Many educators are intimidated by emergency plans because they are filled with terminology not often used in education. In addition they are also filled with information that you cannot easily navigate through when the pressure is on and seconds count.
This needs to stop! While there is a great deal of information that must be gathered and considered when developing an organizational all hazards plan the reality is 95% of that material relates to school administrators and first responders and not the folks who are called upon to make sure they and their students are safe. Because of all that administrative clutter, classroom guides are generally not user friendly.
What if I told you that classroom guides could be as simple and concise as two 8.5x11 sheets of paper? It can be just that simple. Really think about it. What do you need to know? I break classroom based response down into three basic categories:
1. When should I evacuate and get to a safe place away from my classroom or building?
2. When should I stay right where I am at and make a safe place inside the building?
3. When should I take action on my own and do something about the hazzard?
This simple two page classroom emergency guide does just that. If you would like a copy of this guide just reply to this blog and I will send you one.
While you are at it, subscribe to this blog so you can continue to get practical solutions to school safety issues. Classroom based emergency response does not have to be complicated. Learn how you can make it much easier than what it has been in the past.
This is John Baker, CPP for safetysolutions4schools.com
image courtesy of www.flickr.com