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,...

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…