Although schools have no control over some of the hazards that may affect them, such as earthquakes or plane crashes, they can take action to minimize the affect when such incidents do occur. Schools also can take steps to reduce the likelihood of events such as fights, school shootings, or other acts of violence. Mitigation and prevention require taking inventory of the dangers in a school and community and identifying what to do to prevent and reduce injury and property damage. For example, schools can:

  • Connect with community emergency responders to identify local hazards.
  • Review the last safety audit to examine school buildings and grounds.
  • Determine who is responsible for overseeing violence prevention strategies at the school.
  • Encourage staff to provide input and feedback into
    the crisis planning process.
  • Review incident data.
  • Determine the major problems in the school with regard to student crime and violence.
  • Assess how the school addresses these major problems.
  • Conduct an assessment to determine how these problems—as well as others—may affect the school’s vulnerability to certain crises.

From: Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, 2003.


On a day-to-day basis, schools are among the safest places for our nation’s children. Annual reports on school crime and safety continue to show that students are less likely to be harmed by violence in school than they are at home or in their neighborhoods.

Emergencies, however, can and do happen. Natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornados can strike with little or no warning. Fires, bus crashes, and medical emergencies can happen on any given day. Shootings and other forms of violence are extremely rare but are devastating when they do occur.

The tragic events of September 11, 2001, made all schools aware that in addition to planning for traditional crises and emergencies, they must now be prepared to respond to possible terrorist attacks. The on-going situation in Iraq raised the additional specter of potential acts of bioterrorism.

Schools play an essential role in ensuring the safety of their students in the event of any kind of crisis. Accordingly, over the past 18 months the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has been involved in many efforts to help schools understand that important role.

Emergency Planning Web Site

In collaboration with U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, Secretary Paige unveiled a new section on the ED Web site, www.ed.gov/emergencyplan, designed to be a “one-stop shop” of resources to help school officials plan for any emergency, including natural disasters, violent incidents, and terrorist acts.

“As a former superintendent of the nation’s seventh largest school district, I know the importance of emergency planning,” Secretary Paige said at the launch of the Web site. “The midst of a crisis is not the time to start figuring out who ought to do what. At that moment, everyone involved—from top to bottom—should know the drill and know each other.”

The emergency planning Web site features links to crisis planning resources such as reports, guides, and teleconferences from ED, the Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies. It also links to the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities’ Disaster Preparedness Resource List of books and journal articles on building or retrofitting schools to withstand natural disasters and terrorism, developing emergency preparedness plans, and using school buildings as shelters during emergencies.

Crisis Planning Guide

To assist schools and communities in responding to emergencies swiftly and effectively, ED developed Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities. It is intended to help schools, districts, and communities understand the critical components of good crisis planning, stimulate thinking about the crisis preparedness process, and provide examples of promising practices.

The guide focuses on the four phases of crisis management:

  • Mitigation/Prevention—Reducing or eliminating risk to life and property.
  • Preparedness—Planning
  • Response—Taking action during a crisis.
  • Recovery—Restoring the teaching and learning environment after a crisis.

According to the guide, these phases are part of a continuous process in building a crisis management plan. The plan should be reviewed and updated regularly to respond to emerging research and needs. It also should be revised after each incident by evaluating what worked, what didn’t work, and what can be done to improve operations in the future.

Schools are reminded that good plans are developed in partnership with other community groups. In a crisis, a number of emergency responders may be called to the scene, including emergency medical technicians, fire fighters, law enforcement officials, and mental health professionals. Families, staff, and neighborhood businesses may be affected as well. The guide encourages schools to build relationships with these groups before a crisis and to seek their input in the development of crisis plans.

In addition to covering the four phases of crisis management, the guide also addresses key issues such as establishing clear lines of communication, setting up incident command systems, working with the media during a crisis, assisting students and staff with special needs, and training school staff. The ultimate goal is to give schools and districts the tools they need to handle any crisis and to keep students and staff ready to learn and teach.

Download the guide online at www.ed.gov/emergencyplan. Copies can be ordered from ED-Pubs by calling
1-877-4-ED-PUBS or e-mailing edpubs@inet.ed.gov.

 

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