Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks and School Shootings. Buildings and Infrastructure Protection Series. FEMA-428

Book excerpt: This publication, part of the new Building and Infrastructure Protection Series (BIPS) published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Management Division (IDD), serves to advance high performance and integrated design for buildings and infrastructure. This manual was prepared as a component of the S&T program for infrastructure protection and disaster management; the overall goal of this program is to enhance the physical resistance of the Nation's buildings and infrastructure to manmade and natural hazards to meet specific performance requirements at the highest possible level. This is the Second Edition of a publication developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as part of the Risk Management Series known as: FEMA 428, "Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks." This publication (hereafter primer) revises and expands the original 2003 edition with updated risk assessment techniques, protective measures, emerging technologies, and discussion of the threat of school shootings. The purpose of this primer is to provide the design community and school administrators with the basic principles and techniques to make a school safe from terrorist attacks and school shootings and at the same time ensure it is functional and aesthetically pleasing, and meets the needs of the students, staff, administration, and general public. Protecting a school building and grounds from physical attack is a significant challenge because the design, construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of a facility must consider numerous building users, infrastructure systems, and building design codes. Appended are: (1) Acronyms; (2) Glossary; (3) Chemical, Biolological, and Radiological Glossary; (4) References; (5) Associations; and (6) Building Vulnerability Assessment Checklist. (Contains 74 figures, 14 tables and 1 footnote.).