Crisis Training Held

Jose E. Roca '84 | Principal
In our commitment to campus safety and security our faculty and staff attended a Crisis Communication & Incident Plan session on February 21.
The particulars of this training session will remain confidential due to the nature of the discussion and the protocols discussed. Training will also be given to students in the near future as well as drills held for both fire and lockdown procedures.
 
The session on February 21 included a presentation by our Director of Communications Teresa Martinez about the school strategy during a crisis and the efforts that will be made to ensure communication to the Belen community.
 
“The goal is to be able to communicate effectively, and most importantly provide accurate information to students, employees, parents and the rest of the community during a crisis,” said Mrs. Martinez. “God forbid we ever need to activate our crisis plan, but in the event that we do, it is important that our community know that we do have a plan in place and would work directly with the authorities to ensure information is being spread efficiently and accurately.”
 
The other presenter was Belen Alumnus Lt. Cesar Moreton ’94 who is a State Fire Rescue and SWAT Medic. He has presented to the faculty/staff before, and has worked with our on campus Medical Officer Barney Flores ’97, to do specialized crisis training. Lt. Moreton reviewed the protocols and procedures on what to do in the event of a lockdown and evacuation.
 
“It is a scary topic but it is a topic that must be discussed at every school,” said Moreton. “The faculty/staff had excellent questions and provided important feedback. The best thing we can do is to be knowledgeable on what the procedures are and practice them during drills.”
 
Moving forward, an instructional video is being prepared by the Belen Film & Broadcast class that will be shown to high school students during homeroom in the near future. Middle School students will hear a presentation by Lt. Moreton during a special assembly.  
 
The goal of these trainings is not to foster fear, but instead to foster preparation. The safety of everyone on our campus will always be our number one priority. We hope that everyone – students, faculty, staff, and parents – can work together to make sure that we remain vigilant. It is imperative that if anyone sees anything out of the norm, they report it immediately. Police are urging, “If you see something, say something”. 
 
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BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow.  Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.