School districts need to designate and train a responder for each campus or facility. A trained responder is an IPM coordinator, a person trained by an IPM coordinator, or an adult who is otherwise experienced in removing bats safely.

Trained responders should:

• Be familiar with approved management methods when colonies are found on campus and respond as needed.
• Protect themselves and others against rabies transmission.
• Be able to identify all bat species that could be present on school property.
• Safely capture and remove all bats found inside buildings or contact the appropriate person for bat removal.
• Respond appropriately if a person is bitten by a bat.
• Report bat incidents to the proper authorities.
• Ensure that roosting areas that pose a public health risk are cleaned properly after the bats have been removed.

Districts should train more than one employee to remove bats from a school building. They should also make sure that all faculty, staff and students know who to contact and what to do if a bat has been sighted.

Faculty and staff should understand the importance of:

• Avoiding direct contact with bats
• Evacuating students and others from the classroom or building safely
• Isolating the bat so that others do not come into contact with it
• Calling the designated person to take care of the problem

Students should understand the importance of:

• Avoiding direct contact with bats
• Calmly leaving the area where a bat was found or seen
• Telling a teacher or adult school employee where a bat was found or seen