PlanningResource 7.5

School Disaster Preparedness
Planning Resource
Created by Nancy Hovan Carpenter
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Instructor
Woodinville, Washington
nhcarpenter@msn.com
206.412.8194
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Table of Contents
For an interactive electronic document, hold down the control button and click on the
page reference in the table of contents.
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................3
ROLE OF THE PTA EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHAIRPERSON..................4
Costs and Maintenance .............................................................................................6
Security .......................................................................................................................8
UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL EMERGENCY RESPONSE STRUCTURE.............14
FOOD/SNACKS............................................................................................................26
STUDENT CARE/COMFORT.....................................................................................27
STAFF CARE/COMFORT...........................................................................................29
VOLUNTEERS DURING DISASTER RESPONSE....................................................29
STAFF AND PARENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING...........................................29
DRILLS..........................................................................................................................31
CRISIS RESPONSE BOX............................................................................................31
Local Washington Vendors........................................................................................31
Other Vendors............................................................................................................32
There is a difference between an emergency and a disaster. When an emergency occurs,
we dial 9-1-1 and help arrives. A disaster is when emergency responders are
overwhelmed and schools are likely to be left to their own resources.
• It is estimated that in a regional disaster, only ½ of a school’s students will
leave the first day. Half of the remaining students, or ¼ of the population, will
leave the second day. Half of those remaining students will leave the third day.
The population will continue to halve each day thereafter.
• Students and staff may be evacuated outdoors for a number of hours or a
number of days. Broken glass or other dangerous debris, gas leaks, hazardous
materials, or structural damage may render school buildings uninhabitable or
inaccessible.
• Hypothermia sets in quickly and can be life threatening. Temperatures do not
need to be near freezing. Being wet and cold brings on hypothermia.
• Adequate supplies and equipment, properly stored for deployment, impacts life
safety.
• Quick and efficient attendance of students, staff, and visitors can directly impact
the life safety of students and staff. It impacts the timely deployment of rescue
teams for those who may be trapped or injured. It also can prevent placing staff
rescuers in harm’s way.
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• The more organized a school appears to parents and the better educated parents
are to mass student release procedures, the more likely they are to wait for their
child and less likely to storm the evacuation site and take their child.
INTRODUCTION
This document is designed to help you move forward with your emergency
preparedness plan by providing information and ideas, primarily, though not
exclusively, dealing with supplies. The following is a compilation of information, ideas
and lessons learned from the networking of PTA emergency chair persons, school district
staff and administration, medical and emergency response professionals and FEMA
(Federal Emergency Management Agency under the Department of Homeland Security).
Federal protocols from the Multi-Hazards Planning for Schools (IS-362) and Community
Emergency Response Team (CERT) curriculum have been used in this document.
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ROLE OF THE PTA EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
CHAIRPERSON
PTA Emergency Preparedness chairpersons support schools and staff in preparing for
emergencies and disasters. The position can be as simple as acting as an advocate or
conduit for information between the school’s PTA and the staff. The position can be as
complex as purchasing, maintaining and organizing all supplies, serving on the school
safety committee and facilitating staff training. Every school’s needs are different. This
position is a close partnership with the staff person in charge of preparedness and
response, and the school principal.
FUNDING
 PTAs budget from $0 to $9,000 for emergency preparedness.
 Fundraising:
o Often PTA asks parents to provide $3 - $10 per child per year.
o At elementary, the best response is often received when a flier in the first
day papers has an attached return envelope addressed to PTA Emergency
Preparedness.
o At secondary, requests for monetary donations to be specifically used for
emergency preparedness are often made via PTA newsletters and at Open
House.
o Fundraiser auctions are done.
o Fundraiser sales of 72 hour car emergency and first aid kits are done at
“Back to School Nights”.
 Building principals may be able to divert some building funds for some supplies
or equipment.
 Grants can be found, though seldom for supplies, via FEMA, the DOE, and
other sources.
 Due to liability issues, the State PTA organization requires that all supplies
and equipment are purchased from funds granted to the district. Tangible
goods may also be granted. Talk to your treasurer for procedural
information.
 A little over $1/student and staff member will be spent to replace water and food
that has expired. (See ShelfLifeRotation worksheet in the Suggested Supplies
List).
 An approximate minimum of an additional $2/student and staff member is needed
to replace other expired items (e.g. batteries, hand sanitizer), build upon existing
supplies/equipment, or replace missing items.
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 DONATIONS OF SUPPLIES:
o The donation is being made to the school, not the PTA. Donation receipts
can be processed through the district office, but make sure of the
procedures before accepting/processing the donation.
o Supply donations or discounts can be solicited from vendors. Most have
a policy and set amount or percentage discount that they will donate.
o Gift Registry: Register your PTA at local hardware and retail stores,
listing emergency preparedness needs. Then ask parents to shop in store
or online for these items.
o Wish lists published in the PTA newsletter can be moderately effective.
o Garage sales often have tarps, tents, warm clothing, blankets, coats,
gloves, games, and camping gear. Often people will give them to you if
you explain their proposed use or they will bring these items to your
school after the sale as donations.
o Lost and Found at your school or church can bring in coats, jackets,
gloves, and hats. These should be cleaned and sealed airtight prior to
storage.
o Your school library has books and magazines that are discontinued and
can be used as a comfort item.
THE CONTAINER
Nearly every school has an external cargo container for disaster supplies. External
containers are nearly indestructible and accessible away from hazards. They are
generally accessible when school buildings are not. Placing supplies/equipment in
multiple locations delays response time and may cause confusion in locating items. Thus,
supplies should be stored in a single external container. Discussed here is a new or
used steel tractor trailer cargo container, however many of the principles apply to any
storage site.
 Costs and Maintenance
o Containers can be purchased with shelving, ventilation and complete
insulation.
o PTA can grants funds to the school district to purchase the container.
o The container belongs to the district and maintenance of the structure is
the district’s responsibility.
o All vents must be screened to prevent an entrance for vermin.
o Maintenance of the school’s container should be done by the school
district. A work order can be placed by your building custodian for
repairs.
o Zirc fittings attached at the hinges can make container doors open easier.
Sometimes the handles need grease, oil, or silicon spray.
o Shelving should be anchored to walls.
 Shelves can be designed to double as bunk beds.
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 Building shelves can be an Eagle Scout project.
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 Security
o Disaster supplies are often stored in the same container as athletic gear.
Doing so compromises security and compromises access to disaster
supplies and equipment.
o The district is responsible for keying and security.
 Many staff members should have copies of the keys, so someone
present will have a key in time of need.
 The PTA organization advises that PTA volunteers NOT carry a
container key.
 Condensation/Moisture problems are often evident in steel and
aluminum containers.
o Barrels of water trap moisture in the container. It maintains a perpetual
cycle of condensation which damages supplies and can cause the wooden
floor to rot.
o Culprits for moisture problems can be leaks in the container body or
cracks or hardening of the door’s rubber gasket.
o We consulted professionals and received conflicting remedies. One
professional was sure that trapped moisture would not condense as readily
if the container were insulated: decreasing the rapid temperature flux
which causes condensation.
o Insulation can be used on the walls of the container to reduce
condensation and create a better secondary shelter during evacuation.
Spray insulation can be used on the ceiling.
o Insulating a 40 foot steel container costs about $200. These are ½ inch
thick 4 ft X 8 ft sheets of Styrofoam insulation board, foam board
adhesive, and a calking gun. Spray foam can also be used, especially on
the ceiling.
o It was advised by one expert not to insulate the ceiling of the container so
possible leaks can be detected.
o A very full container will have less rapid temperature fluctuation.
o Retrofit Turbine venting was recommended as the cure by one expert.
 Forty foot containers can require 2 vents.
 Most containers have small vents in the upper corners. This should
be adequate for intake and the turbine vents to take out the air and
moisture.
 Retrofit Ventilation can be installed by local vendors for about
$500.
o If the container has electricity, a small dehumidifier can be used.
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SUPPLY STORAGE
Supplies should be well marked and stored in the order in which they will be used.
 Clearly mark every container as to contents, amounts and expiration dates.
This eases distribution and the taking of inventory.
 Supplies for each operation should be stored with other supplies for that operation
and in the order in which they will be used.
 Stacks of boxes or containers should be anchored to walls or shelves.
 It is a good idea to use signage inside the container to assist staff in locating
equipment and supplies.
 Colored Duct Tape can be purchased at hardware stores and used for labeling.
Little else sticks in temperature extremes. The colors can be used to denote
different stations and keep like supplies together during deployment. It sticks to
itself VERY well, so banding a box or other object with duct tape ensures that it
will stay attached.
 A hand truck could assist in supply distribution.
 Packing supplies in ziplock bags in groups of 10 or 15 makes for quick
distribution and keeps unused items from getting wet in the rain.
 Good quality plastic storage containers keep out moisture and are stackable.
INVENTORY
A supply and equipment inventory is used in planning, purchasing, and in the actual
response to the disaster or emergency.
 Your school should always have an up-to-date inventory.
 The list should be in bulk numbers, not by individual box. It is more important to
know how many Space Blankets you have than what is in Box #32.
 A listing of what items are available in the storage container is a valuable tool for
the Incident Commander, Student Care staff and Logistics. (For more
information on these response jobs and their needs, see Incident Command Jobs
in this document or the Response Jobs worksheet in the Suggested Supplies
Document.)
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CONTAINER DIAGRAM
Suggestions for what goes where in an external container.
 Even in simple emergencies, the Incident Commander, Attendance/Student
Release response stations are activated.
 Search/Rescue Teams tend to assemble and gear up where their gear resides.
Mounting the gear on the inside panel of the doors brings the gear out to them.
This places team members out of the traffic flow of the container.
 ICS Job descriptions on clipboards could be mounted on the inside of the doors.
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EVACUATION/CLASSROOM KITS
These kits are expensive and are labor intensive to create and maintain annually.
Careful consideration should be given to whether kits are appropriate and what the
contents should be. Staff should practice bringing out their kit at every drill.
 A classroom evacuation kit has only a 50% to 60% chance of making it out of
the building to the evacuation site. This is due to the teacher being out of the
room, unwitting substitute teachers, panic, or lack of access to the kit.
 Functional duplicates of all evacuation kits contents should be stored in the
external container.
 Classroom Kits are stolen and pilfered by students. Teachers borrow items and
forget to replace or return them.
 Should you decide to utilize evacuation kits, they should be minimized in
contents, to address basic/immediate shelter, basic first aid supplies and
attendance information. (See the Classroom Kit worksheet on the Suggested
Supplies document.
 Items carried from the classroom should fit into a single clipboard, small
bucket, backpack or bag with shoulder strap. Teacher and student safety are
placed at risk when carrying large containers.
o Teachers will be watching for debris and other hazards and keeping track
of students during evacuation.
o Their hands must be free and evacuation materials easily accessible and
recognizable.
o Teacher backpacks allow for hands-free evacuation, but are problematic at
junior or senior high because they are stolen by students.
o Buckets can double as a chair or a step to make teachers taller than
surrounding students. Being less visible makes them less of a target for
vandalism and less likely be brought out/used during an emergency.
 Providing immediate shelter in the evacuation kit can be in the form of visqueen
sheeting, rain ponchos, or duplicate space blankets. Hypothermia is one of the
greatest disaster threats, to students and staff in the Pacific Northwest. Space
blankets provide critical shelter and warmth and one for each staff member and
student should be stored in the external container.
 Lockdown Kits: Are they necessary?
o There is a trash can for a toilet, a sink for drinking water and hand
washing, books to read, and probably leftovers from lunch or teacher
snacks.
o Should a lockdown kit be decided upon, it could contain toilet paper,
biohazard bags for the trash cans, sheeting for privacy and possibly Kitty
litter to absorb odors and sound. One school had these taped to the inside
of the classroom trash cans.
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GENERIC SUPPLIES VS. STUDENT COMFORT KITS
More than 1/2 of teachers and staff will be assigned to responder jobs, such as Search,
Rescue, Medical, Student Release, unable to distribute supplies to students.
 The labor intensive nature of parent-provided comfort kit supplies creates a threat
to the life safety of students, by significantly delaying the distribution of critically
needed supplies.
 Not all parents provide comfort kits, so some children may have no supplies. It
would be emotionally devastating, even if the school comes up with backup
supplies for them later.
 Comfort packs provided by parents are not only labor intensive at the beginning
and end of school year for staff/PTA, but they will need to be collected from all
new students throughout the year and retrieved when each student withdraws.
 Commercially created as well as parent created comfort kits containing a variety
of supplies will probably be dumped on the ground when used in order for
students to retrieve the item they are seeking.
 Generic supplies divided into easily distributed bags in external storage or
evacuation backpacks in the classroom can be easily maintained and distributed.
 If like supplies are clustered, staff can hand out items as needed and keep others
items out of the weather.
 Special Needs students and staff have very different needs and requirements than
other students and may need special supplies.
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UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL EMERGENCY RESPONSE
STRUCTURE
It is important to understand how school staff and administration will respond to an
emergency or disaster. It will provide insight into what supplies are needed, why, who
needs them, and where they should be located.
INCIDENT COMMAND(ICS) RESPONDER JOBS
 The Incident Command System (I.C.S.) is a nationally recognized response chain
of command and communication structure.
o Its modular system that grows or shrinks as the incident changes.
o The strict “span of control” preventing leaders from becoming
overwhelmed. No more than 5- 7 people are to report to any leader.
o Universal terminology and job descriptions which allow responders from
other agencies or the community to step into rolls and communicate
effectively.
o Accountability. When activated, each person has a clearly defined
job/assignment with a clear chain of command.
 On line ICS classes are available at FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute.
Introduction to the Incident Command System for Schools (IS-100.SCa ) and
Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools (IS 362.a)
 It is compliant with NIMS (National Incident Management System).
 ICS Job descriptions: FEMA provides detailed ICS job descriptions and check
lists for each job in the Incident Command structure for schools. To request this
listing, contact Nancy Hovan Carpenter (nhcarpenter@msn.com) or take the
Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools class.
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School Site Planning Guidelines
Organizational Chart
P u b lic I n f o r m a t io n O f f ic e r S a f e t y O f f ic e r
L ia s o n O f f ic e r
S t u d e n t R e le a s e
S t u d e n t C a r e
M e d i c a l
S e a r c h a n d R e s c u e
S it e F a c i li t y C h e c k / S e c u r i t y
O p e r a t i o n s
S it u a t i o n A n a l y s i s
D o c u m e n t a t i o n
P l a n n i n g / I n t e l l i g e n c e
C o m m u n i c a t io n s
S t a f f i n g
S u p p l i e s /F a c il i t i e s
L o g i s t i c s
P u r c h a s i n g
T i m e k e e p i n g
F i n a n c e / A d m i n i s t r a t i o n
I n c i d e n t C o m a n d e r
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COMMAND POST (EOC)
The incident commander and others holding administrative positions, such as
communications, planning and administration, work at the command post.
 The Command Post should be easily identifiable to everyone, with some
identifier for the Command Post and Incident Commander. The incident
commander is to stay in one place.
 The Command Post containing the incident commander and many of the
response positions, should be physically separated from response activity and
student care in a quiet and secure area to limit access to the commander and leave
the commander free to think, plan and absorb incoming information.
 The command post should have shelter, tables and chairs and can be cordoned off
using cones and caution tape.
SEARCH AND RESCUE
After the outside of all school buildings have been inspected for safety by a trained team
of school employees and entry has been approved, Search teams can be deployed.
A Search team treats for life threatening injuries (airway obstruction, severe bleeding, &
shock) and assesses and reports who is still in the building and hazards that impact the
rescue of victims or the safe use of the structure. Unless there is an imminent life
threatening hazard, the Search team does not rescue. Lives depend upon their quick,
thorough and efficient assessment.
Rescue is either a separate team who follows the Search team or the Search team is
recycled after the search is completed and reported. The Rescue team removes victims
prioritized upon the significance of their injuries and how lightly trapped they are.
Triage is the process of sorting victims by the severity of their injuries. This is done
during search, during rescue, and during treatment in the medical station.
 Search team and Rescue team member should be trained according to FEMA’s
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) protocols outlined in Unit 3,
Disaster Medical 1, and Unit 5, Light Search & Rescue.
 Each Search team and Rescue team should have a triage belt with colored
tapes to mark victims. The rapid accurate tagging of injured victims, dictates
removal and treatment priority.
 The pouch of the Triage Belt should contain a grease pen, permanent marker,
small pad of paper, pen, nitrile gloves, 4 x 4 dressings and some wraps.
 A roll of duct tape and a roll of colored masking tape should accompany the triage
tape. The masking tape is used to mark doors that are being searched and have
been searched.
 Light sticks provide spark-free light which is important if there is a possible gas
leak and can be left with victims when responders move to another room.
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 Safety glasses as well as safety goggles should be in Search and in Rescue gear.
Goggles fog quickly, rendering them useless or worse.
 Hard hats should have chin straps.
 The dust masks should be replaced if they are not the recommended “N95” level
of particulate protection.
 Miner’s helmet lights can provide a hands-free light source. “Head Lamps” may
not work on hard hats.
 The work gloves should fit team member’s hands.
 First Aid Kits are not used in Search or Rescue.
 The only medical supplies needed during search or rescue are those to stop
excessive bleeding, dressings (4x4 or larger) and wraps. These should be packed
in freezer quality ziplock sandwich bags as a useable unit of one wrap and a
number of dressings.
 A hammer and a crowbar/utility bar are needed to open jammed doors.
 Search/Triage needs laminated check lists or cheat-sheets for triage,
documentation protocols or search techniques and MASTER KEYS to be
effective and efficient.
 Laminated School Building Route Maps for each team of two may be critical in
efficient and systematic searches.
 The packs could contain water.
 Sidewalk chalk in the S & R pack may be useful for marking buildings or
sidewalks with warnings or other info.
 Batteries should be stored outside a flashlight or walkie talkie to avoid the
destructive nature of batter corrosion. Batteries that are kept at an even cool
temperature keep their charge longer. Extra batteries can be stored in an ice chest.
 Flashlights can spark a gas leak, so non-sparking, temperature resistant light
sticks are a necessary tool.
 A ladder could be stored in the container which could allow entry to second story
windows/doors in case of walkway/stairway failure.
 Stretchers/Backboards
o Cloth stretchers
 When cloth stretchers are contaminated with blood, vomit or the
like, they cannot be decontaminated. A plastic cover has no
guarantee of staying over the contaminated area.
 These have no stiffening and thus take 4 - 8 people to move one
injured person.
 It is recommended for professional responders that a minimum of 4
people are needed to carry an adult-sized person and a minimum of
2 people are needed to carry a small child.
o Plastic backboards
 A back board or an improvised version of a backboard is needed
for victims who may have back or neck injuries.
 They can be new or donated by a local fire department.
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 Backboard alternatives, though heavier, can be built by parents or
school industrial arts teachers, with the approval of the school.
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MEDICAL
Medical should be located out of sight of Parent/Student Reunion and the student care
area. It should be easily accessible for emergency vehicles.
 Medical needs large and abundant signage so rescuers, staff and students can
easily find it.
 Immediate/Life Threatening Immediate (red) and Delayed (yellow) treatment
areas must be clearly marked. Yellow and Red tarps, signs, or flags can be used.
 Pack like things together! Kits with multiple items will be difficult to sort
through for the one needed item. Generic supplies packed together, saves time in
distribution.
 Medical supplies should be in mobile kits or boxes for easy deployment.
 Medical supplies should reside in the same place in the external container and be
well marked as “Medical” or “First Aid” and have a listing of contents.
 Medical supplies should be protected from moisture and where ever possible,
placed in ziplock plastic bags or wrapped in plastic wrap. If the box is opened in
the rain, supplies should be protected.
 Latex gloves will need to be replaced with healthcare quality nitrile gloves.
 Even the largest Multi-Casualty Care Kit can use every bandage in the kit in 3
days with only one or two children with heavy bleeding.
 Clean cotton sheets are substitute wound dressings: (Can also be used as wraps
and triangle bandages).
 Gauze bandages and pressure wraps should be wider than 3”, so they will have
more versatility in use.
 Pain killers and antibiotic ointment in commercial trauma kits cannot be given to
students, but, if not expired, can be given to adults.
 The adhesive on band aids should be checked periodically. Temperature flux and
age eventually neutralizes the adhesive.
 Multiple sets of tweezers and magnifiers for removing shards of glass.
 Forms should be available at the medical station to let parents know what
symptoms were found and what treatment was administered to their child.
 Extra Tarps or Plastic Sheeting can be used as flooring and to cover
contaminated flooring.
 Quick assembly (accordion style) pavilion tents used with tarps for privacy, wind
shield or to extend coverage, provides shelter for the medical station.
 The morgue will need to be shielded from staff and students. “Farm” or fully
waterproof tarps could be used in addition to body bags.
 A student’s medical information is confidential. Only school staff may view this
information. Volunteers may not assist in any response process which gives them
access to this information.
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ATTENDANCE AND PARENT/STUDENT REUNION:
 Very large and clear signage is needed for this station. The largest should say
something similar to “PARENT CHECK IN” and a smaller one, not easily seen
from the parent waiting area, should say something similar to
“PARENT/STUDENT REUNION”. Signage/instructions could also be in
Spanish or other languages. Signs indicating instructions on how to fill out
release forms or other requirements would be valuable.
 This station should be located away from student care, first aid and morgue.
 Instant-assembly pavilion tents are useful here as well as a number of light
weight chairs, tables, and an alphabetizer/sorter.
 Laminated letter signs adhered with packing tape will help channel parents. Ie:
A-D in one line, E-R in the next. There can be packets of these letter signs so 2
or 3 or 4 lines can be opened up for parents depending upon staffing and demand.
 Duplicate release information cards could be stored in a water/moisture proof box
in the external container.
 Reading glasses available to parents could be valuable at student release.
 All staff and volunteers need to sign in and sign out.
 Many schools also have students line up in alphabetical order or order of their
student number, at drills and (at elementary) in daily line transit, to aid in quick
accountability. Students can report who should be standing on either side of
them.
 Emergency release and medical information should be gathered for each
student who regularly visits a school (orchestra, volunteering, home school, or
math) before school, during the school day or after school, and kept on file at the
visited site.
 Nametags: Schools use labels/stickers or nametags on lanyards with
contact/release info that is put on each student during attendance/accountability.
The stickers or nametags leftover are students that are missing or absent.
o Shop tickets (heavy plastic envelopes) on a lanyard can hold the student
tag along with release information, and if desired, a comfort letter and
photo.
o Allergy, medic alert and release flags can be made visible on student
name tags with coded colored dots or other markers.
o Name tags can also serve as back up release documents. Some schools
print a label and stick it to the back every tag as a form to fill out to
release a student to a parent who refuses to go through proper procedures.
 Prior to the disaster, emergency release educational information for parents can
be printed in the PTA school directory, reviewed at open house, kindergarten
orientation, curriculum nights, on the school calendar, and in newsletters, E.g.:
What the student release sign will say. Where the release station will be located.
How to greet a child to minimize emotional trauma after a disaster.
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SANITATION (Toileting)
Toilets will be needed almost immediately after evacuation.
 If a container contains toilets, it should say “TOILETS” on a large sign. The
word “Sanitation” may not indicate toilets to some.
 Some pre-purchased sanitation cans may contain a variety of items and may have
have a shelf life or contain chemicals. The contents of these cans and expiration
dates should be listed clearly on the outside of the can.
 After about 3 years, wipes lose their moisture. They should either be replaced or
should be marked to the user to add water to reactivate.
 Hand sanitizer has a shelf life of about 3 years.
 Some students have toileting issues and need to have diapers changed, require an
aid assist them or are in wheelchairs. An emergency wheelchair accessible
toileting facility is recommended.
 Latex gloves will need to be replaced with nitrile gloves.
 Emergency toilets may contain NO toilet paper.
 The principal or custodian can order toilet paper for the container. It should be
stored in a water tight container or wrapped in plastic.
 Calculate that about ¼ of all females staff/students age 12 and over will be
menstruating on any given day and you will need to provide sanitary napkins
and tampons for them. Since girls often wear thong underwear, they have to use
tampons. These boxes should be wrapped in plastic.
 Used bio-hazard waste bags must be stored for proper removal and disposal
after they are filled. They cannot be buried or thrown in the trash, nor can their
contents.
 Bio-hazard bags can be used to line inoperable indoor toilets.
 Toilets/bathrooms can be buckets lined with bio-hazard bags sitting in a row
shielded from the public by tarps. Seats for buckets are available through local or
internet vendors.
 Toilets will need to be set up soon after evacuation and should be stored
accordingly. A map suggesting where each toilet should be located could be on
the outside or inside of the can.
 The American Red Cross uses the Sanitation ratio of 1 toilet per 40 people.
Many schools use a 1 per 100 students ratio.
 New products are being created to break bodily waste down until it is no longer
considered hazardous waste. For any new waste disposal product, be sure to
check for its storage in temperature extremes and list the expiration dates on the
chemicals on the outside of the storage container.
 Any chemical product needs a Manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
stored with the product and needs to be approved by district risk management.
The MSDS provides instructions on handling, accidental contact, self-life etc.
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SHELTER
Shelter assembly should be planned, practiced and stored with clear directions and
expectations. The crash zone of a building is between 1 ½ times to twice the height of the
building.
 It is estimated that in a regional disaster, only half of the student population will
go home the first day. Half of the remaining students will go home the second
day. Half of those students will go home the next, and so on.
 During a disaster from an earthquake, students and staff may be outside for
hours or days while a building’s structural safety is being determined, awaiting a
professional opinion, or there is too much broken glass/debris to allow students to
return to the building.
 Custodians and grounds persons should have taken a class in recognizing
structural damage called ATC-20 and have a book which will help them through
the process. A copy of it can be stored in the container. Check with your city or
county emergency management office for ATC-20 class offerings.
 A fire inspector from your local fire department will walk around the building
with staff to educate them on recognizing hazards after an earthquake.
 Each school should have two alternative evacuation sites. A hand truck or two
can assist with the transport of supplies to a distant site.
 Tarps can be used as overhead shelter, walls for privacy or windbreaks and can
augment pavilion tent shelter. Small tarps are often preferable to large ones
because they are easier to manage.
 Tents
o Principals generally do not want students in tents because they cannot be
easily seen and since an entire class cannot fit inside at once, it
doubles/triples the amount of adults needed to supervise students.
o Tents are often desired for special needs students who require minimum
disturbance, require complete supervision, or may have compromised
immune systems or other special needs where a sheltered quiet space is
needed.
o Tents make a good private place for staff breaks or for grieving parents.
 Accordion-style pop-up pavilion tents provide quick shelter for responders and
can be used in conjunction with tarps to provide more coverage.
 10 ft x 20 ft carport size pavilion tents are somewhat easy to assemble with
many generic pieces.
 Tents should be assembled for practice and to make sure all pieces are there.
Color coding the ends that fit together and laminating assembly instructions is a
good idea.
 Heat sources in shelters can have dangers from fumes or fire. Even chemical
hand warmers can burn bare skin.
 Eating and sleeping areas should be separate.
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 A separate area should be given to staff/volunteers to get outside information.
News from the outside may distress students.
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WATER
Water will be used for drinking, hand washing and wound care. Water needed for hand
washing is minimized with the use of hand wipes and hand sanitizer. Food does not
require water for preparation. There are advantages and drawbacks to the various
options of water storage.
 55 gallon drums of water require a special hose for filling, preservative, a
working bung pump, and sterile containers or those able to be sanitized for
transport of water to student’s cups or other uses. Sterile and empty containers
can be obtained from bottled water suppliers. Where ever the drum sits is where
the water will be pumped. There will be spillage and high traffic. Barrels sweat
rotting floors and keeping moisture in the container.
 4 oz pouches are good for 5 years, easy to distribute and do not require keeping
cups clean and identified. Small pouches can be punctured during storage with
other items, so it is best to keep them in their shipping box.
 Large water boxes or water from barrels require thousands of cups, pens for
marking cups, and places to store used cups for reuse.
 Some schools have stored unscented bleach to purify water. Clorox customer
service says that the date on a bleach bottle is the manufacture date. Bleach for
water purification should only be stored about 4 months beyond that date.
Heat beyond 68 degrees expedites the degradation of the chemical and its
effectiveness to purify water. Bleach experiences a 20% degradation each year.
 Water bottles that are clear are only good for about 3 – 4 months.
 Juice can only be stored for one school year in an external container. It will
provide calories and is also full of sugar, thus increasing thirst and sanitation
needs. Juice and other sugary drinks are highly discouraged.
 The bulk of stored Water should be stored at the back of the cargo container.
Water and food are the last things to be brought out.
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FOOD/SNACKS
 Comfort Food: Food is food. Comfort is comfort. Food should not be used for
comfort.
 Millennium bars have a 5 year exterior storage shelf life and provide
nourishment equal to one meal. They contain no nuts or peanuts.
 Datrex bars also have a 5 year exterior storage shelf life and provide
nourishment equal to one day’s worth of intake. They contain no nuts or peanuts.
 MRE’s (Meals Ready to Eat or military rations)
o MRE’s have a shelf-life of 3 – 5 years in external storage and 5 – 7 years
inside. They are not meant for external storage.
o To decode the expiration date, contact the manufacturer.
 Food Advisory
o Emergency food should contain no peanuts or nuts. Allergies to peanuts
and nuts are common and can be deadly.
o Salt and sugar increase thirst and sanitation requirements.
o Sugar increases activity and agitation.
 Snacks are not advised.
o Distribution takes time and labor. Both will be in short supply.
o Snacks used as stress medication or distraction have far reaching
ramifications.
 Special arrangements must be made for students with allergies or dietary needs
with a special cache of food. Donated ice chests can be used for their storage.
 Foods that must be cooked are discouraged because of labor intensity and the
inability to store fuel for cooking inside the container.
 Be sure to check with your local fire department regarding appropriate
storage of any fuel.
 School kitchens contain food. Building damage, gas leaks, and items spilled and
fixtures and tools knocked onto the floor in the kitchen can make the kitchen
inoperable or inaccessible. There is also a risk of contamination and spoilage.
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STUDENT CARE/COMFORT
 Student Comfort
o Paper, Colored Pencils, Pencils, Pens: Expressing one’s self in words or
pictures is a great stress reliever.
o Books from book drives or cast offs from your school library
o Coloring books (Crayons melt in the external container.)
o Magazines from book drives or cast offs from your school library
o Joke and comic books Monitor them carefully. Some may be
inappropriate.
o Decks of cards are donated by the hundreds by casinos.
o Card Tricks and Card Games copied from library books and placed in
plastic sheet protectors, can accompany the decks of cards.
o Big Buddy Classes: partnering older students with younger, provides the
younger student with more attention and gives older students something to
do and someone to think about besides themselves.
 Student Care
o Blankets from blanket drives or cycled out from hotels.
o Towels for those who may be soaked from sprinkler systems or rain.
o Ground cover for seating:
 Visqueen: A roll of 5 mil. plastic sheeting is inexpensive,
available at hardware stores and holds up well. Black will absorb
heat. It will keep students covered for the first few minutes of
evacuation or will give them a place to sit together. They fit easily
in an evacuation back pack.
 Painter’s drop cloths
 Trash bags
 Tarps
o Trash bags VS rain ponchos
 Ponchos provide better body coverage (arms and head)
 Ponchos are less dangerous when kids start playing around or
sleeping.
 Trash bags are cheaper by a few cents each and easier to procure.
o Chemical Hand Warmers have labels state that small children should not
use them. These may be better distributed by the Medical station.
o Donations of gloves, mittens, or socks can be used.
o Cold weather clothes from Lost and Found or donations can be stored for
students who under dressed or evacuated without a coat.
 Warm weather clothes from Lost and Found or donations can be stored in case
the sprinkler system triggered, or for some other reason, students are soaked.
 Light sticks will be re-assuring to students if they have to spend the night outside
or inside the building with no power. The ones manufactured for survival have a
3 – 4 year shelf life and can withstand temperature extremes. Check the specs.
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STAFF CARE/COMFORT
 Chairs, Umbrellas and an AM/FM Radio for adults would be welcome.
 Instant Coffee or Tea.
 Parent relief teams for staff can be organized ahead of time. Staff will be
staying with students while their own families’ fate may be unknown.
 An Out-of-state contact can be called for staff.
 Sometimes schools form a buddy school relationship with another school outside
the area, but within the same time zone, to act as an out-of-state contact for each
other's staff. It is a huge commitment at the time of the emergency to take all of
the calls from the families of the buddy school.
VOLUNTEERS DURING DISASTER RESPONSE
 A State Patrol background check is required of all volunteers who come in
contact with students. This applies to a disaster setting as well.
 The list of pre-screened volunteer could be kept in the container.
 Neighbors who live next to school gates can be educated to provide general
information and comfort to waiting parents.
STAFF AND PARENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING
 CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) For parents and staff
o CERT is a FEMA course available through local fire departments and
Citizen Corps. It covers light search and rescue, triage, disaster medical,
disaster psychology, fire suppression, disaster preparedness and provides
hands-on experience.
o CERT classes can be advertised to staff by building principals and to
parents via PTA newsletters.
 Incident Command Training is available on line through FEMA’s Emergency
Management Institute, http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/crslist.asp.
 Parent education:
o General/Personal Preparedness
o School Mass Student Release Procedures
o Procedural and behavioral expectations for parents
o How to properly fill out annual student emergency forms.
o Parents should be encouraged to talk to students (of all ages) about
expectations during a crisis.
o Communication via:
 PTA newsletter
 Back to School Night or Open House
 Speakers at PTA meetings
 Principal’s newsletter
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 Incorporated into Principal’s messages to staff, students, parents.
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DRILLS
 A school staff member at each site is responsible for Emergency Preparedness and
organizing fire and lockdown drills and at least one earthquake drill each school
year.
 Local fire departments may provide either their staff or CERT volunteers to
observe and give feedback.
 Some schools drill portions of their emergency response, like Search and Rescue,
before or after the school day in the fall.
 Situation cards can be given to staff to add variables to drills.
 Inservice days, before, or after school times can be used to drill student release, or
other responder jobs.
 With no notice to staff, a teacher and a few students can be pulled to drill
attendance functionality during fire drills.
CRISIS RESPONSE BOX
 A Crisis Response Box is a central information container which is used in many
schools and districts. E.g.: How to shut off the power.
www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/cp/documents/crisisrespbox.pdf
 PTA can assist with the annual maintenance on the box.
WEATHER RADIO
Weather radios not only provide alerts for immediate weather hazards, they provide
alerts for hazardous materials incidents.
 These radios can be plugged in and set to “Silent” mode in the main office. When
a major weather event or hazardous materials spill is iminent, the radio will sound
an alert. They need to be checked periodically.
VENDORS
Local Washington Vendors
 Emergency Preparedness Services, Kits & general emergency prep. Supplies, in
South Seattle, www.emprep.com
 Prepare Smart, Kits, Supplies, Fundraiser Sales in Redmond
www.preparesmart.com
 Purchasing Co-ops:
o Your county may have a purchasing co-operative for public entities.
o KCDA is a King County non-profit purchasing CO-OP with excellent
prices on general and medical supplies. Shipping is free. Schools are
required to pay sales tax, even on internet orders which do not collect
them.
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Other Vendors
 Harbor Freight Tarps & S&R equipment www.harborfreight.com
 SOS Survival Products. sos-info@sosproducts.com
 Seattle Red Cross, www.seattleredcross.org, Emergency Preparedness Catalog.
206-726-3530
 Normed, www.normed.com , Medical supplies
 Emergency Essentials, 1-800-999-1863, www.beprepared.com
 ABCSafetyMart.com, hardhat chin straps,
http://www.abcsafetymart.com/hhats/hard-hats-sun-shields07.html
 FirstAidDirect.com, hardhat chinstraps,
http://www.firstaiddirect.com/detail.cfm?ID=1258
 Simpler Life Emergency Provisions, 800-266-7737, www.simplerlife.com
 McLendon’s may donate $20 in goods and/or 10% discount.
 Office Max
 Army Surplus Stores
 Costco
OTHER RESOURCES:
 Federal Grants, www.FedGrants.gov , www.Grants.gov,
 FEMA, www.FEMA.gov, www.ready.gov
 FEMA Local Regional Center, Bothell 425-487-4600
 Centers for Disease Control, sheltering/preparedness www.bt.cdc.gov
 State of Washington Emergency Management Division www.emd.wa.gov
 American Red Cross, www.redcross.org
 Seattle Red Cross, www.seattleredcross.org
This document was prepared by Nancy Hovan Carpenter, CERT Instructor and
CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor, Veteran PTA Emergency Preparedness Chairperson
nhcarpenter@msn.com
This is not a School District document, nor is it a PTA document. It is meant as a
gathering of ideas and information from a number of sources to assist in the critical
and daunting job of preparing a school for disaster. Nor does the author or
contributors shoulder liability for the ideas put forth.
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