School Safety: Safe Secure Schools
Welcome to the Safety and Health Department’s School Safety Web page. Here you will find information on the various programs, workshops, and services offered by the School Safety unit as well as relevant forms and contact information. Our mission is to ensure that your safety and rights are protected and to help individuals coping with difficulties arising in the aftermath of an incident as they begin the process of recovery and resume their professional and personal responsibilities.
Incident Reporting
If you know of a safety incident, report it! The UFT has an online reporting system to make it easier for members to report threats to the safety and security of staff and students. Accurate reporting is the first step in creating a safe environment in every school. Enforce your right to a safe school by promptly reporting all safety/discipline incidents.
If a safety/discipline incident occurs in your school:
Inform your chapter leader
Report it to your school administration within 24 hours
File a UFT incident report online OR print and fax a paper copy of the form to 212-677-6612 OR call your borough office
If the situation is an emergency, seek medical attention if necessary and call the UFT Safety & Health hotline at 212-701-9407.
Chancellor Klein’s Letter to Principals about Safety Reporting
Victim Support Program
The Victim Support Program (VSP), cosponsored by the UFT’s School Safety unit and the DOE, provides psychological support and practical assistance for staff members who are victims of workplace violence. The Program offers victim outreach, psychological counseling, and crisis intervention. All services are free and completely confidential. For further information, call 212-598-6853.
Safety Workshops
The School Safety unit also offers a number of workshops on safety planning, the discipline code, the Chancellor’s Regulations, and other topics. Regular workshops include:
Violence Prevention Training (VPT) Workshops
The UFT School Safety unit offers two-hour Violence Prevention Training workshops focused on how individual staff members can stay safe. The workshops, held at UFT borough offices in the fall and the spring, satisfy the mandatory requirements for New York State Certification. Please refer to The New York Teacher for workshop dates. Upon request, we can also make these presentations at your school. For further information, call 718-722-6930. Please Note: If you are changing your license, you are required to take the Violence Prevention Workshop for State Certification.- Safety Assessment & Planning
Department representatives also provide technical assistance and school presentations about school safety and safety planning upon request by your chapter leader. - Straight Talk About Risks (S.T.A.R.)
Upon request by UFT Chapter Leaders, we can come to your school and give a presentation on dealing with violence in the classroom.
Safety & Health Contact Information
Each borough has a UFT Safety & Health Representative. If you need assistance in relation to an incident in your school, please call your representative:
Bronx : 718-379-6200
Brooklyn : 718-852-4900
Manhattan : 212-598-6800
Queens : 718-275-4400
Staten Island : 718-605-1400
