Emergency Preparedness at School

Natural disasters and other emergencies can happen at any time, and when they happen at school, everyone should be prepared to handle them safely and effectively. Administrators, teachers, staff, parents and students can work together to promote and maintain school-wide safety and minimize the effects of emergencies and other dangerous situations. This guide covers different ways everyone in the school community can prepare for various natural disasters and other emergencies to stay safe.

Some natural disasters can be predicted, giving schools enough warning to evacuate or take other safety precautions, but others can happen unexpectedly or go through rapid changes that suddenly put a school in danger. The first step schools should take in preparing for these types of emergencies is to assess the natural disaster risks in their areas. The map below can help schools determine their likelihood of being affected by natural disasters like these:

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Students, faculty and administrators can prepare themselves for emergencies at school in a number of ways, from conducting regular, emergency-specific drills to making sure the building’s infrastructure is up to code. When emergencies do happen, schools need to know how to respond appropriately and recover as quickly and effectively as possible.

Many natural disasters can be predicted and tracked, but earthquakes tend to strike without warning. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 17 major earthquakes (7.0+ magnitude) and one great earthquake (8.0+ magnitude) are expected to occur in any given year along with millions of small earthquakes worldwide. While smaller quakes might not have much impact on a school, it’s important to take precautionary measures in case a large earthquake happens.

There aren’t any prediction or warning systems in place for earthquakes; however, the U.S.Geological Survey’s earthquake map and Global Incident’s live earthquakes map provide information about earthquakes soon after they hit, including when and where the earthquake occurred and how large it was. For updates and information in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake, schools and parents should have battery-powered radios on hand.

Thoughtful planning and preparation can help ensure the safety of students and staff should and earthquake occur during school hours. These tips can aid in the preparation process.

Earthquake Facts and Earthquake Fantasy
This fun read from the USGS addresses the wild myths and solid facts about earthquakes.

Earthquake Preparedness
This primer from the American Red Cross is filled with information on how anyone can protect themselves when the earth begins to shake.

Earthquake Preparedness for Educational Facilities
This in-depth guide can serve as a powerful tool for administrators in creating preparedness programs for schools.

Earthquake Safety at Schools
FEMA offers comprehensive information on how to prepare, handle and recover from an earthquake that strikes a school.

Earthquakes and Schools
This service of the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities provides numerous details on earthquakes and preparing for them.

Great ShakeOut
This site helps schools prepare for earthquakes, practice appropriate drills and extend preparedness to families and communities.

UPSeis
This informative website from Michigan Tech offers great teaching points for students who are curious about earthquakes and seismology.

Between 2007 and 2011, fire departments in the U.S. responded to about 5,700 structure fires in educational facilities. Seventy-one percent of those fires were in K-12 schools, and about half of them were intentionally set. The remaining half of fires in schools occur unintentionally from things like malfunctioning heating units or chemicals interacting in a chemistry lab.

Emergency preparation should not be limited to indoor fires. Wildfires can pose real threats to schools, especially those along the West and in rural areas, where dry climates and wind cause fires to move and grow rapidly.

Schools typically have a strong warning system in place for fires that will set off alarms throughout the building, turn on a sprinkler system and contact emergency services. Anyone on campus can pull manual fire alarms as well. Always be prepared to evacuate the building immediately, even if you can’t see or smell the fire.

Wildfires take some time to grow, which can provide ample warning time to get students to safety. However, they have a propensity to shift suddenly, so even a fire that seems far away should be taken seriously and addressed with speed. Schools should take note of fire risk warnings, which are common in areas where wildfires are a threat. In the event of a wildfire, alerts will be sent out through emergency channels, like California’s CalFire Incidents page or Utah’s FireInfo page. Schools, students and families should find out where to get wildfire alerts in their area before a fire occurs.

Whether a fire threat comes from inside or outside the building, student and staff safety is the top priority. Smart planning and preparation for various types of fire threats can help schools prevent fires and, when prevention is not possible, respond to them appropriately.

Campus and Dorm Fire Safety Tips
These lessons from the National Fire Protection Association can help keep college students safe in their dorms.

Firewise
This comprehensive website is dedicated to education on wildfires, including teaching tools, protective steps and communication resources.

How to Form a School Fire Safety Plan
These instructions and additional resources on fire safety can help teachers and administrators during their fire planning.

Incident Information System
This service of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group provides current information on fire and related incidents throughout the nation.

School Safety Tips
Teachers, staff and students looking for tips on staying safe can find them here through the NFPA.

Wildfires and Schools
The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities offers a comprehensive guide on how to protect a school from wildfires.

Hurricanes are tropical cyclones that bring high winds, flooding rains and storm surges. While they can typically be detected before they reach land, hurricanes can be highly destructive. Schools may be evacuated well in advance of a hurricane strike, but steps can be taken to prepare students, staff and the building itself for smoother recovery.

Fortunately, storms are always detected well before they reach hurricane status. When the track of the hurricane becomes evident, warnings are issued to the affected areas through radio, television, newspaper and online sources. This allows plenty of time for residents to take appropriate actions. Schools are likely to cancel classes in order to keep students as safe as possible.

Schools on or near the coast should help students, parents and faculty prepare for hurricanes. Planning ahead can reduce panic and increase safety during these storms.

FloodSmart.gov
This resource explains the risks associated with flooding, which often accompanies major hurricanes.

How to Prepare for a Hurricane
FEMA has released an extensive publication covering everything there is to know about hurricane preparation.

Hurricanes
Ready.gov provides an extensive walkthrough of hurricane preparation, including an hourly timeline of steps to take before the hurricane arrives.

Hurricane Preparedness
The American Red Cross explains what individuals and families can do to protect themselves before, during and after a hurricane strikes.

National Hurricane Center
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center sets forth a comprehensive outline for preparing to weather a hurricane.

Public Health Emergency – Hurricane Preparedness
The US Department of Health and Human Services covers a wide array of topics and problems likely to be faced by those encountering a hurricane.

Around 1,200 tornadoes occur in the United States every year, ranging from mild to severe. Those who live in areas where tornadoes are common may know a storm is coming just by looking outside: a dark, greenish sky; hail and debris; and loud winds can indicate a tornado strike. However, it is very difficult to predict exactly where a tornado will hit, and once it forms, it moves quickly. Immediate response is necessary to protect everyone in the building when a tornado hits at school.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average lead time for a tornado warning is 13 minutes, but some tornadoes can have little warning at all. Schools should be equipped with weather radios tuned to NOAA stations so faculty can get tornado alerts immediately. Some communities have tornado sirens and may send text messages and emails alerts when a tornado approaches.

Students and staff should know exactly what to do and where to go when tornado warnings are broadcast. Here’s how schools can prepare for tornadoes.

Prepare for a Tornado
Weather Underground is dedicated to all things weather, including how to prepare for severe weather events.

National Disasters and Severe Weather – Tornadoes
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention provides information on what to do before, during and after a tornado.

Severe Weather 101 – Tornado Basics
The National Severe Storms Laboratory provides a great overview about the science of tornadoes.

Tornado
From basic explanations to safety checklists, the Red Cross provides a wealth of information.

Tornadoes
Ready.gov provides information on how to prepare for tornadoes, explains terminology and lists interesting facts about tornadoes.

Tornado Protection
FEMA’s detailed and comprehensive booklet about tornadoes is very helpful for the school setting.

Between 2013 and 2015, there were 160 school shootings in 38 states. Nearly 53 percent happened at K-12 schools, while 47 percent occurred on college campuses. While these situations can seem to come out of nowhere, schools can increase prevention measures and better prepare students, staff and families in the event of a terrorist or active shooter threat.

At the time of the event, school shootings can seem random and unprompted. However, after some investigation, missed warning signs tend to surface. Schools can educate teachers and students about different warning signs that could lead to an ASE and improve measures to address them. For instance, schools might increase counseling services for all students and their families, paying special attention to students who display violent outbursts, have difficult or violent home lives, are bullied or struggle to develop positive relationships with peers. Helping students develop and maintain good mental health and a sense of self-worth along with looking for warning signs and addressing them before a problem occurs can help ensure that schools remains a safe space for students.

If a school is threatened by terrorist activity or armed persons near campus, police and administrators typically work together to keep each other informed and ensure the safety of people in the building.

Taking steps to prepare the building as well as those inside it can help schools stay safe and respond appropriately to active shooter events and terrorist threats.

Campus Safety
This is an online magazine that addresses security issues for organizations, such as schools, hospitals and businesses.

Campus Safety Toolkit
Offered by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), the toolkit covers a diverse array of public threats, such as stalking, bomb threats and school-related crime.

Campus Security
The US Department of Education offers various articles and publications for maintaining campus safety.

Department of Homeland Security
DHS devotes a significant section of its website to discussing terrorism prevention and what citizens can do to stay safe.

The National Center for Campus Public Safety
The NCCPS website provides a variety of resources, including an extensive library on campus safety topics.

Terrorism Response Protocols
While technically tailored to Willamette University, the advice and steps provided to students in how to react to a potential terror attack are helpful to everyone.

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The increased independence that comes with being in college also comes with more responsibility, especially when it comes to emergency preparedness. While college dorms do conduct emergency drills and provide information on what to do during natural disasters and campus threats, students need to make sure they also know what to do if emergencies happen while they are in class, away from their dorms or living off campus. Reading up on school emergency procedures, making sure that emergency supplies are available, knowing the campus layout and getting familiar with school resources, like campus police, resident assistants and health services can help college students be safe and prepared in emergency situations.

Emergency contact information allows students and emergency responders to notify important individuals and loved ones in the event of an emergency. Students can store their emergency contacts in their phones or write them down, but it’s a good idea to have the most important ones memorized. Consider including these:

Every school has an emergency and disaster plan. If students aren’t informed during orientation, they can ask for details from the campus safety office. Pay special attention to these aspects of the plan:

Schools are generally prepared to help students when disasters hit, but it’s still a good idea for students to be equipped with emergency kits. When building their kits, students should include these items:

Sometimes known as bug-out-bags, emergency kits have everything students need get through an emergency. Making your own is cheaper and tailored to you, but also takes some serious time and planning for prepare. Those who want the basics can explore these options.

Jason Russell

General Pet Care – Disaster Preparedness
The ASPCA offers tips to pet owners on how to keep their pets safe in times of emergency.

Make a Plan
Ready.gov has a wealth of information for anyone who is ready to make an emergency and disaster plan.

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
This is a radio broadcast that alerts to severe weather, natural or environmental disasters, public safety and anything else that affects the general population.

REMS
Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center provides various resources to prepare emergency plans.

What’s Happening in Your State?
This map hosted by Ready.gov details the most common natural disasters for a given state, as well as preparation tips for each.

Zombie Preparedness
The CDC takes advantage of the popularity of the zombie apocalypse genre to raise awareness and educate about disaster prep.