Emergency Preparedness and Safety
According to the Washington State Emergency Management Division, our state experiences natural hazards including floods, wind and storm damages, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions. Washington State is especially vulnerable to earthquakes. Our vulnerability to earthquakes is second only to California. The need for schools to be fully prepared to respond to a wide variety of disasters is crucial for the safety and survival of our students and staff.
Steve Bailey of the Pierce County Dept of Emergency Management reminds us that “there is no local, state, or federal cavalry standing by waiting for the ‘big one.’ In these days of reduced budgets and tax reform, our public safety personnel can barely keep up with the daily calls for service.” Eric Holdeman, former Director of King County Office of Emergency Management, echoes Mr. Bailey’s sentiments when he says, “One of the strongest allies any government has is a prepared citizenry.” This includes individuals, families, businesses, and schools.
Keeping our children safe while at school should be our primary goal. Emergency managers agree that the best thing we can do after a disaster is to stay put until it has been decided that the roads, bridges, etc are safe for travel. After a major disaster, such as an earthquake, our roads may be impassable due to fallen trees, power lines, debris, and road collapse due to soil liquefaction. Our bridges and overpasses may collapse. Gas lines may rupture. Homes may be unsafe to enter. Students and staff may be unable to leave the campus immediately following a disaster. Because local emergency responders will be overwhelmed and help may take hours or days to reach a school, school and district personnel should be prepared to do all they can to tend to the needs of our students and provide for their safety until help arrives.
The Northshore Council PTSA’s Emergency Preparedness Committee is working together with representatives from several of the local units to draft a Legislative Issue Proposal for the Washington State PTA on the topic of School Emergency Preparedness. We wish to encourage the state PTA to initiate and/or support legislation or policies that will strengthen the level of emergency preparedness in our schools by requiring hands-on emergency training for staff members so that they will be fully prepared to carry out their responsibilities as listed in FEMA’s School Incident Response Job Des riptions. We are also seeking clear guidelines requiring schools to have on hand emergency supplies and equipment, as recommended by FEMA, the American Red Cross, and other state and national emergency management experts. We are asking that any legislation regarding school emergency preparedness include the funding necessary for schools to meet these requirements.
Berta Phillips, Northshore Council PTSA Emergency Preparedness Chair
U.S. Department of Education "HelpfulHints" For School Emergency Management
Vol. 2, Issue 7, 2007 - Current
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Table of Contents:
Council Emergency Preparedness Chair Job Description
LU Emergency Preparedness Chair Job Description
Disaster Preparedness and Student Release
Comfort Kits vs. Generic Supplies
Community Resource Survey - Sample
Create a Culture of Emergency Preparedness
Funding of Supplies and Equipment