The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) has launched the Delaware School Safety Center (DSSC), a new initiative aimed at bolstering school safety across the state.
The DSSC includes a newly launched website designed to serve as a centralized hub for training, resources, and best practices for educators, parents, and emergency responders.
Located here, the user-friendly site offers guidance and tools for crisis response planning, threat assessment, and safety coordination.
The move marks a significant expansion of Delaware’s long-standing Comprehensive School Safety Program (CSSP), originally established in 2012.
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“Ensuring a safe learning environment for every Delaware student is a shared priority of the highest importance,” said Joshua Bushweller, secretary of Safety and Homeland Security. “This critical collaboration between first responders, school officials, parents, and students – supported by the integration of technology and emergency management expertise – will serve to strengthen our ongoing commitment to school safety.”
The DSSC is designed not only to support schools during emergencies, but also to help prevent incidents before they occur.
The Center offers a range of services including Behavioral Threat Assessment (BTA) training for school-based teams, secure case management software for consistent documentation and follow-up, and onsite physical safety assessments.
“The DSSC represents a collaborative effort to support educators and first responders, and to engage students and parents in building safe and resilient school communities,” said DEMA Director A.J. Schall.
Delaware has been a national leader in school safety.
It was the first state to create standardized digital maps and blueprints of all public and charter schools, streamlining emergency response.
In 2023, the state also launched Safe DE, a 24/7 anonymous reporting system that allows students and families to report safety concerns and access mental health and crisis resources.
“The Delaware School Safety Center is designed to prevent school-based incidents by preparing the education community to work with community partners to effectively mitigate and manage crises,” added DSSC Executive Director Joey Melvin.
In addition to safety planning tools, the DSSC offers specialized training for school resource officers, guidance on managing after-school events, and recommendations for improving physical school security.
State Education Secretary Cindy Marten emphasized the importance of a proactive approach to school safety.
“Nothing is more important than student safety, because students learn, and teachers are able to teach when they feel safe,” she said. “Safety doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by design. That’s why the launch of the Delaware School Safety Center matters so much.”
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz and on LinkedIn.
