Program History & Partners

What challenge is being addressed by S3? A coordinated terrorist attack on schools would paralyze American society and economy. But beyond terrorism, schools face a long list of potential threats to the well being of children and adults in their facilities on a daily basis. Faced with limited resources, administrators report confusion and frustration about properly pinpointing and dealing with these threats. With this challenge in mind, the goal of the S3 project is to help schools achieve greater levels of safety, security and health through a multihazard approach to reducing and managing risks.

Who is NASFM, and why is it involved in S3?

NASFM's mission is to protect life, property and the environment from fire and other hazards. Its members are the most senior fire safety officials in the states. In late 2000, NASFM sought to investigate causes of the 5,500 major school fires reported each year. This inquiry resulted in a grant proposal to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency to recommend and test no- and low-cost approaches to improve school fire safety. The events of September 11, 2001, changed how the public safety community viewed its challenges. In subsequent consultations with the new U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), NASFM was encouraged to include public health, environmental and law enforcement dimensions in the program, and NASFM's school fire hazards project was extended to address a broader range of school hazards.

Who else is involved?

NASFM has consulted a broad range of technical advisors lending guidance and resources to implement the S3 project. These include: DHS; the U.S. Department of Education; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Division of Adolescent and School Health of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; National Infrastructure Institute's Center for Infrastructure Expertise (NI2); Underwriters Laboratories Inc.; University of New Hampshire's Whittemore School of Business and Economics; and public safety officers from numerous states, including California, Florida and New York.

What tools will S3 provide to schools?

S3 will assist schools in identifying and addressing risks through three types of resources: 1) A decision tool and methodology to help school administrators and state and local boards prioritize safety and security needs, as well as corresponding technologies, performance recommendations, best practices and other measures effective in reducing risks; 2) A set of communication resources to help school systems demonstrate positive safety actions taken, thereby building public confidence in the system; and 3) Guidance on safety and security budget priorities, as well as grant information and assistance, to help schools afford improvements recommended by S3 and allocate scarce resources most efficiently.

How does a school district get involved?

Several school districts are participating as S3 pilot sites. Districts chosen as pilot sites must demonstrate their commitment in several ways, such as participating in S3 committees (all travel and related expenses are paid by S3); helping test and refine tools being developed by S3; and providing perspectives on safety and security issues through periodic panel discussions.