Four Tips for Being Prepared for an Emergency
This month, schools and campuses around the country are recognizing National Preparedness Month, which looks to prepare administrators to develop plans in case of an unsafe or disaster- like situation. Students are the future of this country and the Scholastic Network knows that preparing your staff, students and their families in case of an emergency is the first step to ensuring a safe learning environment. In honor of National Preparedness Month, here are some great first steps your school can take to keep your staff and students safe:
1) A Plan Starts with Leadership – In order to implement a cohesive and comprehensive disaster plan, administrators both at the district level and school level must commit time and resources to supporting a plan of action.
2) Consider All Threats and Hazards – The planning process should take into consideration any and all threats and hazards that could impact a school before, during and after an incident. Whether your area is more prone to hurricanes, tornadoes or flash flooding, coming up with a plan for those instances is necessary.
3) Practice, Practice, Practice—Once a plan is developed, make sure to have your students and faculty practice your plan to not only become comfortable with the action steps, but to identify any deficiencies with the plan that needs updates.
4) Use Channels of Communication Most Accepted and Used—Make sure your plan for a disaster uses communication mediums that your faculty, students and parents use. Communication is key during an emergency and the last thing you want to do is use a form of communication that is not effective in getting out your message and information.
At the Scholastic Network, our mission is to ensure your school messages are effectively communicated to your students to keep them in touch with what is happening around them. Using flexible and cost-effective methods that take only 15 minutes to learn, your school can partner with The Scholastic Network to develop the best emergency disaster plan. And did you know that we can use pre-existing TV screens already located on your campus and campus social media accounts to display messages? During an emergency, The Scholastic Network gives you the ability to implement your emergency disaster plan within seconds – providing real-time messaging to your students and faculty ensures they are getting the necessary information during an emergency as soon as an incident is in progress.