Emergency Planning Resources for Back-to-School

Everyone has a role to play in preparing for and responding to emergencies in schools

Discover Emergency Planning Strategies and Resources to Plan for a Safe Return to the Classroom As the new school year gets underway and more students return to fulltime in-person learning, planning for potential emergency events is especially critical. Having plans and processes in place that outline key emergency response actions and roles, as well as integrating a 'whole community' approach to emergency preparedness can help prevent an emergency or reduce the impact of an incident that does occur. Whether you're a student, teacher, parent, school administrator, or law enforcement professional, we all have a role to play when it comes to emergency preparedness and safety. Read on for specific resources each member of the K-12 school community can use to prepare for a safe school year. School Administrators and School Safety Personnel Administrators at the district and school level and school safety personnel play an important role in establishing and implementing emergency operations plans (EOPs) and other preparedness measures. Creating a safe learning environment requires collaboration between school officials and community partners to prepare for and respond to threats and hazards. Helpful resources for administrators and school safety personnel include: Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans – This interagency guidance provides information to school administrators on emergency management planning, and includes a process for developing, implementing, and refining a school's EOP with community partners. The Role of Districts in Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans – Developed to serve as a complement to the School Guide, this report recommends specific roles and responsibilities for district-level administrators and staff in the emergency planning process. EOP Interactive Tools – This site offers a suite of emergency planning tools for K-12 administrators, law enforcement personnel, and community partners related to developing and refining EOPs, enhancing capacity, and aligning emergency planning practices with those at the national, state, and local levels. K-12 Exercise Starter Kits – These self-conducted tabletop exercises are tailored for the academic community and include a set of scalable tools aimed to test existing emergency plans, protocols, and procedures. Educators Engaging students in emergency preparedness can empower youth to understand risks and know how to protect themselves during potential emergency events. Curriculum, lesson plans, and activities can help teachers and school staff bring disaster readiness into the classroom. Helpful preparedness and safety resources for teachers include: Classroom Activities and Youth Preparedness Programs – These multidisciplinary lessons, activities, and programs teach students what to do before, during, and after an emergency. Student Tools for Emergency Planning – This classroom-based curriculum for fourth and fifth graders teaches students how to prepare for disasters. The program includes core lessons as well as additional hazard-specific lessons that educators can use to customize their curriculum. Youth Emergency Preparedness Curriculum – This program for grades 1-12 teaches students about emergency preparedness, while also fostering critical skills such as problem solving, teamwork, creativity, leadership, and communication. Parents Being prepared for disasters starts at home. Educating students outside of school on what to do before, during, and after an emergency event will help them be prepared when it comes time to return to the classroom. Resources and information for families include: Prepare Your Family – This webpage provides materials to help you build your family emergency plan, information for how you can help children cope if they've experienced a disaster, and tips to help your children be ready when disaster strikes. Caring for Children in a Disaster – This guidance outlines the steps you can take before, during, and after an emergency to help keep your family safe and healthy. Students Youth should be empowered to learn the hazards that affect their community, understand how to stay safe in an emergency, practice critical emergency response skills, and lead preparedness-building activities in their communities. Emergency preparedness games, materials, and programs for students include: Ready Kids: Games – These games will test kids' know-how in a wide range of emergencies as well as teach students how to build an emergency kit. Teen CERT – This program teaches teens about the potential disasters that could affect their area and how to safely and responsibly respond to them. Prepare with Pedro – This activity book teaches students how to be prepared for emergency events through fun activities such as crosswords, coloring pages, and matching games. Children in Disasters: Games and Activities – These interactive games and activities teach children how to stay safe during emergencies. Visit SchoolSafety.gov for additional resources, tools, and products school communities can use to support emergency planning initiatives, as well as broader school safety-related information to prepare for a safe school year. 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