Providing a safe, thriving environment for students to learn and staff to work is the foremost goal of any school setting. Creating a safe school environment that facilitates learning can be a challenging task. Successful school emergency planning requires school administrators, law enforcement personnel and emergency managers work together as a team.
School emergency planning helps school staff know how to assist students through a crisis situation. Knowing how to respond during a crisis will help everyone involved remain calm, understand their role and act as safely and efficiently as possible. It is important that emergency planning includes all hazards, risks and emergencies a school may encounter.
Comprehensive School Safety Guide
The Minnesota Department of Homeland Security Emergency Management offers school emergency planning guidance to schools. The 2011 edition of the Comprehensive School Safety Guide includes new guidance on emergency planning for students with disabilities, safe school assessments and recovery planning. Guidance on drills and exercises, school emergency response teams and student reunification has also been updated.
Minnesota statute requires all school districts and charter schools establish an emergency plan. The law requires plans be developed cooperatively with all appropriate school stakeholders. School emergency plans must include five school lock-down drills, five school fire drills and one tornado drill per school year.
To view the statute in its entirety: