I have answered this question in a guest blog post on the School Health blog: The Weak Link in School Emergency Planning.
In a major emergency or disaster, community emergency response resources may be stretched, and schools may need to rely not only on their own (1) planning, (2) previous drills, and (3) their own emergency supplies. The U.S. government recommends that every institution have disaster plans and sufficient survival supplies for up to 72 hours after a major emergency.
While each school should prepare to deal with each of the disasters or emergencies that are possible in its own location, there are three basic responses to any emergency:
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Evacuation (for fire, bomb threats, etc.)
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Lockdown (for violence and other scenarios where safety requires staying in place)
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Shelter & protection (for earthquakes, tornadoes, and other destructive events
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Each school needs to have plans for how to
Each school needs to have plans for each of these response scenarios, practice the plans, and ensure that there are adequate supplies to support a successful emergency response.
Unfortunately, experience has shown that:
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All schools have an emergency plan,
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Many schools practice the relevant emergency drills, yet
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Few schools have adequate emergency supplies
Emergency supplies tend to be the weak link in school emergency preparedness. The good news is that school administrators are increasingly understanding that emergency preparedness in schools must be a three legged stool to be successful. They are coming to understand that successful emergency response requires that each school:
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Have the plans
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Do the drills
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Get the supplies
Contact us now if you need help determining which school emergency kits and supplies will best meet your school's needs.
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