Best Practices for Running Reunification Exercises
Make your staff reunification experts in seconds using sample data, aligned with the "I Love U Guys" Foundation.
The I Love U Guys Foundation's Standard Reunification Method - Reunification Exercise (SRM-REx) gives schools a proven way to train staff on student reunification. Schools can adapt the SRM-REx framework to run their own training with Verkada Incident Response. Using sample student and guardian cards, schools can give every staff member hands-on practice.
Key outcomes
Run a proven exercise: simulate an end-to-end reunification using your own Response Template, aligned with the I Love U Guys Foundation’s SRM-REx framework.
Train every role: have staff carry out their reunification responsibilities hands-on using printed cards of sample students and guardians.
Measure performance: after the exercise, review analytics to see exactly where your workflow holds up and where to improve.
Before you begin
In order to use the I Love U Guys sample roster, an Incident Response site must have the following configured:
A Response Template that tracks students as evacuees
Download and cut out the sample student & guardian data in advance.
Exercise setup
Dedicate a space to run the exercise and consider dividing the space for a student assembly area and a guardian check-in area to model a real reunification.
Confirm that every participating staff member has a phone or computer with an internet connection to access the Incident Response portal.
Key Roles
Assign reunification roles to your staff: accountants, checkers, and reunifiers. Distribute student cards evenly between accountants, and distribute guardian cards between checkers.
Accountants
Accountants are responsible for tracking their students in Incident Response. For each student, they must assign a status and location from the People Status page.
Checkers
Checkers are responsible for signing in and verifying guardians. From the Sign in Guardians page, checkers will fill out a form for each guardian card.
Reunifiers
Reunifiers are responsible for pairing eligible students and guardians, one at a time. Using Reunify Students + Guardians page, reunifiers will:
Run the exercise
Launch a drill from Incident Response using the sample roster.
If notifications are enabled, staff will receive notifications with magic links to the Incident Response portal. If notifications are disabled, staff can still log in at unite.my.verkada.com.
Claim a student and guardian pair.
Retrieve the corresponding student & guardian cards.
Mark the pair as reunified.
After the exercise
When the exercise has finished, an admin should end the Response from Command. This will prevent staff from making changes to the Response.
Admins can review analytics from the exercise to assess:
Overall performance: incident duration, updates over time, percentage of students reunified, median guardian wait time, and more.
Individual performance: students tracked, guardians signed in, and reunifications completed by a staff member.
For any students or guardians who weren't reunified, use the History tab to see which staff members interacted with their cards and identify any incorrect updates.
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