NCJ Number
209552
Date Published
May 2003
Length
146 pages
Annotation
This guide provides school administrators and communities the critical concepts and components involved in developing a school crisis plan.
Abstract
When a crisis strikes a school campus, it is imperative that everyone on campus already knows what their role is and how to carry it out. As such, good crisis planning is a must. Since experts recommend against simply cutting and pasting crisis plans from other schools and communities, this guide presents the tools necessary to prepare a crisis plan but does not provide a “cookbook approach” to crisis preparedness. Section 1 describes the sequence of crisis management and presents some key principles of effective crisis planning, such as planning for a crisis in conjunction with other key groups like fire safety officials. Section 2 discusses how to plan for crisis prevention as well as crisis mitigation. Both types of planning involve taking inventory of the dangers present in the school and the community and identifying ways to prevent or reduce possible injury. Section 3 turns to a discussion on preparedness and lists several action steps necessary for schools to take at this phase of the planning process, including identifying and involving key stakeholders. Section 4 focuses on planning for the crisis response while section 5 describes how to plan for the recovery effort following the crisis. Action checklists and action steps are offered in both sections and include steps such as assembling a crisis intervention team. Section 6 offers a closer look at some specific topics, such as FEMA resources and how to handle the media during and following a crisis event. Models of crisis intervention that have proven effective with students are described. Appendixes offer additional resources. Exhibits, appendixes