Thursday, September 25, 2025
A new kind of back-to-school list in every district classroom can help students respond automatically and safely to any type of school emergency. With the help of emergency posters, students will be instructed when to perform these actions:
Hold — In your classroom or area.
Secure — Get inside. Lock outside doors.
Lockdown — Lock, lights, out of sight.
Evacuate — To a safe location.
Shelter — Safety strategy for a specific hazard, such as a tornado.
Milwaukee Public Schools’ updated Standard Response Protocol (SRP) follows international best practices and integrates clear, consistent emergency actions within the district’s Emergency Operations Plan.
The protocol is designed to reduce fear or stress and increase preparedness by teaching students five simple actions to follow during a school emergency.
“When you’re in flight or fight mode, it’s hard to think through a complex process or follow a flip chart of scenarios,” said MPS Emergency Operations Manager Kevin Hafemann. “Our Standard Response Protocol brings simplicity and consistency to any emergency response.”
Working with the international nonprofit “I Love U Guys” Foundation, Hafemann and school safety personnel developed the SRP and received on-site training.
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Milwaukee Police Department, Milwaukee Fire Department, county emergency managers, and 911 dispatchers were trained in spring, along with MPS department leaders.
Several other districts around the state, including Madison Public Schools, now have incorporated the SRP into emergency procedures, in line with guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Office of School Safety.
Hafemann, who joined MPS in February 2025, discussed the SRP’s development from last winter to the new school year:
Tens of thousands of school districts, agencies, and organizations worldwide use the I Love You Guys response protocols. Why?
The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) developed by I Love U Guys is considered an all-hazards approach because it gives schools and organizations a common, simple framework for responding to a wide variety of emergencies—without requiring staff or students to memorize dozens of separate, situation-specific procedures.
This protocol is research- and experience-based and ensures everybody knows their role in an emergency—students, school staff and leaders, and first responders.
How will MPS reinforce shared responsibility and a coordinated emergency response among students ages 3 to 19?
Students will learn and practice the protocols as a set of consistent, simple actions they can follow in any type of emergency event. We use standard artwork and vocabulary. If students move from one school to another, when they change classrooms during the day, they will see the same SRP signage.
Staff learned the new SRP during in-service activities the week of August 25. They presented the protocol to students on the first day of school in an informational way, and students will practice during fire, tornado, and lockdown drills.
How do child and adolescent brains respond to conversations about school and personal safety? Could they make a student anxious?
By focusing on actions instead of scary scenarios, students are less likely to be frightened. MPS students and schools are practicing safety skills, which is different from anticipating or worrying that “something bad will happen.”
The bottom line is simplicity and consistency. The SRP uses kid-friendly language, icons and color-coded photos, consistent routines, and positive framing so children can understand and practice safety without being unnecessarily scared.
What do parents and caregivers need to know about the Standard Response Protocol?
There are great SRP resources on our district website and the I Love U Guys site that reinforce what children are learning. Parent guidelines are part of the SRP.
Talking about school safety—safety in general—with family helps children feel prepared. It normalizes the idea that children are responsible for their safety at home and in school.
How does the new SRP innovate or enhance emergency preparedness in schools?
The Standard Response Protocol enhances Milwaukee Public Schools’ emergency preparedness by providing a simple, consistent framework that can be applied to any type of incident. By using clear, shared language—Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter—the SRP ensures that students, staff, families, and first responders all understand and respond to emergencies in the same way.
This common approach reduces confusion, strengthens coordination with law enforcement and emergency services, and creates a safer, more prepared learning environment across the district. The SRP’s student-friendly design, ease of training, and adaptability to all hazards make it a powerful tool for building a culture of safety and readiness in every school.
Your emergency management career spans the Department of Homeland Security and the healthcare industry. You were a deputy chief for the Milwaukee Fire Department and led the Waterford Fire Department. What is it like working on behalf of students?
I see school safety as one of the most rewarding endeavors because it combines my lifelong commitment to protecting communities with the opportunity to safeguard our most valuable resource—our children. Unlike responding to emergencies after they happen, school safety allows me to be proactive: building systems, training staff, and shaping environments that prevent tragedies before they occur.
The work is deeply meaningful because it combines public safety, emergency management, and education in a way that directly impacts students’ ability to learn and thrive. When schools feel safe, children can focus on their education, staff can teach without fear, and families have confidence and trust in the district.