The Toms River Regional School District Safety and Security Plan covers crisis management, emergency protocols, and continuity of operations and reflects the common and unique needs of educators, students, families, and the greater community. The plan is revised annually and procedures are based upon recommendations from the United States Department of Education, the United States Department of Justice, the NJ DOE, county and local law enforcement, and effective model plans from school districts around the nation.

The purpose of this plan is to provide guidelines to be used by all members of the Toms River Regional School District school community, including all state, county and municipal agencies, when preparing to deal and then dealing with crises that might occur within or otherwise affect the school community.

A crisis may be defined as a sudden change that affects the life of students, staff members and the community, requiring the immediate attention of trained school personnel to prevent harm or damage to students and to provide emotional support. 

School staff and students regularly drill in emergency responses and discuss how to reduce and respond to dangers in the school environment. The Safety and Security Plan outlines how all individuals in the school community will be prepared to react to various types of crises, including environmental, facilities, and human-related emergencies, including:

• Fires
• Extreme weather (ex. flood, blizzard, hurricane)
• Utilities issues (ex. water or gas leak)
• Bomb, terroristic, and cyber threats
• Intruders or active shooters

The plan includes how school and community resources can be used to create safe environments, proactively spot behavioral and emotional signs that indicate a child is troubled, and manage responses to acute threats and incidents of violence.