Surrey Schools safety alert notifications: here’s what they mean
Published 4:00 pm Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Surrey Schools has shared on their website a breakdown of safety and security measures that have been put in place to keep students safe at their schools.
“The safety and well-being of our school communities is a priority for Surrey Schools, and we are committed to ensuring that our schools are safe spaces for students, staff and families,” said Surrey Schools on the website.
Surrey Schools notes that all White Rock and Surrey schools have safety and security plans in place as well as having safety drills regularly practiced throughout the school year.
The school district is also said to work closely with the Surrey Police Service and has open lines of communication with the appropriate authorities on every critical incident.
Surrey Schools has a School Safety Plan which outlines protocols and procedures to manage a variety of situations and events. This also includes the district’s school safety alert system, which is intended to keep students, staff and volunteers secure during a potential or actual threat.
Surrey Schools shared that school administrators are authorized to activate a safety alert at their school. Administrators will also regularly participate in provincially mandated drills to ensure everyone at the site understands the protocols and what to do in different situations.
The alert system is said to use specific terms and actions for various situations:
• LOCKDOWN: is used in situations where there is a perceived safety risk inside or in close proximity to the building.
• HOLD & SECURE: is used where there is a safety risk outside the build or in the surrounding community.
• ALL CLEAR: is used once the situation has been resolved and there is no longer a threat to students, staff or visitors at the school.
• EVACUATE: is used when there is a threat such as a fire, bomb threat or gas leak.
• DROP-COVER-HOLD ON: is used during events such as an earthquake or explosion.
• SHELTER IN PLACE: is used where there are concerns about issues such as extreme weather, poor air quality or a wild animal on school grounds.
“While school safety alerts are most often used as a precaution, it’s important that parents are guardians familiarize themselves and their students with these terms,” says Surrey Schools.
Detailed Emergency Response Guidelines can be found on the Surrey Schools Website.