Washington County Working Toward School Safety

Oklahoma Department of Civil Emergency Management Director Albert Ashwood today commended (CITY OR COUNTY GOES HERE) for taking the first step toward making its schools more disaster resistant. Through the agency’s “Emergency Preparedness for Public Schools” program, already more than 120 Oklahoma school districts and colleges have adopted a community wide, all-hazards approach essential to keeping students safe at school.

Since 1999, state emergency management officials have offered the program to public school districts, private schools, colleges and vo-techs. Lessons learned in the Oklahoma City bombing, May 3rd tornadoes and the Fort Gibson school shooting are among those incorporated into the curriculum. Participating schools receive risk and hazard assessments, assistance in preparing emergency response and disaster recovery plans, and instruction in emergency exercise drills.

But these standard operating procedures for schools are only as strong as the community that stands behind them. For that reason, the program brings together school boards, staff and faculty, students and their parents, local law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency medical responders and emergency management directors. Together these community officials work to tailor a plan that meets their specific needs.

“Whether it’s a tornado, fire or school shooting, a disaster affects an entire community,” said Ashwood. “Similarly a community-wide effort is demanded to prevent and be prepared for such incidents.”

Schools face many potential dangers so the program applies on an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness. During the hazard assessment, officials identify and evaluate the specific threats posed by items like school design, equipment, and the chemicals that are on-hand. They respond to these threats by developing standard operating procedures for situations demanding students and faculty to take action like sheltering in place and evacuating a building.

The community also tests its readiness through both announced and unannounced exercise drills. 

“Emergency Preparedness for Public Schools assists officials in going beyond simply having a plan on paper,” said Ashwood. “By identifying hazards and the actions that can be taken to lessen their impacts, implementing realistic exercise and training programs, and establishing oversight for continued maintenance of a plan, communities can take monumental steps toward providing the most disaster resistant schools,” he said.

The program is offered at no cost to Oklahoma’s schools except for those related to printing the district’s emergency preparedness manuals and other documents.