Lockdown Protocol
District-Wide Safety Planning
District-Wide Safety Planning![]()
District-Wide Safety Planning
Chico Unified School District has adopted an emergency response system to help keep students and staff safe during an emergency. Our district partners with law enforcement and maintains an active District Incident Response Team. Students and staff at every school receive training. Drills are conducted throughout the school year.
20203-24 Protocol Updates
20203-24 Protocol Updates![]()
20203-24 Protocol Updates
School safety continues evolving, and Chico Unified School District is using updated terminology to reflect current K-12 safety standards. In the event of an incident on or near a campus, school safety teams may issue a "Caution Alert" or an "Action Alert."
- CAUTION ALERT – Caution Alerts may be issued when there is a potential impact on a school campus, students or staff. Examples include an off-site car accident that may cause traffic delays, an unsafe tree on or near school, a street closure, or an emergency in the surrounding area.
- ACTION ALERT – Action Alerts may be issued when students and/or staff are instructed to take action (Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate) while on campus. The Action Alert will designate the type of action to be taken and additional details regarding the reason for the action.
Action Alerts
Action Alerts![]()
Action Alerts
Most Action Alerts within Chico Unified result from a precautionary request from the Chico Police Department (Secure), or out of respect for student privacy issues on campus. Situations for a Hold may include a medical emergency or as outlined by Student Support Services protocols (Hold).
Chico Unified utilizes four main Action Alerts:




The Hold and Secure precautionary lockdowns are often brief, and instruction continues in the classroom. Classroom learning will still occur, but students may not be able to change classes or leave campus until after the Hold or Secure has been lifted.
Notification Protocols
Notification Protocols![]()
Notification Protocols
Hold and Secure Alerts are often precautionary and brief. An informational communication may be sent to families if the school administration has information or details to share if the alerts occur during school start or end times. Because CUSD Holds are often brief and off campus or related to student privacy incidents on campus, CUSD Hold Alerts typically do not result in communication with families.
A Lockdown/Barricade Alert will be issued if a safety concern occurs directly on campus. A notification is sent to families in the event of a Lockdown Barricade Alert. The notification may occur after the lockdown has been resolved due to the short lockdown period. The School Site Safety Team's first priority is to ensure student and staff safety on campus. Notification to those off campus will occur as quickly as possible, but the focus is first communicating information to those on campus.
High Schools and Junior High Schools can notify students of Lockdowns if parents/guardians add their cell phone numbers during the data confirmation process via Aeries. This can be especially important during transition periods or incidents when students are arriving or leaving campus. Please contact your school's office if you need help adding your student's cell phone number.
Learn More About our Safety Protocols
Learn More About our Safety Protocols![]()
Learn More About our Safety Protocols
- STUDENT/COMMUNITY REPORT – Students, parents and community members can submit safety concerns or report hazardous situations via phone, text or online. Dial or text 844-530-2002.
- INCIDENT – Staff can report incidents via our Catapult EMS system. Incidents are immediately sent to the school's Site Safety Team and the CUSD Incident Response Team via text notification.

We Can All Help Keep Our Schools Safe
We Can All Help Keep Our Schools Safe![]()
We Can All Help Keep Our Schools Safe
- STUDENT/COMMUNITY REPORT – Students, parents and community members can submit safety concerns or report hazardous situations via phone, text or online. Dial or text 844-530-2002.
- INCIDENT REPORT– Staff can report incidents via our Catapult EMS system. Incidents are immediately sent to the school's Site Safety Team and the CUSD Incident Response Team via text notification.
- CUSD HOLD – As a precaution, students and staff are asked to remain in their classrooms to keep the hallways empty. Classroom learning continues throughout the Hold.
- POLICE INITIATED SECURE – As a precaution, students and staff are asked to remain in their classrooms to keep the hallways empty. Classroom learning continues throughout the Secure. The Chico Police Department often issues Code Yellows Lockdowns for events or incidents off campus.
- LOCKDOWN/BARRICADE – Lockdowns are initiated when a threat or hazard is inside the school campus or facility. Lockdowns/Barricades require locking interior doors, moving occupants out of the line of sight of corridor windows, turning off lights to make the room seem unoccupied, and having occupants maintain silence. Learning Activities do not occur during a Lockdown/Barricade*.
* All CUSD staff and secondary students (grades 9-12) will be trained to self-evacuate (run), hide or fight. In an emergency, if your secondary student contacts you to inform you they safely self-evacuated, please contact the report line via text or phone at 844-530-2002.
Parents - We Need Your Help
Parents - We Need Your Help![]()
Parents - We Need Your Help
If an incident occurs at a school, we ask that parents do not go directly to the school.
- Keeping clear access for emergency vehicles is essential - possibly a matter of life or death - and we depend upon your cooperation to help make this possible.
- Please avoid calling your child's school during a crisis, since very likely the call cannot be answered. We need to keep the school phone lines open for emergency support contacts.
In times of emergency, a variety of local media will be used to provide information. Communication will be sent to parents/guardians via ParentSquare, the emergency message line (530) 891-3123 and updates will be posted to the website.
It is important to maintain updated contact information in Aeries so messages can be sent directly to you in the event of an emergency.
Major Emergency Information
Major Emergency Information![]()
Major Emergency Information
Chico Unified School District maintains an active District Incident Response Team (DIRT). In a major emergency situation (flooding, fire, intruder, earthquake or another natural disaster) the DIRT Team will be mobilized, and an information resource will be provided on the Chico Unified website. Emergency preparations are in place, and if students need to be removed from campus due to safety concerns, a reunification site will be provided to parents through our district-wide communication system and our website.
Ask Questions
Ask Questions![]()
Ask Questions
Safety discussions are an essential component of our educational system. We encourage parents with questions to schedule a meeting with their school Principal to discuss any safety concerns or protocols. School safety and security are the result of being prepared, and we welcome parent and community communication.