-in collaboration with the Fire Department-
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Student Support Services Division (ESD) is organizing fire drills at 21 government-subsidized and public schools in collaboration with the St Maarten Fire Department. These drills are scheduled to take place between September 26th and October 22nd, 2024, during morning hours. The purpose of the drills this year is to ensure that schools are fully prepared to evacuate in the event of a fire and further enhance the quality of school safety procedures in our schools. The Fire Department is supporting this initiative and will be present at the participating schools with their fire truck.
One of the focal areas in SSSD’s school safety program this year is Fire Safety. As such, all schools were supported in the first half of the year in working on their Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for fire. The 21 schools with SOPs are now participating in phase two, which included them submitting a scenario on which the fire drill at their respective schools will be based. In preparation for the fire drill, the Safety & Emergency Team (SET) of the various schools was asked to prepare their school community for the drill. The SD applauds the work of the SETs, who continue to work diligently on pushing the school safety agenda forward with the support of school management.
SSSD hereby notifies the public of these critical drills to avoid any unnecessary panic during the drill period. These drills are a necessary part of preparedness to safeguard our school communities. Schools will provide more details to parents and neighbors to brief them and in so doing avoid panic when students start to evacuate the premises.
"Our top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, school staff, and the broader school community. Drills are essential for equipping everyone with the knowledge and confidence needed to respond effectively in emergency situations. Through collaboration with the Fire Department on the fire drills, we continue to strengthen our collaboration and coordination of school safety initiatives and provide a safer environment for all”, said Mrs. Olga Mussington-Service, Head of the Student Support Services Division/School Safety Focal Point St. Maarten.
The SSSD would appreciate the public’s cooperation during this time as we work to ensure that our schools are prepared for any emergency. Students may be crossing roads to evacuate their schools and some roads may be blocked during the drill. Road safety is critical and so we also thank the St. Maarten Police Force for their support in this critical area. The SSSD reminds all motorists to always reduce their speed around schools during school hours.
The Student Support Services Division coordinates school safety on St. Maarten and school safety is executed by the safety and emergency teams in the various schools. School Safety is everyone’s business, Mussington-Service stated, and she looks forward to the support of the entire community.
For further information, please contact:
Student Support Services Division at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
