Experience around the world has shown that where people are aware of the risks around them and plan their response, then injuries, damage and subsequent trauma are significantly reduced.
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Schools need to educate students and prepare plans. Educating Students
Check out the 'Action-Reaction' on this website for great education resources for teachers to educate their students about natural hazards and civil defence preparedness. Preparing Plans
The purpose of planning is to ensure that the whether you are running an Early Childhood Centre, a school, or a rest home, you can provide for the safety of students, patients, and staff as far as possible in any emergency incident.
On-going requests to Hawke's Bay and Gisborne Civil Defence and Emergency Management Officers for comprehensive emergency planning material have led to the development of a guide called the Hawke's Bay and Gisborne Emergency Planning Guide.
This planning guide aims to help you through the legal and contractual requirements for emergency planning. Developing an emergency plan based on the tasks described in this Guide will help you meet the typical requirements of funding and auditing agencies.
You will, of course, need to check whether additional requirements apply in your case. What is an emergency incident and how to plan?
An emergency incident can be described as a hazardous event that threatens the safety of people or property. Incidents range in size, nature, intensity and duration. They encompass such things as:
- fires in school buildings or care facilities
- bomb threats
- earthquakes
- storms
- injuries
- chemical spills.
When preparing an emergency plan the following assumptions need to be considered: - Schools, care facilities other organisations and individuals will need to look after themselves in the initial stages of an emergency.
- Emergency services may not be able to respond for some hours during the initial stages.
- Utilities such as water, electricity, communications and transport could be unavailable or inoperative.
- Some buildings may suffer moderate to severe damage.
- Pupils and staff injured during the emergency will need to be cared for within the school itself.
Some suggested planning steps: - Putting things in context - details about your school, care facilities and its surrounds (including a site map).
- Hazard identification and assessment - what are the hazards that could affect the neighbourhood and your school?
- Planning for the consequences of hazards - evacuation, occupation and containment procedures.
- Who is responsible for doing what, when? - Staff action plan, what should you do in the initial stages?
- Recovery - identifying long term requirements.
- Reviewing your plan and advising parents/caregivers and the local community.
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