Emergency Management Planning for School Administrators

Emergency Management Planning
Because schools are generally easily accessible and contain the basic infrastructure needed for short-term accommodations, school administrators may be faced with the need to provide shelter for local residents during times of emergency. Therefore, it is essential that they understand what is involved in order to ensure their safety and wellbeing. This paper examines the issues involved in providing shelter for 300 to 400 families for the duration of a disaster that could last up to 5 days, including the resources that would be needed, and how these can be obtained for an immediate response to events such as criminal acts as well as who will be responsible for decision making. Finally, a summary of the research and important findings concerning emergency management planning for school administrators are provided in the conclusion.
Outline of appropriate response to this situation and decision-making authority
Although every disaster situation will be different, emergency shelter managers including school administrators should follow the same basic steps in preparing for and coordinating responses. Some of the first steps that should be taken by the school administrator would be to form a response team to help provide assistance in the intake and distribution of resources as required. This response team should include the designation of a security team in the case of criminal acts and to ensure that all resources are properly stored and secured (Shelters and shelter management reference guide, 2005). In addition, volunteer shelter residents can also be enlisted to assist in the operation of the shelter for the duration of the emergency event, including the provision of security support if needed.
Other initial steps will be to assign responsibilities for tasks such as waste disposal and designate appropriate areas of the school building for different purposes for the duration of the disaster, such as first aid, sleeping, recreation, eating and religious activities. Likewise, it is essential to ensure that sufficient resources are available for the anticipated number of local residents that will be involved for the day-to-day living and hygiene needs of the victims (Shelters and shelter management reference guide, 2005) and these issues are discussed further below.
Determination of the resources needed and how necessary resources can be obtained for the immediate response
Prior planning for an emergency response is absolutely essential since victims are at especially high risk during the immediate aftermath of disasters. Indeed, emergency situations are no time to be trying to figure out how much food and water will be required, or what provisions should be made for first aid and more extensive medical care. Moreover, three to four hundred men, women and children amounts to a veritable small town, and all of these people will need all of the resources that they otherwise typically take for granted for as many as 120 hours. In reality, human beings require a significant amount of food each day, but healthy adults can survive on reduced half rations if needed so shelter manages should ration food if supplies run low due to the emergency situation lasting longer than expected. Food supplies for vulnerable shelter residents such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, children and the elderly, however, should not rationed (Food and water in an emergency, 2017). It will be far easier, efficient and safer to stockpile emergency rations in the form of ready-to-eat meals such as the MREs served in the military, but the federal government recommends that shelter managers also ensure that some types of so-called comfort foods are available to help maintain morale, and to provide nonperishable pet foods (Shelters and shelter management reference guide, 2005).
By sharp contrast, though, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reference guide for food and water in emergency situations emphasizes that water should never be rationed. In this regard, the guide clearly states that, “If supplies run low, never ration water. Drink the amount you need today, and try to find more for tomorrow” (Food and water in an emergency, 2017, p. 7). Emergency shelter managers can help reduce the amount of water required by residents by avoiding serving salty foods , reducing activity levels of the residents and keep them cool to the maximum extent possible (Food and water in an emergency, 2017). Because 400 people will require a great deal of clean and fresh water over the course of up to 5 days, shelter manages should make this one of the highest priorities.
As a general rule of thumb, shelter managers should plan on each person requiring at least half a gallon of water per day and about that amount for food preparation and personal hygiene. This means that at least 400 gallons of water should be available (preferably more) and the preferred delivery mode is commercially available bottled water (Food and water in an emergency, 2017). Plastic water storage tanks, however, can also be used, especially for the water used for food preparation and hygiene but glass containers should be avoided since they can break easily and are heavy (Food and water in an emergency, 2017). Finally, shelter managers should also have contingency plans in place in the event electricity is already off or if it is lost in the aftermath of the disaster. These contingency plans should also include alternative strategies for food preparation, lighting for security and communications.
Conclusion
The research showed that emergency shelter managers including school administrators have much to consider when planning for a response to a disaster situation and the welfare of hundreds of victims will be their responsibility. The research also showed that it is essential to ensure that sufficient supplies of food, water, hygiene and first aid supplies are available and that all members of the response team know and understand their duties. Finally, it is also important to ensure that contingency plans are in place in case power is lost during or in the aftermath of a disaster in order to minimize the adverse effects on shelter residents.
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References
Food and water in an emergency. (2017). Federal Emergency Management Agency. Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/f&web.pdf.
Shelters and shelter management reference guide. (2015). U.S. government. Retrieved from https://scms.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/SSM%20-%20RM.pdf.