|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Paige, Ridge, Unveil New Web Resource to Help Schools Plan for Emergencies
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Secretaries Paige and Ridge unveiled the tools at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Md. "As a former superintendent of the nation's seventh largest school district, I know the importance of emergency planning," Secretary Paige said. "The midst of a crisis is not the time to start figuring out who ought to do what. At that moment, everyone involved - from top to bottom - should know the drill and know each other. In addition to the Web site, Paige also announced that $30 million is available in FY 2003 to help school districts improve and strengthen emergency response and crisis management plans. Funds could be used to train school personnel, parents and students in crisis response; coordinate with local emergency responders including fire and police; purchase equipment; and coordinate with groups and organizations responsible for recovery issues, such as health and mental-health agencies. An additional $30 million is included in the proposed FY 2004 budget. Applications for this program will be available in early spring 2003. Funding decisions will be made in the summer. Paige added that under the No Child Left Behind Act, local school districts must provide assurances that they have plans that outline how they are working to keep their schools safe and drug free. Paige unveiled the new resource on the heels of Homeland Security Secretary Ridge's introduction of the multi-year, multi-media Ready Campaign, which includes a new Web site, www.ready.gov, to "build a more prepared nation, one individual, one family, one neighborhood, one community at a time." "Recently the Department launched a readiness campaign where I asked Americans to do a few simple things to help protect their families in the event of a terrorist attack against their community. These steps are critically important whether at home, work or school," said Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. "I commend Secretary Paige and the Department Education for taking the initiative to prepare our schools for any emergency, from natural disasters to terrorism. Through initiatives like this, we are achieving our goal of building a more prepared nation, one individual, one family, one neighborhood, one community at a time." The U.S. Department of Education has been working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies on school preparedness. In addition, the Department has been working with experts from around the country to develop a model emergency response and crisis management plan. That plan will be released later this month. Proposed plan content is excerpted below. Emergency Plans If you don't have a school crisis plan in partnership with public safety agencies, including law enforcement and fire, health, mental health and local emergency preparedness agencies, develop one. Ensure that it addresses traditional crises and emergencies such as fires, school shootings and accidents, as well as biological, radiological, chemical and other terrorist activities. If you do have a crisis plan, review it. Ensure that it addresses issues related to terrorism, such as biological, radiological and chemical attacks. Train, practice and drill. Documents on a shelf don't work in a crisis. Ensure that your school district crisis plan addresses the unique circumstances and needs of individual schools. Districts are encouraged to develop a separate plan for each school building. Each school crisis plan should address four major areas - prevention/mitigation; preparedness; response and recovery. Actions that schools should take under each of these areas include: Prevention/Mitigation:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Ready Campaign Federal Emergency Management Agency The American Red Cross Montgomery County (MD) public schools Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools North Carolina Public Schools |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|