IX. SAFETY & EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

We believe that providing a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff is of paramount importance. To that end, we have a comprehensive program addressing safety and emergency preparedness in all aspects of Branson life, both on campus and beyond. The following is a summary of the major ongoing initiatives. If you have questions regarding these or any other safety-related programs, please contact our safety director, Justin Culley at justin _ culley@branson.org or by phone at 415-455-7214.

Emergency Operations Plans

Branson maintains several Emergency Operations Plans, (EOPs), which thoroughly document the policies and procedures for emergency situations. These plans include procedures for specific emergencies such as fire, earthquake, violent intruder, etc. Additionally, they include campus evacuation maps and relevant emergency contact information. Each plan is tailored to its particular scope and audience. All plans are currently maintained online and distributed via smartphone app. Currently, we have the following plans:

● The Main EOP - this plan is provided to all faculty and staff and contains complete instructions for all emergency scenarios as well as detailed information on all safety policies. ● Summer Safety Plan - this plan is tailored for the summer and is provided to groups conducting programs on the Branson campus. ● Student EOP - this plan is tailored to the students at Branson and contains an abbreviated subset of the main EOP. ● International Travel - this plan covers all policies and procedures relating to safety when traveling abroad. It also includes international contact information and overseas resources able to be customized by the trip.

Annual Safety Training

The faculty and staff at Branson are certified in the following:

● First Aid/CPR - This training is renewed every 2 years. All faculty and staff are required to have this training. ● Lodestone - Any faculty or staff member planning on leading an international trip is required to undergo this international safety training. We provide this training annually. ● Violent Intruder Training - Annually, we provide updated training on how to respond to a potential violent intruder on campus. All faculty and staff are required to have this training.

● CPR/Stop the Bleed - Each year, Branson ensures all graduating seniors participate in this program. This enables each student to provide enhanced first responder care in their communities should the need arise. ● Student and Faculty/Staff Training - At the beginning of each year, general safety training is conducted for faculty/staff and students covering drills, updates to policies and procedures, etc.

Medical Resources

We maintain first aid kits in each classroom and program area that also contain tourniquets. These kits are checked and updated annually. Additionally, we have 3 AEDs, (automated external defibrillators)on campus. These are checked monthly.

Visitor Registration System

Branson requires visitors to register and to wear a visitor badge during their visit. Visitors are checked against two federal sex offender databases prior to being allowed on campus.

Drills

Each year, we conduct several drills covering the following situations: ● Earthquake ● Fire ● Violent Intruder All faculty, staff and students participate in these drills which are updated annually to reflect best practices.

Safety Team

The Branson Safety Team meets monthly to discuss ongoing safety initiatives and to discuss any policies, procedures, training and equipment needed to enhance safety and emergency preparedness at Branson.