Emergency Preparedness in Schools: Essential Steps to Keep Everyone Safe

Schools must be ready for a variety of emergencies, from devastating natural disasters to lockdowns to medical incidents. Schools are also unique institutions that need comprehensive supplies for adult and youth populations.

This makes emergency preparedness in schools a vital step, and having the right supplies can make a significant safety difference. This guide will cover what supplies to prioritize, the importance of planning ahead, and what steps schools should take.

Why Emergency Preparedness is Critical for Schools

All people deserve to work and live in places where there's proper emergency preparedness in place. For students, this emergency preparedness is even more critical because children are much more at risk during a catastrophe. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that, during disasters, children and teenagers are at a higher risk of severe injury, in part due to their limited awareness of safety measures and a lesser understanding of disaster situations than adults.

This significantly increases the responsibility placed upon staff, who must prioritize the safety of their students while also ensuring their own well-being in a chaotic situation. Emergencies can also range from severe weather and natural disasters to random security threats and associated medical crises.

Emergency preparedness in a school system means having the right supplies to help in all of these situations, along with having a comprehensive, easy-to-understand plan of action. When an emergency occurs, students and staff must be prepared to survive until emergency responders arrive, and in some situations, this could take days. Effective preparedness saves the lives of staff and students.

Essential Emergency Preparedness Steps for Schools

Protect the health and security of students and staff, and use proper school resources to follow the steps below.

Develop a School Emergency Plan

Schools should have a clear, well-documented emergency response plan that covers different scenarios, including:

• Fires, explosions
• Floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes
• Toxic material spills or releases
• Radiological or biological accidents
• Civil disturbances or school violence
• Internal hazards (chemical, electrical, structural)
• Impact of emergencies on school operations
• Key personnel and student/staff emergency contacts
• Rescue and medical assistance procedures

All staff are to be trained on emergency procedures for the above scenarios, as is relevant geographically. In many schools, it's required by the district or state to conduct regular drills so students and staff know what to do in a crisis. These drills cover the most likely natural disasters and incidents, like intruders, fires, floods, or tornadoes. Complete preparedness means drills and/or education on what to do during more "unlikely" scenarios like explosions or toxic spills.

Stock the Right Emergency Supplies

Store these appropriate emergency and disaster relief supplies.

• Lockdown Kits: Ensure classrooms have emergency food, water, first aid, and sanitation supplies. This way, students and staff can hunker in place without risking their health.
• First Aid Kits: Schools must have well-stocked medical supplies to handle injuries until help arrives. This means having enough medical supplies for the entire student and staff population.
• Emergency Food and Water: Response and recovery teams may take hours or even days to reach students. You need long-shelf-life supplies that can sustain students and staff during extended emergencies.
• Communication Tools: Hand-crank radios, walkie-talkies, and emergency contact lists allow schools to reach the outside community and receive aid.
• Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place Supplies: The best response in an emergency could require overnight stays or school-wide evacuation into an unpredictable world. Supplies like flashlights, blankets, and multi-purpose tools increase survival chances in both scenarios.

Plan for Special Considerations

Emergency preparedness takes all scenarios and populations into account. Some students may have special needs which require accommodations or specific medications. For example, it's important for students with diabetes to have more insulin on hand.

Additionally, typically a grade 3–5 elementary school won't need as many supplies as a K–12 school. Stock the right amount of supplies to support all students and staff.

Finally, in many emergency preparedness situations, ensuring there are sufficient essential supplies takes priority over storing comfort or leisure supplies. However, with young children, having comfort items on hand will ease anxiety and help students pay attention to safety instructions.

Best Practices for Storing School Emergency Supplies

Follow these best practices to keep kits secure and readily accessible in case of emergency.

Where to store emergency kits

The nature of a school means that students and staff are regularly moving from classrooms to auditoriums to playgrounds. It's important to place emergency kits in the most frequented areas of the school and the areas where people are most likely to shelter in place. Keep kits in all the classrooms, the main offices, the nursing office, and special use zones.

For example, if most of the school population shelters in one central hallway during high wind and tornado threats, then special emergency kits should be stored there.

In areas with earthquake risk, it's essential to store emergency kits away from buildings, windows, and tall furniture to minimize the risk of injury from falling debris. Designated outdoor safe zones should have readily accessible kits.

Regular inventory checks

Schools must rotate food, water, and medical supplies as they expire. This requires maintaining supplies that are clearly labeled with a long shelf life.

Assign emergency roles

Designate staff members to manage emergency preparedness efforts. In all situations, this means that the principal and vice principals are usually the main emergency preparedness directors. Teachers will always be in charge of their specific classroom's safety, and it's best to assign specific roles to other staff members.

In all cases, students should be aware of the location of these kits and understand the basic steps to take if their teacher is incapacitated. This instruction must be approached in a delicate and deliberate manner to avoid alarming children. Consider working with the school counselors on emergency preparedness education.

How EmergencyKits.com Supports School Preparedness

EmergencyKits.com offers expertly designed solutions to help schools stay prepared for any situation. Our experts make sure schools are equipped for emergencies with reliable, well-stocked supplies.

• Pre-assembled school emergency kits designed to meet institutional needs.
• Customizable options to align with specific school requirements.
• Trusted expertise in emergency preparedness to help schools stay ready for any situation.

Safety Starts with Preparedness

Having a plan and the right supplies keeps students, teachers, and staff safe from harm. Schools must be prepared not only for natural disasters but also for lockdown situations where leaving the classroom may not be an option for an extended period.

Having a lockdown and classroom kit in each classroom is an excellent first step that gives students the necessary supplies to endure these situations safely. EmergencyKits.com provides comprehensive emergency kits for students designed to support individual classrooms, school staff, and even entire schools with centrally located supply kits.