141st APHA Annual Meeting

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Effective school emergency preparedness and response: Strategies & tools

Wednesday, November 6, 2013 : 1:10 PM - 1:30 PM

Susan Smith, EdD, MSPH , Department of Applied Health Science, Indiana School of Public Health Bloomington, Bloomington, IN
This presentation focuses on the best practices and strategies that should be implemented and practiced by elementary and high schools to prepare and respond to a school intruder, a natural or technological disaster. Five characteristics found through case assessment by the presenter to be effective in emergency preparedness and collaboration when responding to a disaster will be discussed. Examples of successful organizational preparedness and response will be highlighted as well as a discussion of practices found at facilities demonstrating poor collaboration and a lack of emergency preparedness. Best practices needed for schools to effectively evacuate and safely shelter in place based on case study assessment will also be addressed. The recommended emergency preparedness competencies for health educators supported by the Society for Public Health Education will be outlined. The10-point Emergency Preparedness Facility Check List designed by the presenter to meet the needs of school facilities to insure the safety of students, teachers and staff and implemented by many schools will also be presented. A copy of this multi-page check list will be provided to session participants as a tool to assess the emergency preparedness of their own facilities.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Administration, management, leadership
Advocacy for health and health education
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Describe five characteristics of disaster preparedness essential for collaboration allowing an organization to successfully response to a disaster. Outline five actions staff at a school facility can take to support the ability of students, teachers and staff to effectively shelter in place or evacuate in response to an intruder or a disaster. Describe four recommended emergency preparedness competencies for health educators. List and define the 10 primary assessment areas included in the 10 Point Emergency Preparedness Facility Checklist authored by the presenter and provided to all participants.

Keywords: Disasters, Health Education Strategies

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Dr. Smith has over 17 years of experience teaching graduate courses & conducting research related to safety, public health and emergency preparedness. Her professional focus includes designing strategies to enhance the emergency preparedness and response of schools, public health and medical organizations when facing an intruder or a disaster situation and in the development of strategies to reduce unintentional injuries and deaths of high risk groups.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5198.0: Emergency Preparedness and Safety in Schools
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