Summary: A disaster can happen anytime and anywhere, impacting lives, communities, businesses and even schools. It is critical for schools to have a crisis management plan in place to help during those chaotic times. Learn how being prepared for a crisis can help to keep your school safe.
 

While the primary goal of educational institutions is to provide a quality learning experience, it's also crucial to have a crisis management plan in place. Schools and universities must prepare for natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes, as well as man-made threats like active shooter incidents and ransomware cyber-attacks.

According to the document: Crisis planning for schools is a detailed process that varies by institution, but the fundamental principles are universal and should be well understood by educational professionals. Having a response plan in place before a crisis occurs is crucial for restoring normalcy and minimizing damage. One of the most effective ways to prepare for the unpredictable is to provide crisis education to students, faculty, and administrators, outlining clear response protocols for various crisis scenarios.

Crisis Management Plans for Schools

Experts have observed that during catastrophes, individuals tend to act on autopilot. With no time to think, everyone must know how to respond ahead of time. Staff should be familiar with lockdown and evacuation protocols, student dismissal procedures, and how to assist those in need. Without a response plan, the likelihood of an appropriate response is significantly reduced. Practicing basic response steps can help ensure a more effective response during a crisis.

The U.S. Department of Education breaks down the steps to prepare for a critical situation into the following:

• Mitigation and prevention: Administrators need to take inventory of the dangers in a school and community and identify what to do to prevent and reduce injury and property damage should something happen.
• Preparedness: Being prepared will help to facilitate a rapid, coordinated, effective response. Consider existing crisis management efforts, so there are no redundancies, and no area is overlooked. The plan should define roles and responsibilities and develop communication methods with staff, students, families, and the media. Having the necessary equipment and supplies on hand and practicing emergency responses with monthly or quarterly drills is also critical.
•  Response: If an incident occurs, your response will depend on your preparedness and prevention measures. The response should happen as quickly as possible and may include evacuating or locking down the school, triaging injuries, and providing emergency first aid to those who need it. Supplies should be kept nearby and always organized. Leaders must project a calm and serious attitude to reassure people of the wisdom of the directions being given.
• Recovery: After the crisis, the recovery period is the return to learning and restoring the school's infrastructure as quickly as possible. School staff can be trained to deal with the emotional impact of the crisis and to initially assess the emotional needs of students, staff, and responders.

Best Practices for Developing a School Crisis Planning Program

Keep in mind a few established best practices when developing your own crisis education and planning programs:

School crisis management plans should not be created in a vacuum

These plans are a natural extension of ongoing school and community efforts to create safe learning environments and should involve all aspects of the school’s community. Schools should consider tailoring district emergency response plans to meet individual school needs and provide teachers and staff with ready access to the plan so they can understand its components and act on them.

Keep the most crucial components of your crisis management plan at your fingertips

Administrators should organize the information and resources to respond to a disaster appropriately. Some things you might want to include in a disaster recovery toolkit include:

• A “Command Tree” that designates a single point person to undertake or coordinate official, emergency and media communications
• A reverse 911 communication system, with instructions readily available to key persons
• A text-based notification and alert system
• Checklist pages from the crisis plan
• A copy of important phone numbers such as district and building level administrators, inter-agencies, key parents, and media
• Staff and student directories
• Media guide or fact sheet about your school
• Daily attendance record
• Evacuation site contact numbers
• Instructions on how to disconnect internet and television leads

Administrators should also consider an at-home packet if a problem occurs during off-hours. For example, if a principal is notified of a break-in where the phone system has been destroyed, she or he needs to have phone directories to begin making calls, starting with the superintendent at home.

Recovery and memorial

The impact of disasters doesn't end when the immediate danger has passed. Those affected will need time and mental health resources to process the event. Remembering anniversaries of crises can help staff, students, and families cope. Teachers and staff should be sensitive to their and their students' reactions and provide support when necessary. School crisis planning guides suggest holding memorial services or activities, such as planting a tree in memory of victims. It's also a good time to review and update the crisis plan for effectiveness and relevancy.

Mitigate risks and have proper coverage

The final component of a crisis management plan is ensuring sufficient coverage while mitigating. Loss control experts can help identify and reduce risks through education, training, and onsite surveys, making schools safer.  Adequate school insurance coverage can facilitate a smoother, faster recovery in the event of a catastrophe. It’s important to verify that your insurance plan is appropriate for your organization and to review it annually to ensure it meets your school’s needs. 

Small Business Insurance Coverage for Schools from AmTrust

AmTrust offers a variety of coverages to help protect educational institutions. Our small business insurance products are designed to protect your school property and staff from the various daily risks they could face. Contact us today to get the protection your school needs.


This material is for informational purposes only and is not legal or business advice. Neither AmTrust Financial Services, Inc. nor any of its subsidiaries or affiliates represents or warrants that the information contained herein is appropriate or suitable for any specific business or legal purpose. Readers seeking resolution of specific questions should consult their business and/or legal advisors. Coverages may vary by location. Contact your local RSM for more information.