III. Facilities, Equipment & Safety 

Riverdale High Equipment

The process to order equipment is dictated by the district CTAE office. Each school year, in the spring, every CTAE teacher is given a budget and asked to anticipate what they will need for the next school year. The equipment budget is used to spend funds on equipment that will provide students with a positive learning experience which aligns with curriculum standards. Those programs that may need equipment which exceeds their budget may complete a needs assessment form to request such equipment. The district office will determine if the requested material is necessary;  however, consideration is only made after all teachers have exhausted their equipment budgets and funds are left over. The district supplies each classroom with desktop computers and smart boards.

The type of equipment that is ordered for the Law and Public Safety Program is determined by industry best practices. Equipment is purchased to provide students with hands on activities that mirror industry training standards as well as Department of Edcuation curriculum standards for each class in the pathway. Examples of equipment ordered includes fire extinguishers, fire helmets, and first aid response bags for Introduction to Law and Public Safety; duty belts, blue guns, blue tasers, and blue OC spray for CJ Essentials; microscopes, digital cameras, and fingerprint kits for Forensic Science. 

Equipment is assigned a number and each student is assigned to a specific piece of equipment. The assignments are noted on the equipment sign out sheet for each class. For example in forensic science each student is assigned a bag and that bag contains a digital camera with camera bag, clipboard, measuring tape, and notepad. Everything in the bag is numbered and each item is assigned to a specific bag. Each student is assigned a lab partner and each pair is assigned a bag. 

When consumable equipment such as fingerprint powder, first aid supplies, chart paper, etc is depleted it is acceptable to restock using the equipment budget provided each school year. 

The forensic science lab is designed as specified by Georgia Department of Education standards. Inside the lab we have access to fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. There is an eye wash station located behind one of the sinks and there is a first aid kit attached to the wall near the entrance. 

Students are made aware of procedures that involve equipment and supplies in the lab, including storage and use. Students are aware of how to extinguish small fires, which is learned in CERT. Students utilize goggles when using liquids during practical exercises; however, in the event the eye wash station is necessary it is available. We utilize the first aid kit for minor injuries and notify the nurse for anything major. 

Our procedure for incidents and accidents involving students are as follows:

• Contact the nurse if an assessment is needed

• Notify an administrator of the incident

• Complete the incident/accident form

• Contact the parents/guardians

• Complete the witness statement

• Submit all paperwork to the administrator