Fort Bend ISD now trains all 78,000 students and staff in five shared emergency commands that first responders also use.

The district follows the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), a framework built around the commands Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter. Each command triggers one action. Hold clears hallways. Secure means a potential danger exists outside the building. Lockdown signals a serious threat inside or very near the school. Evacuate moves people to a designated location. Shelter provides instructions for a specific hazard such as severe weather.

The protocol applies at all 83 campuses, including Ridge Point, Elkins and Marshall high schools in Missouri City.

Denys Rivas, Fort Bend ISD's director of emergency management, said in the district's Aug. 31 article that the district has used similar response language since 2008 and has practiced the formal SRP for more than a decade.

"Having a common operating language is extremely important," Rivas said. "It prevents miscommunication and gets everyone on the same page quickly."

Teachers and campus administrators receive formal SRP training at least once a year. Students and other employees participate in drills throughout the school year.

The protocol is now a state requirement. Texas House Bill 33, signed into law in 2025, mandates that every school district's multihazard emergency operations plan include standardized response terminology. The Texas Education Agency confirmed the requirement in a July 17, 2025, letter to administrators, saying the language must improve communication among law enforcement, emergency services, district employees and the public.

Fort Bend ISD, which serves about 78,000 students across 53 elementary schools, 15 middle schools and 13 high schools, promoted the protocol on X on Sept. 12 during National Preparedness Month.

Rivas acknowledged that terms like "Secure" and "Lockdown" can alarm parents. A Secure status does not mean a threat is inside the school. It means the campus is taking precautions because of something outside the building.

The SRP was developed by the "I Love U Guys" Foundation, created after the 2006 shooting at Platte Canyon High School in Bailey, Colorado. The foundation provides the materials at no cost to schools nationwide.

Rivas urged parents who receive an emergency notification to follow the district's directions and avoid driving to the school, because traffic congestion can slow first responders trying to reach students.