All Fresno Unified schools, offices, departments, Neighborhood Resource Centers, and buses are designated as a Safe Place. Safe Place is a national program which provides access to Immediate help and supportive resources for all students in crisis, through a network of sites sustained by qualified agencies, trained volunteers, and businesses. Fresno Unified schools displaying the distinctive “Safe Place” signs serve as access points for at-risk youth who are in need of assistance.

Locked Gates

For increased safety of our students and staff, all gates are to remain locked during school hours with the exception of one gate near the main office.

Lock Down / Fire Drills, and Earthquake Preparedness Drills – District Policy

In order to better prepare our staff and students, Fresno Unified requires the following drills be practiced each school year:

Elementary and Middle Schools

  • 1 fire drill per month
  • 3 lock-down drills per year
  • 4 earthquake preparedness drills per year

High Schools

  • 3 fire drills per year
  • 3 lock-down drills per year (Lockdown and Fire drill should be held during the following times: 1 before/after school, 1 during lunch and 1 during instruction period).
  • 2 earthquake preparedness drills per year.

Emergency and Crisis Information

Rapid Alert: Emergency Text Notification System

What is Rapid Alert?

Rapid Alert is Fresno Unified’s new emergency text notification system. Rapid Alert will send a text message to the cell phones of parents or guardians in the event of a safety issue or if an incident occurs on or near school campus. Because a text message only allows for 160 characters, messages will be brief, but will provide pertinent details and any necessary instructions.

What kind of safety issue will warrant a Rapid Alert?

A safety issue will warrant a rapid alert to parents/Guardians if an incident has occurred at a school site that will disrupt the school day or cause an early dismissal. For example:

  • A gas leak
  • Water main break that requires early dismissal
  • Foggy day schedule impacting classes or buses
  • School cancellation (district-wide power or phone outage for example)
  • Full-scale reunification causing early dismissal
  • Lockdowns that impact arrival and dismissal

It is extremely important that parents/guardians are aware of this new communication tool. It is also important that you include a cell phone number on the yellow emergency card and update the school sites when you change your emergency contact information, especially your cell phone number, so you do not miss a Rapid Alert notification, if there is a safety issue going on at school.

In the event of a city-wide emergency while your child is in school, listen to these stations for updated information:

Radio Stations

  • English: AM-580, FM -89.3, FM -99.3
  • Spanish: AM-790, FM-92.9, FM-101.9
  • Hmong: AM-900

TV Stations

  • English Channels: 24 (NBC), 26 (FOX), 30 (ABC), & 47 (CBS)
  • Spanish Channel: 21 (Univision), 51 (Telemundo)
  • Hmong Channel: 32.6 (Hmong TV Network)

In the event of a crisis, emergency response teams are sent immediately to school site(s). Rapid Alerts, letters and/or SchoolMessenger telephone messages are sent to families regarding the emergency. School district staff are available to help with concerns.

Student Resource Officers (SRO)

SRO is a police officer employed through a contractual agreement with the Fresno Police Department to perform regular law enforcement services to assist school staff with crime and safety issues with the objective of supporting a safe school environment. The SRO assists the site administration in keeping our schools safe while helping students feel cared for and connected. Each comprehensive high school as well as DeWolf, Cambridge and Phoenix Secondary have an SRO assigned. The SRO supervising sergeant is a member of the Fresno Police Department and works as a liaison with the Fresno Unified Safety/Security Office team. Any questions or concerns related to school safety, or our SRO program, please contact the Fresno Unified Safety Office at (559) 457-3980.

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