate with parents via text messaging if this is possible.

In the event of a tsunami warning the following procedures will be followed.

If we receive warning that a tsunami is predicted and evacuation is advised:

• Parents will be informed that we have received an evacuation notification from Civil Defence. This information will be sent by text and notifications will also be posted on our school website, on Facebook, and via the Rāwhiti School Hero App.
• Teachers will be notified and classes will assemble on the netball courts. Teachers will have full class lists that include parent/caregiver details, and emergency contacts.
• Depending on the size of the shake, will depend on whether we are required to evacuate to somewhere further away.  Civil Defence will let us know if we need to evacuate for a distant earthquake or we will follow the “Long, Strong, Get gone” message.
• If we need to evacuate, once rolls have been checked classes will begin the walk to either Shirley Boys High School/Avondside Girls High School or Waitakiri School, 170 Burwood Road, Christchurch 8083. This is the destination advised by Civil Defence.
• Teachers will maintain class lists of students collected by parents or nominated emergency contacts, including who students have gone home with and the time. Students may only be uplifted by a parent/caregiver, or one of the emergency contacts identified on the enrolment form.
• Special needs students who have been identified with mobility difficulties will be transported to Waitakiri School in the Rāwhiti School vans, driven by the Learning Support Coordinator or the Caretaker.
• The Principal or a Deputy Principal will follow up at the rear in a vehicle, with the daily roll, and first aid (including Epi Pens for students with life threatening allergies) and communication resources.

Here is a map showing the evacuation zones in our area:

(Yellow = only evacuate if Civil Defence advises to do so)

If we receive notification during the school day of an event of distant origin e.g. earthquake in South America, with a warning time of 10 or more hours:

• Parents will be notified by email, website, Facebook, and Rāwhiti School App so that they can make their own decision as to whether they uplift their child from school.
• We will remain open for the school day.
• We will track events as they develop throughout the evening in order to make an informed decision about school closure.