Severe Weather Toolkit
3.0 Continuity of Operations After a Disaster
The actions that schools take when disaster strikes, or threatens, can have a dramatic impact not only on the educational process but also on the community. Sustainability is an important function of school operations and affects both school and community stakeholders. This is especially true when considering the impact of school closures on the community. Schools must be active partners in all phases of emergency management and a cornerstone of the continuity and recovery processes.
This section of the Toolkit provides planning and program guidance for implementing a school Continuity of Operations Plan. This plan helps ensure the school/district is capable of continued performance of it's essential missions and functions under all threats and conditions, either natural or man-made. While the severity and consequences of an emergency cannot be predicted, effective contingency planning can minimize the impact on the school's mission, students, staff and facilities.