• Behavioral Issues
• Child Care
• Cleaning Up After a Storm
• Communication
• Deciding To Stay Or Go
• Evacuation Shelters
• First Aid & Medical
• Flood Center
• Food and Water
• Help the Relief Effort
• Insurance Center
• Lighting & Power
• Pet Care
• Preparing Your Home
• Special Needs
• Storms Explained

Home > Communication > Article

Small TextMedium TextLarge Text

---

Your School's Disaster Plan

It is required for schools to have disaster plans. Many schools have this information on the school’s web site, and other schools can provide parents information if they simply request it. In addition to building a Family Disaster Plan, you should find out what the facilities you and your family use plan to do. This should be an important mission, since one of the greatest sources of stress for children during a disaster is the disruption of their normal routine. By finding out what your child’s school plans to do before and after a disaster, you can help get your child back to a normal routine as quickly as possible.

Recommended Actions for Parents

• Ask for a copy of the school’s emergency preparedness plan.
• See what the school plans to do following a disaster. Are there personnel to help children with the emotional trauma disasters can create?
• See if you can make a copy of your child’s vital records, if you do not already have one. Files can be damaged during a disaster, and you should keep this copy along with your other important documents.
• Inquire if children have been made aware of common natural disasters. See what has been done to educate them about these situations.
• Request to sit in on evacuation drills or participate in them.
• Volunteer to help the school before or after a disaster.
• Volunteer to set up a “phone tree” of parents to connect with after a disaster.
• Inquire about the school’s plan to reopen after disaster strikes. See if there is a hotline or web site that you can use to see if the school has reopened. Ask if the school will contact you or if you should contact them.
• After a disaster, make sure that the school is aware of any special needs your child has.