Bill Text: DE SCR2 | 2013-2014 | 147th General Assembly | Draft
Bill Title: Requesting A Report On The Feasibility And/or Practicality Of Ground Level Emergency Exits And Second Floor Fire Door Locks In Public Schools For Times Of Crisis And Suggestions For Improvements To The Safety Plan Within Public Schools From The Office Of Management And Budget, Department Of Education, And Department Of Safety And Homeland Security.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-10 - Assigned to Education Committee in Senate [SCR2 Detail]
Download: Delaware-2013-SCR2-Draft.html
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SPONSOR: |
Sen. Lawson & Rep. Smyk & Rep. Spiegelman & Rep. Wilson |
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DELAWARE STATE SENATE 147th GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2 |
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REQUESTING A REPORT ON THE FEASIBILITY AND/OR PRACTICALITY OF GROUND LEVEL EMERGENCY EXITS AND SECOND FLOOR FIRE DOOR LOCKS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR TIMES OF CRISIS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SAFETY PLAN WITHIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY. |
WHEREAS, on December 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Conn. an assailant killed 26 people, 20 of whom were children ages 5 to 10 years old; and
WHEREAS, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary is the second deadliest mass shooting in America; and
WHEREAS, the deadliest mass shooting in America was at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007 where 32 students were killed; and
WHEREAS, the safety of our schools should be of the utmost importance; and
WHEREAS, the current "lockdown" plan for Delaware public schools does not sufficiently protect students and faculty; and
WHEREAS, this "lockdown" plan corners the victims for the assailant leaving them vulnerable; and
WHEREAS, if an emergency exit was put in place of a window for every ground floor classroom which could only be opened from the inside, students and faculty could escape quickly from danger; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exit could be used during attacks by an armed assailant, fires, bomb threats, natural disasters, and other events requiring an evacuation; and
WHEREAS, fire doors could lock at the top of the second floor stairwell during an armed assailant attack to protect the safety of those on the upper levels; and
WHEREAS, the assailant would, therefore, have no access to students and faculty on the ground level or upper levels; and
WHEREAS, emergency exits and locks on fire doors would be visible signs of increased safety for students and faculty; and
WHEREAS, a report from the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Education, and Department of Safety and Homeland Security would inform the General Assembly of the feasibility and/or practicality of such a project, while also providing additional suggestions for improvement on the current safety plan within public schools.
NOW THEREFORE:
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 147th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House concurring therein, that the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Education, and Department of Safety and Homeland Security are requested to present a report on the feasibility and/or practicality of installing in public schools an emergency exit in every ground level classroom and fire door locks for second floor stairwells for times of crisis, while also providing additional suggestions for improvements to the safety plan within public schools.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if emergency exits and fire door locks are not deemed feasible and/or practical that the Office and Management and Budget, Department of Education, and Department of Safety and Homeland Security are requested to provide details to support their findings.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this report be presented to the General Assembly by the fourth Tuesday in February of 2013.
SYNOPSIS
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This Resolution requests a report from the Office of Management and Budget, Department of Education, and Department of Safety and Homeland Security for the purpose of determining the feasibility and/or practicality of emergency exits in every ground level classroom and fire door locks for second floor stairwells in public schools for times of crisis. Furthermore, it requests additional suggestions for improvement on the safety plan within public schools. If emergency exits and fire door locks are not deemed feasible and/or practical, this Resolution also requests that those agencies provide details to support their findings. |
