Emergency Management for Schools and School Districts

I was asked to design and facilitate a workshop last week for the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC) 2012 spring conference on emergency management for schools and school districts in B.C.

It is no uncommon that if a school is lucky, there are parents wanting to help and contribute to a school’s emergency preparedness and readiness effort. If not, often nothing is done. Not surprisingly, the parents are concerned with the seemingly lack of coordination and resources, inconsistent approach and implementation, and probably worse, no continuity so that when the keen parents leave or get burned out, no one picks up the work and inevitably wheels are re-invented and efforts are duplicated.

In general, over the past 15 years or so, schools and school districts are becoming more aware of what they should do in the area of emergency management. Indeed, some are taking it more seriously and taking more action.

So, what could I do in 1.5 hrs? I tried to give the participants some basic facts about the BC Emergency Response Management System (BCERMS), the legislative requirements of ministries and local governments; I gave them an opportunity to share their perspectives of where school emergency readiness is; and I offered them opportunities to interact with each other and to ask me questions. Here is my Prezi presentation (without my speaking notes and detailed agenda) … Enjoy!

To view the Prezi presentation, click here Emergency Management for Schools & School Districts