Chief of Safety and Emergency Operations: Michael Baumaister
Phone: (813) 794-7937
Fax: (813) 794-7993
Secretary: Brittany Green
Email: bgreen@pasco.k12.fl.us
Student safety in Pasco County Schools is our top priority. Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, we will have armed law enforcement or certified armed safety guards at every school. We also have a director of safety and security who oversees district security. Each year, we update our crisis response plans and work with local law enforcement so that we are prepared to respond appropriately to a variety of emergency situations. In cooperation with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, we maintain school safety Facebook and Twitter sites. These sites are where you can go to find the most current and accurate information in a crisis. Keep in mind that it may be in the best interests of students and staff safety for us to wait to publicize information in an emergency. However, if you want the real story, like our Facebook page at Facebook.com/PascoSheriffSchoolSafety, and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/psoschoolsafety.
ADDITIONAL LINK: Watch the Sheriff's video on false threats
The school district and sheriff's office continuously practice safety drills and update our safety procedures to provide the best response possible to a variety of crisis situations.
Pasco County Schools was one of the first in Florida to develop our own Active Threat Plan (ATP), which was introduced at the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year. It aligns with best practices for K-12 education as recommended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. All of these agencies recommend some version of a strategy that involves running (evacuating), hiding in a secure place, or defending yourself as a last resort (countering), whichever response is appropriate.
Read Superintendent Browning's letter regarding changes in our safety drills and procedures (En español)