Keep Your Schools Safe Guide Discussed on The Yeshiva World Website

The Yeshiva World website has recently done an article about the Keep Your School Safe guide written by Frank Storch. In their article, they explain why this guide is so important for Jewish schools of all denominations. As they wrote, "KYSS is intended for all Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Community Day schools. In addition, it will also be sent to Jewish organizations, synagogues, and camps. A similar guide is being prepared for all public and private schools throughout North America."

The guide, as they explained, has been recommended by many esteemed organizations. It has been recommended by security organizations like The Secure Community Network and SWAT members. It has also, as the article explained, "been recognized by the Agudath Israel of America and The Orthodox Union as an essential safety and security resource." The article explains that the " guide helps schools conduct a thorough security review to help them carefully evaluate and improve school safety."

Frank Storch Offers Many Ways to Keep Your School and Children, Safe

For most people creating a secure environment seems a daunting task, but because of Frank Storch and his downloadable handbook Keep Your School Safe, anyone can make a difference in the safety level of their children’s school.

Here is just one of many examples of ways Frank Storch guides readers through the steps of creating the safest environment possible for children.

• Is the Crisis Management Plan accessible to all key personnel?
• Are all safety and security protocols kept up to date?
• Is a thorough assessment of the school’s safety and security protocols periodically conducted by security professionals and/or law enforcement? When was the last time such an assessment was completed?

Download the guide here and learn more about keeping schools, and the children within them, safe.

Parents Participate in Keeping Schools Safe

Parents Get Involved in Keeping their Kid's Schools Safe

Among the many responsibilities parents have for their children, one with a top priority is keeping them safe.

Now that Frank Storch has sent his guidebook “Keep Your School Safe,” to all Jewish schools throughout North America, parents can encourage those schools to implement the procedures.

“It is imperative that parents get involved to make changes,” emphasizes Frank Storch. “Parents play a key role in helping the schools turn these ideas into actions. Especially in light of recent events, there can no longer be any doubt that all parents must encourage and maximize safety in their children’s schools.”

After receiving the booklet, one parent became quite happy, and relieved:

“I was totally blown away,” Mrs. Rosenstock said. “It put me in tears, I was so grateful.”

Frank Storch Reaching Out to North American Institutions to Keep Them Safe

Not content with just bringing the guidebook Keep Your School Safe to the Baltimore Jewish community, Frank Storch, with the Chesed Fund and Project Ezra, are sending the safety handbook to all Jewish schools and other institutions all over North America.

The first printing of this comprehensive guidebook consisted of ten thousand copies and is intended for every Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and community day schools. An additional handbook is underway right now which will be sent to all public and private schools throughout North America.
In Frank Storch’s own words he explains why he is so dedicated to getting the word out about community safety:

“As a Security Consultant, Coordinator for CERT (the Community Emergency Response Team in Northern Park Heights, Baltimore) and an expert in security for over thirty-five years I felt that the Jewish community needs no further wake-up call than the tragedy last December in Newtown, CT; it is imperative to review and tighten school safety and security measures.”

The guidebook was published in memory of the 20 young students and 6 dedicated teachers and staff who were brutally murdered at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut last December. It is also dedicated to the victims who died as a result of the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon in April.

For more information and resources please visit www.keepyourschoolsafe.com. For any questions or comments please call 410-358-2525 or email info@keepyourschoolsafe.com.

Is Your Classroom Safe and Ready for a Crisis?

Frank Storch recently completed a very important handbook for school safety. Called Keep Your School Safe, the handbook offers very easy to follow guidelines for preparing a school for added safety. There are checklist sections where a school can evaluate its current safety measures and implement new recommendations offered by Frank Storch.

In one section, for instance, the handbook asks schools to evaluate their classroom safety. Questions in the checklist include:

1. Is a lockdown procedure checklist posted in every classroom and office?

2. Do all classrooms and offices have clearly marked room numbers outside the door so that emergency responders can easily locate them if necessary? Do the teachers know their classroom number(s)?

3. Do all classrooms and offices have a diagram that shows where the room is located within the building, and clearly indicates the locations of emergency exits, escape routes, and safe rooms?

4. Are all classroom and office doors and windows lockable? Is all locking hardware in working order?

This is an example of 4 of the 19 questions that they offer for schools in the classroom section of the handbook. 

Frank Storch’s Safety Guide Offers Clear Way to a More Secure School

Frank Storch, author of “Keep Your School Safe” explains what motivated him to write such a guide.

“I have thought about making this guide for many years,” he said. “But because of the Newtown tragedy, I felt that it was imperative — now more than ever — for schools to take a much-needed closer look at their safety and security measures to keep our children from any potential harm.”

Frank Storch

The Newton tragedy which Frank Storch is referring to is of course the events of December 14, 2012, when a gunman forced his way into a Connecticut elementary school and kindergarten and murdered 20 children and six adults.

Ever since that morning officials who are responsible for the daily care of children have been asking the question, “How can we prevent that from happening to us?” Frank Storch’s guide is a concise, easy to understand pamphlet offering clear steps to making schools and other institutions safe and secure so such a tragedy can be prevented in the future.

“It’s a good, comprehensive document,” said Paul Goldenberg, national director of SCN (Secure Community Network) about “Keep Your School Safe.” “Though there’s no one-size-fits-all [security guide], this community created this document for their situation.”

Frank Storch Addresses Attendees at Celebration for AED Program

AED Saves Lives

The Doubletree Hotel in Pikesville, Maryland hosted a celebration of ten years since the inauguration of the AED project, a program established by Baltimore’s Project Ezra and the Chesed Fund.

Speaking at the celebration was Frank Storch, overseer of the Chesed Fund.

“Thousands of lives each year would be saved if more defibrillators were placed throughout the country. We, as the Jewish Nation, value life tremendously. The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program shows achdus, unity, and our commitment to help all Jewish people, regardless of their affiliations,” Frank Storch said.