Key Principles for Effective Crisis Planning
Crisis planning may seem overwhelming. It takes time and effort, but it is manageable. Sections 2 through 5 provide practical tips on how to develop your plans. These principles are crucial to the planning process.
- Effective crisis planning begins with
leadership at the top. Every governor,
mayor, legislator, superintendent, and principal
should work together to make school crisis
planning a priority. Top leadership helps
set the policy agenda, secures funds, and
brings the necessary people together across agencies. Other leadership also needs to be identified—the teacher who is well loved in her school, the county’s favorite school resource officer, or the caring school nurse. Leaders at the grassroots level will help your school community accept and inform the planning process. - Crisis plans should not be developed in
a vacuum. They are a natural extension of
ongoing school and community efforts to
create safe learning environments. Good
planning can enhance all school functions.
Needs assessments and other data should
feed into a crisis plan. Crisis plans should
address incidents that could occur inside school buildings, on school grounds, and
in the community. Coordination will avoid
duplication and mixed messages, as well as
reduce burden on planners. - School and districts should open the
channels of communication well before
a crisis. Relationships need to be built in
advance so that emergency responders are
familiar with your school. Cultivate a relationship
with city emergency managers, public
works officials, and health and mental
health professionals now, and do not overlook
local media. It is important that they understand how the district and schools will respond in a crisis. - Crisis plans should be developed in partnership with other community groups, including law enforcement, fire safety officials, emergency medical services, as well as health and mental health professionals. Do not reinvent the wheel. These groups know what to do in an emergency and can be helpful in the development of your plan. Get their help to develop a coordinated plan of response.
- A common vocabulary is necessary. It is critical that school staff and emergency
responders know each other’s terminology.
Work with emergency responders to develop
Crisis plans are living documents. They need to be reviewed and revised regularly.
1-11
a common vocabulary. The words used to
give directions for evacuation, lockdown, and
other actions should be clear and not hazard
specific. The Federal Emergency Management
Agency recommends using plain language to
announce the need for action, for example, “evacuate” rather than “code blue.” Many
districts note that with plain language everyone
in the school building including new
staff, substitute teachers, and visitors will
know what type of response is called for.
However, some districts have found it useful to use—but streamline—codes. Rather than a code for each type of incident they use only one code for each type of response. With either approach, it is critical that terms and/or codes are used consistently across the district. - Schools should tailor district crisis plans
to meet individual school needs. In fact, a
plan should not be one document. It should
be a series of documents targeted to various audiences. For example, a school could use detailed response guides for planners, flipcharts for teachers, a crisis response toolbox for administrators, and wallet cards containing evacuation routes for bus drivers. Plans should be age appropriate. Elementary school children will behave much differently in a crisis than high school students. - Plan for the diverse needs of children
and staff. Our review of crisis plans found that few schools addressed children or staff
with physical, sensory, motor, developmental, or mental challenges. Special attention is also needed for children with limited English
proficiency. Outreach documents for families may be needed in several languages. - Include all types of schools where appropriate. Be sure to include alternative, charter, and private schools in the planning process, as well as others who are involved with children before and after school.
- Provide teachers and staff with ready access to the plan so they can understand its components and act on them. People who have experienced a crisis often report that they go on “autopilot” during an incident. They need to know what to do in advance not only to get them through an incident but also to help alleviate panic and anxiety.
- Training and practice are essential for the successful implementation of crisis plans. Most students and staff know what to do in case of a fire because the law requires them to participate in routine fire drills, but would they know what to do in a different crisis? Many districts now require evacuation and lockdown drills in addition to state-mandated fire drills. Drills also allow your school to evaluate what works and what needs to be improved.