A Labor of Love for Frank Storch

A little more than a year ago Frank Storch, a safety expert from Baltimore, published a safety guide that has made an impact on schools all around the country. Storch’s 44-page booklet, called “Keep Your School Safe” gives advice and easy to follow instructions on how to upgrade the level of security in schools and other public facilities.

In Frank Storch’s own words “We have to protect the community,” it is easy to see why he worked hard to publish and distribute this guidebook, which was a labor of love. The booklet is available on-line and can be downloaded here: http://www.gowanuslounge.com/idt-energy-social-responsibility/ 

Keep Your School Safe: a 44 Page Guide

In a recent article, Frank Storch's Keep Your School Safe guide was discussed. As the article explained,

"He estimates that it took hundreds of hours to write the 44-page “Keep Your School Safe,” which includes checklists of safety and security protocols that ask school officials to score their facilities on a wide variety of security concerns. For example, the guide asks if lockdown procedures are in place in every classroom, whether all interior and exterior doors are designed to close automatically and securely and if teachers are required to carry two-way radios when they’ve taken children outdoors.

The article continued:

"The book also includes a “Bomb Threat Response Checklist”—with suggested questions to ask the caller, such as “Where is the bomb?” and “What does it look like?”—and urges the school to distribute a questionnaire to all staff members to assess how they view the school’s safety procedures. In addition, it provides a list of websites for resources such as the Department of Homeland Security and Community Security Service."

The entire article can be found at: 

http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2013/7/22/security-expert-compiles-new-school-safety-guide-for-the-love-of-the-jewish-people

ADL Praises Frank Storch and His Safety Guide

Frank Storch, Baltimore expert on security, wrote a booklet that is simple to use for schools and other communal spaces. He especially focused on presenting inexpensive but effective ideas for boosting security.

The Anti-Defamation League, which also distributes their own guide to security, was impressed with Frank Storch’s guide, which is called, “Keep Your School Safe.”

“We think it’s a useful resource and a welcome complement to our materials,” said Elise Jarvis, Associate Director for Law Enforcement Outreach and Communal Security at the ADL.

Frank Storch

Anti-Defamation League Has Praise for Frank Storch Guidebook

Frank Storch Wrote "Keep Your School Safe"

Referring to the safety guidebook "Keep Your School Safe," recently published by Frank Storch, the Anti-Defamation said,

“We think it’s a useful resource and a welcome complement to our materials.” 

This statement, made by Elise Jarvis, the ADL’s associate director of law enforcement outreach and communal security, is high praise indeed, considering that the ADL distributes its own safety guidelines booklet.

Frank Storch is uniquely positioned to produce such a useful booklet as a security consultant and the coordinator for the Northern Park Heights Community Response Team in Baltimore. Storch says that he was able to receive some guidance from law enforcement groups and SWAT teams. He also elicited help from US-based and Israeli security and school professionals.

“They gave us a little bit of feedback,” Storch remarks.

Frank Storch Discusses School Safety

For Frank Storch the tragic events which took place in December 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut, were a wake-up call to do something about the safety of children within their schools. Taking the position that no one should any longer take for granted that our children are safe within the walls of their schools, Frank Storch began to write a clear, concise and easy to use guide to creating the most secure school possible for children. Within just a few months “Keep Your School Safe” was ready for distribution.

“My prayer for our community is that we will all do our part to protect ourselves.  It might be a small step like placing a buzzer system at the front doors of our schools or gathering important personnel information in one place in the front office or installing video cameras by each entrance.  The main thing is that we are working to improve the status quo,” Storch said.

Improving Safety in Your School with Frank Storch

The Jewish Federations of North America and the Anti-Defamation League agree that Frank Storch’s guidebook, Keep Your School Safe, is an excellent resource for schools and other institutions that want to improve in-house security.

Elise Jarvis, the associate director of law enforcement, outreach and communal security for the Anti-Defamation League praised Storch’s booklet and believes it will become an essential resource for promoting safety.

We think it’s a useful resource and a welcome complement to our materials,” said Ms. Jarvis. The ADL also publishes guidebooks for improving safety.

At the Jewish Federations of North America, in their Secure Community Network, praise was also heaped on Storch’s work.

“(This booklet is) yet another  excellent tool to equip our community leaders and those of you whom are responsible for securing our children, with the knowledge to better understand the risks, threats and vulnerabilities we all face and be empowered, to effect change, and to implement a true culture of security within our schools and institutions.”

Frank Storch: Addressing the Safety Issue in Our Schools

It is hard to think of an issue more prominent and crucial in today’s world than safety and security. That is why Frank Storch’s guide to school safety, “Keep Your School Safe” is such a valuable and useful publication. The guidebook is available on-line, downloadable and completely free. Here are some tips taken from Frank Storch’s publication, Keep Your School Safe.

•    Is there anything unique to the school’s geographical location or building infrastructure that needs to be addressed specifically with regard to security?

•    Is daily traffic in and out of school grounds monitored by guards, cameras and/or video surveillance?

•    Has the school considered using a guard station/booth with a uniformed guard present during school hours?

Take some time, look over the guidebook, and get your school to a high level of safety.

Safety and Security are Frank Storch’s Specialties

Basic safety and security is not something to take for granted, and surely Frank Storch does not. As the author of Keep Your School Safe Frank Storch is dedicated to helping communities achieve and maintain the maximum level of safety which is possible. Here are a few tips to help lift the level of security at your school. Assuming that your school has done a security assessment, then-
 

·        Did the security assessment highlight items that need to be addressed immediately? Have they been addressed?

·        Did the security assessment include procedural or operational recommendations? Have they been implemented?

·        Has the school considered joining other schools in hiring a single security consulting company to develop unified and standardized safety and security protocols for cost-effectiveness and efficiency purposes?

Implementing the above recommendations will surely Keep Your School Safe.

Advice from Frank Storch to Help Keep Your School Safe

Within the pages of Frank Storch’s new handbook, “Keep Your School Safe,” are many ideas and strategies which can be implemented in relative ease. Here are several suggestions from Frank to keep your school safe.

• Are all the school’s safety and security protocols kept up to date?
• Do security professionals conduct regular, periodic assessments of the school’s safety and security protocols?
• When was the last time such an assessment was completed? If it was too long ago, conduct a new assessment.

These suggestions and much more can be found within the pages of the downloadable guidebook, Keep Your School Safe.

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.”

Keeping Our Children Safe in School: A Security Guide by Frank Storch

“Keep Your School Safe” is a new guidebook written by Frank Storch, security consultant and coordinator for CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) of Northern Park Heights in Baltimore. The booklet is a 40-page handbook designed to help schools, yeshivas, and other institutions where children gather, to assess their security level and strengthen it if needed.

The Guide is available in hard copy, and has already been distributed widely, with 10,000 copies already printed and in circulation. Frank Storch is working hard to maximize the guide’s distribution by making it available as a downloadable PDF file on-line to anyone who wants it, for absolutely no cost or other obligation.

The handbook was reviewed by security professionals, including members of various law enforcement agencies and SWAT officials. Experts in the field of security from both the United States and Israel also examined and approved the guide.

Funding for the production and publication of the guide came from the Chesed Fund and Project Ezra of Baltimore, organizations in which Frank Storch has taken an active part on a regular basis in the past.

As Frank Storch says in the introduction to the guide:

“We were all shocked by the horrific tragedy that took place in December 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. This incident, along with the more recent Boston Marathon terror attack, calls attention to our schools’ crucial responsibility to protect our children.”

Therefore, Mr. Storch continues,

“The purpose of this guide is to help your school ask the right questions, the answers to which will help you create a safety and security program customized to your own particular needs.”