An Emergency Preparedness List for School Administrators

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School Administrators Must Plan for Order and Control When Emergency Response Planning.

This blog was written for School Health by K. David Scott, Founder, President and CEO, LifeSecure Emergency Solutions.

"3-10-3" – 3 Principles for Preparing School Emergency Supplies

When considering if you have the correct and adequate supplies, it is helpful to simplify the task by taking the "3-10-3" approach to evaluating your school emergency supplies.  This involves preparing appropriate supplies for the:

• 3 Basic Response Scenarios

• 10 Basic Survival Needs

• 3 Key School Areas and Services

Emergency Medical Supplies for 3 Key School Areas and Services

It is important to consider what supplies will be necessary for each of the 3 Key School Areas and Services:

1. School Facilities: classrooms, common areas, offices

2. School Health and Medical Services

3. School Administration & Safety Services

Supplies for each area and service are necessary in order to ensure an orderly and coordinated response to an emergency.

School Administration & Safety Services – Supplies to Bring Order and Keep Control 

In an emergency or disaster, school administration and staff members responsible for safety and security often have the tasks of bringing order to a crisis situation and maintaining calm and control.  Severe emergencies may require supplies that go beyond the simple megaphone and safety vests that might be used in a drill. 

Effective Emergency Incident Command and Control Will Require Supplies Such As:

• Megaphones

• Two-way radios

• Hi-visibility vests

• Dust masks for breathing protection

• Flashlights and light sticks

• Clipboards, pens, writing tablets, markers

• Gloves and basic tools

• Caution tape, tarps

• Emergency ponchos, emergency blankets

• Auxiliary first aid supplies (supplement those provide for the school nurse)

• Other specific supplies geared to your school’s emergency plan

Emergency Preparedness Checklist Questions for Administrators and Safety Personnel:

1. Do we have the supplies needed to respond to a severe emergency that requires maintaining order and calm for hours or days?

2. Do we have enough supplies for each of the staffers who will aid in these efforts?

3. Are these supplies well organized and in portable personal bags/backpacks/pouches so that onsite responders can respond quickly?

4. Do we have the supplies necessary to communicate and coordinate the response across the entire campus?

Ultimately, the ability to keep calm and order and direct all aspects of the emergency response will do much to help reduce the impact of an emergency event.  The right supplies for administrator and safety personnel may be critical to a successful response.