20 The Journal of Adventist Education • Summer 2014 http ...circle.adventist.org/files/jae/en/jae201476052010.pdf · can include tornadoes, high winds, hurricanes, freezing rain

20 The Journal of Adventist Education • Summer 2014 http:// jae.adventist.org

It’s often in the news: pictures ofhorrific destruction due to fire andnatural disasters, stories of heroicteachers, scenes of heart-wrenchingpersonal loss. While some may have

experienced such challenges firsthand,most of us only see these disasters onTV, hoping that it doesn’t happen atour school. As school administrators,faculty, and staff, we are tasked with theresponsibility of providing the safestenvironment possible for the preciousgifts entrusted to us—our students, aswell as for everyone else on our cam-puses. It would be a violation of thattrust not to do all we can to activelyprepare for the risks our schools face.Recent site surveys and inspections

of our schools by Adventist Risk Man-agement reveal that while many ofthem have outstanding prevention andloss-control programs, others are defi-cient, particularly when the adminis-trators are new or inexperienced. Thus,

it is well to revisit some of these impor-tant precautions on a regular basis.While schools face more than theirshare of potential emergencies, this ar-ticle will focus on the most commonconcerns, weather-related risks and firerisks.Regardless of how many types of

disaster potential a school may face,each risk needs specific, careful plan-ning and prevention. To ensure pru-dent management of such risk, ques-tions that must drive the planninginclude the following:

• Will evacuation be required? Whatis the safest path for each studentgroup at any given time in the schoolday? What are the potential dangersthat will shape decisions about whetherevacuation is necessary?

• Is it feasible to use the schoolbuilding(s) for shelter in place? Whichtypes of emergencies will require shel-ter in place, and where are the most ef-fective locations?

• Will there be enough advancedwarning to close schools and send chil-

dren home? How effective is our sys-tem for communicating with parents/ guardians and students? Has a com-mon, off-campus site been determinedfor safe rejoining of parents with stu-dents?

• What steps do we need to take toensure effective and prompt action incase of an emergency? To assist schools with answering

these and other crucial questions andin developing an effective emergencyplan, the Federal Emergency Manage-ment Agency (FEMA), working closelywith the U.S. Department of Educationand other key agencies, released theGuide for Developing High-QualitySchool Emergency Operations Plans1 in2013. Each school is urged to downloadthis comprehensive resource and followits steps in establishing a campus emer-gency plan. This guide covers, in detail,Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Re-sponse, and Recovery. Of particular im-

21http:// jae.adventist.org The Journal of Adventist Education • Summer 2014

BY WILLIAM CHUNESTUDY, BILL COCHRAN, and JOHN J . DOUGAN

What Happens at Your School?

When the Alarm Goes Off,

portance are the Planning Principlesthat help create the necessary philo-sophical foundation for complete buy-in and cooperation from all school,church, and conference entities. Thisguide was prepared for United Statespublic schools, but the principles areeasily adaptable to all Seventh-day Ad-ventist schools, both in the U.S. and in-ternationally.Our discussion in this article will

not attempt to summarize or duplicateall of the information in the aboveGuide; instead, we will focus on areas ofneglect and poor management thathave been observed by ARM staff dur-ing on-site inspections.

hensive, addressing all potential risks.Developing an emergency action planalways requires a team effort—a teamwith diverse experience and skills, in-cluding school administration, teach-ers, maintenance staff, food-servicepersonnel and other staff members, in-cluding those who deal with trans-portation and medical needs. It is wiseto include parents and older studentsin developing the plan. Interactionwith local emergency responders, suchas police, Emergency Medical Techni-cians, and fire departments, is also nec-essary. If your school is small and hasminimal staff, you will need to seekmore assistance from parents and localemergency providers. While public

everyone’s responsibilities. Drills regard-ing intruders and shooters should behandled very carefully so as not to trau-matize younger students. Tornadoes and fires, on the other

hand, will require drills that involveteachers, staff, and students. Tornadodrills are required by some states, al-though the number of drills varies. Firedrills are required by all states, and somerequire tornado and other weather-re-lated drills. Follow local requirementsfor drill frequency.

emergencySuppliesAll emergency plans need to include

designated areas where supplies aremaintained for the school personneland students. Many schools purchaseor rent large metal overseas shippingcontainers that they position outdoorsin a secure area as an emergencybunker. Your local fire department orthe Red Cross can help you determinewhat type of supplies should be main-tained and the appropriate quantity,based on the size of the school. Typicalemergency supplies include the follow-ing: long-life emergency food andwater, first-aid supplies, safety clothingand equipment, portable lighting witha supply of fresh batteries, and thermoblankets and/or rain gear. These sup-plies should be restocked after eachemergency and updated at the start ofeach school year.

preventiveMaintenanceIn emergency planning, a frequently

overlooked area is preventative mainte-nance. In a storm-related emergency,staff and student safety will dependupon the integrity of the classrooms,the tornado shelter, or other schoolbuildings. A properly designed andwell-maintained facility will fare muchbetter in a storm, particularly wherestrong winds and heavy rains areprevalent. ARM inspections have re-vealed that the items listed below arecommonly overlooked:

• Poorly maintained gutters that be-come damaged or filled with leaves.These allow water to overflow or back


PlANNiNG fOR WeAtHeRemeRGeNCieS BefORe tHeStORm

theplanWritten action plans for all potential

school emergencies will become theblueprint for action before, during, andafter an event. The Guide for Develop-ing High-Quality School Emergency Op-erations Plans, noted above, outlinesspecific steps for establishing an effec-tive plan. In order to create a workableplan, careful thought and attention arecritical. The plan need not be complex,but it must be effective and compre-

emergency response personnel willgenerally only offer advice, the in-house team should be assigned specificresponsibilities based on their areas ofexpertise. The written plan is the cor-nerstone of an effective safety programand is required by most state and fed-eral regulations. It should be reviewedand updated yearly, and be made avail-able to all employees.

DrillsFor many emergencies, drills are a

critical component of an effective safetyplan. Some emergencies listed in theplan will not require a whole-schooldrill, but can be satisfied with tabletopdrills and discussions that identify

ourlocalfiredepartmentortheRedcrosscanhelpyoudetermine

whattypeofsuppliesshouldbemain-tainedandtheappropriatequantity,basedonthesizeoftheschool.

Y

up, causing damage to roofs, walls, andeven building interiors. Failure in thisregard is frequently evident duringrisk-control surveys and is sometimesso severe that vegetation is actuallygrowing in gutters.

• Damaged or loose roofing materi-als and siding are vulnerable to furtherdamage and even total loss when bat-tered by powerful winds. This mayproduce emergency conditions and re-quire evacuations that might not havebeen necessary if the buildings hadbeen properly maintained.

• Although a powerful storm canknock down healthy trees, there ishigher risk of injuries or propertydamage from falling unhealthy treesand dead limbs. Arborists or tree sur-geons can identify potential problemtrees and dangerous limbs that shouldbe removed.

• Lightning arrestors should be inplace and working properly.Geographic location is obviously

a major factor when preparing forweather-related risks. Such disasterscan include tornadoes, high winds,hurricanes, freezing rain with subse-quent ice build-up, lightning storms,blizzards, floods, extreme cold or heat,and more. The extent of damage on aninstitution from weather-related emer-gencies will depend primarily on thefactors listed below.

HazardidentificationAccurate identification of potential

hazards will include a survey of the his-tory of weather-related incidents inyour geographical area. A great re-source for understanding weather pat-terns, which will also provide generalweather information for both staff andstudents is the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA).2

This interactive site is a comprehensiveresource for all weather-related infor-mation, including storm tracking, fore-casting, severe events, local informa-tion, and much more. Designatedschool staff and administration shouldmonitor this site, not only for the pro-tection of the school, but also as a re-source for student projects.It is important for administrators

and staff to understand the potential


weather hazards that might affect theschool. Each type of storm has particu-lar elements of concern. Some weathersituations allow for ample decision-making time, others provide little if anywarning.On each campus, select staff to be

trained in weather basics. Even a super-ficial understanding of storm predic-tion can ensure better warning time forapproaching storms. A weather radioshould be monitored as well as localTV, radio, and weather-related Web-sites. While weather prediction is notan exact science, it is always better to beprepared. Identifying the potential forweather-related emergencies is a vital

element in the prevention and limita-tion of storm-related losses.

WeAtHeR RiSkS

tornadoesAccording to the NOAA,3 a “tornado

watch” may go into effect with ade-quate lead time for safety precautionsto be taken for students, even as astorm approaches. But the typical “tor-nado warning” provides only 13 min-utes to take action. Tornado watchesand warnings should never be ignored.For schools in areas prone to torna-does, plans need to include identifica-tion of safe zones. In addition, plan-ning should address:

• Student/parent/guardian notifica-tion procedures;

• Communication methods in theevent of power outages (air horns,megaphones, etc.);

• First-aid supplies;• Methods for transporting of stu-

dents and/or staff with disabilities;• Provisions for holding children

after hours, as they generally will besafer in buildings than on roadways invehicles;

• Readily accessible documentationregarding the authorized release ofchildren to parents or guardians;

• The holding of drills based on theschool’s safety plan;


• Written documentation of the lo-cations of shut-off valves and switchesfor gas, electrical and water supplies,and staff assigned to take responsibilityfor them;

• School vehicles’ gas tanks alwayskept at least half full, as gasoline sta-tions may be out of service for sometime if there is an electrical outage orflooding; and

• Appropriately stored fuel for gen-erators, etc.

StormShelterareasDesignated locations within the

school need to be identified as stormshelter areas. Typically, these includebasement areas, interior hallways, andrestrooms on the lowest floor levelwithout or away from windows. Ad-ministrators should work closely withlocal emergency responders, buildingcontractors, or a licensed structural en-gineer to identify the safest shelterareas on campus and to determine thenumber of persons who can be shel-tered in each area. Signage should thenbe installed directing people to theseareas within the various buildings.

HurricanesBecause hurricanes are tracked for

days, there will usually be adequatewarning of their severity, time of ar-rival, and areas at risk. This will make itpossible to proactively prepare forthese storms. Both Web resources men-tioned above address issues relating tohurricane preparedness. Rememberthat consistent monitoring of weatherreports on TV and Websites is neces-sary to ensure adequate preparedness.

WinterStormsLike hurricanes, winter storms usu-

ally can be predicted far enough inadvance to allow adequate time for im-plementation of safety plans. Prep -aration should include the following:

• Plans for a modified class sched-ule, late starts, or cancellation ofclasses. Modification of class scheduleswill only be as effective as the com -munication process with students andparents/guardians.

• Thermostats may need to be resetto higher temperatures in buildings,

particularly at night, to prevent pipesfrom freezing. (Frozen pipes and theresulting damages are one of the largestclaims received by Adventist Risk Man-agement.)

• Provision for removal of snow andice, including clearing of roofs whereheavy snowpack can cause collapse.Schools can contract for these types ofservices.

• Emergency lighting, generators,and other sources of power in the eventof an ice storm, which can cause poweroutages, sometimes for a week or more.

• Plans and procedures for prevent-ing slips and falls, such as warningsigns for wet floors and non-slip rugsfor entranceways, along with quick

look threatening. Establish appropriateprotocols and signals to immediatelycall everyone indoors. Also, ensure thatimportant electronic devices are con-nected to surge-protection devices orunplugged because electrical surges candestroy both hardware and data.

FloodingMajor storms (e.g., severe thunder-

storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and/ortyphoons, tsunamis, and sudden wintersnow or ice melt) all can create largeamounts of rainfall, storm surges, orsudden flash flooding. Identify the po-tential flooding hazard for your loca-tion. Remember, flooding can occurdays after the storm has ended as the


cleanup of wet, slippery areas whererain and snow are tracked into build-ings.

• Accessible battery-operatedwalkie-talkies, fresh batteries, solarchargers for cell phones (recently muchless expensive) and, of course, emer-gency provisions—blankets, food, andfirst-aid supplies.

thunderstormsandlightningWhenever thunderstorms and

lightning approach, halt all outdoor ac-tivities and move everyone indoors.Lightning can strike randomly, so pre-cautions should be taken when skies

runoff water breaches the banks ofcreeks, streams, rivers, lakes, dams, lev-ees, and ocean/sea coastlines.Preparation should include:• Identification of the potential

flooding hazard for your location.Schools in coastal areas need to deter-mine the potential damage that couldbe caused by a storm surge. This infor-mation can be found on flood mapsand flood plain charts, which are read-ily available from the library, weatherservice office, or FEMA. Schools lo-cated in the United States can deter-mine their flood risk potential by usingthis online tool: https://www.flood smart.gov/floodsmart/pages/flooding_flood_risks/defining_flood_risks.jsp.

esignatedlocationswithintheschoolneedtobeidentifiedasstormshelterareas.typically,theseinclude

basementareas,interiorhallways,andrestroomsonthelowestfloorlevelwithoutorawayfromwindows.

D

• Careful monitoring of NOAAweather radio or TV stations for poten-tial flood alerts or flash flood warnings;

• An evacuation plan that can beimmediately implemented if floodingis occurring in your area, which shouldinclude the location of safe zones onhigher ground;

• Common-sense measures to en-sure the safety of students and staff;

• Avoid all contact with flood water,as it may be contaminated with sewage.

• Do not allow students or adults towalk, swim, or drive through flood wa-ters. Remember, just six inches of fast-flowing water can knock a person down,and two feet of water can float a vehicle.

fiRe

Emergency planning for storms andfire emergencies are similar, but thereare some major differences. Storms fitinto the category of “natural disasters”for which weather is the cause. Forestfires and lightning are also a part ofthis category because the greatest causeof forest fires is lightning. While forestfires sometimes threaten homes andschools, most structure fires are causedby non-natural forces. They are notlimited by location, occur more fre-quently, and are in many cases prevent-able. The FEMA table below lists somefire statistics for just one year, 2012.We will focus here on non-residen-

electricallycausedFireHazardsThe largest cause of fires in non -

residential buildings is electrical. Thisincludes:

• The improper use of extensioncords. Multi-head extension cordsshould never be plugged into a powerstrip or other multi-head extensioncord. Most household extension cordscan handle only light electrical loads.

• Old and inadequate wiring. Aswiring ages, oxidation can occur, alongwith the loosening of electrical connec-tions. In some areas, copper wiring wasreplaced with aluminum wiring, whichis more prone to oxidation and result-ing fires. All aluminum wiring shouldbe replaced with copper.5

• Space heaters that don’t turn offautomatically when tipped over. (Newmodels are equipped with switches thatturn off the heater if it tips over.) How-ever, a heater can easily be set too closeto a flammable surface or tip withoutthe shut-off switch tripping, causing afire. Allow for a three-foot clearancearound all portable heaters, and do notuse them when flammable liquids orfumes are present.

• Electrical cords that are routedunder rugs, carpets, or desk chair floormats. Their insulation can becomeworn, creating the potential for shortcircuits and fire.

• Multiport electric plug adaptors.These should be replaced with powerstrips containing a built-in breaker.

• Overloaded electrical cords. Donot plug a power strip into anotherpower strip or extension cord. Toomany devices plugged into extensioncords or power strips can cause a cir-cuit to overload when the wires over-heat. Over time, this will break downthe wire’s insulation and start a fire.

• Excessive power drain on outlets.If the breakers on power strips trip re-peatedly, the power usage is too great,and fewer devices should be pluggedinto them. High-voltage devices such asheaters, large lighting fixtures, andblow driers, etc. can quickly overtax apower strip.


• After flooding occurs, do not usegas or electric appliances until theyhave been checked for safety.

• Turn off the power and water mainvalve if instructed to do so by the localauthorities.

• Stay out of any flooded buildingsuntil they have been declared safe forre-entry by the local authorities.

• During clean-up, always wear pro-tective clothing and safety gear—e.g.,gloves, eye protection, and masksand/or respirators. A best practice is touse a licensed professional restorationcontractor for this type of work.

tial structure fire safety in the UnitedStates, where nearly a hundred thou-sand non-residential fires occur annu-ally. Fires can happen anywhere, any-time, and generally without warning.Most structure fires are restricted toone building. Of note is the number ofdeaths in residential fires versus non-residential fires. This is due in mostpart to the extra warning in non-resi-dential buildings from fire alarms aswell as the use of sprinkler systems.Worldwide, few homes have fire sprin-kler systems, and while some homestoday have a fire/smoke alarm installed,many do not operate properly, gener-ally because of failure to check the bat-tery, which is often dead or missing.

U.S.FirelossbypropertyUse(2012)4

Property Use Fires Deaths Injuries Direct Dollar LossIn Millions

All Structures 480,500 2,470 14,700 $9,776

Residential Structures 381,000 2,405 13,175 $7,199

Non-residential Structures 99,500 65 1,525 $2,577

Vehicles 202,500 325 975 $1,838

Outdoor and Other Fires 692,000 60 825 $813

Continued on page 28

READY TO TAKE ACTION WHEN THE ALARM SOUNDS.Being prepared requires planning, training, and practice

to save lives in an emergency. Are you ready?

Are you prepared for the

unexpected?

...our ministry is to protect your ministry | www.adventistrisk.org

otherHazardsOther practices that should be

avoided: the improper storage of flam-mable liquids, use of mechanical roomsas storage closets, and displays of holi-day decorations and student projectsthat are not fire rated or treated with afire retardant. We have seen manyschools and churches cover entire wallswith flammable paper. These walls aresimply torches ready to ignite. Alwaysuse fire-rated paper, and observe localcodes regarding the percentage of wallspace that can be covered with anypaper (usually 20 percent). Ensure alsothat upholstered furniture and drapesare treated with fire retardant. (Thisdoes not purport to be a comprehen-sive list of hazards, but does includesome of the most common problemsthat we have seen during ARM schoolinspections.)

FireemergencyplanningThere are three main activities in

the planning process for fire emergen-cies: 1. The writing and annual review of

the fire emergency section of yourschool’s Emergency Action Plan. As inthe weather-related section of the Emer-gency Action Plan, this should list emer-gency procedures related to fire preven-tion and safety. Details specific to eachbuilding should be listed on the build-ing’s emergency evacuation diagram. 2. Annual building inspections, with

particular attention given to potentialfire hazards. Building inspections maynot sound like planning, but they rep-resent a vital part of the process. Iden-tifying and eliminating hazards iscritically important. Included in the in-spection is ensuring that all fire andsmoke detectors and other alarm sys-tems are in working order. The appro-priate type of fire extinguishers mustbe mounted properly and serviced an-nually. Special attention should begiven to lighted exit signage, emergencylighting, and evacuation route maps.Problems identified during the inspec-tion should be corrected as quickly aspossible. Annual building inspectionsare essential in identifying uniquebuilding features that require specialattention during a fire, and are a neces-

sary part of creating an effective plan.Specific self-inspection forms are avail-able on the Adventist Risk Manage-ment Website6 for churches, schools,and camps. The forms also deal withvarious safety issues in addition to fire. 3. Practice your plan to make sure

that it works. Important componentsof a successful drill are as follows:a. Frequency.How often drills are

conducted is usually regulated by thelocal jurisdiction. In Florida, for in-stance, the requirement for K-12schools is 10 drills per year, with twoduring the first two weeks of school. Atthe higher education level, only onedrill per academic term is required.7

b. Alarm system. Not all alarmssound alike, and when activated, may

not be recognized by someone who hasnot rehearsed the drill. Verify that thealarms can be heard everywhere in thebuilding, including remote storage areasand bathrooms. Antiquated systems willneed to be updated. (Many older alarmsare “local only,” meaning that they donot alert the fire department or some-one in another building or off site whois responsible to call the fire depart-ment. Also, newer fire alarms include aflashing light that alerts the hearing im-paired of the fire alarm or other dan-ger.) Make sure all fire alarm systems au-tomatically notify the fire department.We often hear people say that “our pol-icy is to call the fire department after wehave determined that it is not a drill orfalse alarm.” But when the building is


Continued from page 26

empty at night, the alarm may not beheard for some time. c. Drills should be performed as

though there is a real fire. All emer-gency exits should be used. Every occu-pant, including students, teachers, staff,guests, and administrators, shouldleave the building and meet at the des-ignated assembly area. The point of afire drill is to get everyone out safelyand quickly. Teachers should check tobe sure that each student (as well asclassroom aides and visitors) has ar-rived at the assembly area. This will en-able the person in charge to give an ac-curate report to firefighters. During anactual fire, if someone is unaccountedfor, it is the job of the firefighters tosearch for missing persons.d. The designated assembly area

should be at least 200 feet from thebuilding being evacuated to give thefire department sufficient room to op-erate safely. Do not block streets orroads that are necessary for fire depart-ment access. Remember, when selectingan assembly area, that in the case of areal fire you and your students could bethere for an extended period of time. Itcould be raining and/or very cold orhot, so plan for shelter if needed. e. After the drill, solicit feedback.

Find out what worked smoothly andwhat didn’t. Revise your plan asneeded. Be sure to review how long ittook for everyone to evacuate. If thereis a concern that everyone did notevacuate the building, the structure canbe searched, but only after the drill hasbeen officially concluded.f. You should also make sure that all

fire alarm systems functioned properlyand notified the fire department.

conclusionAn important part of our work as

administrators, teachers, and staff is toreduce the potential for losses of life,property, and resources. Taking appro-priate preventative measures is not anoption, it is a requirement. Averting adisaster is the goal. But even if a majordisaster occurs after the best prepara-

gree in Manufacturing Processes and hasattained both the Associates in RiskManagement and Associates in LossControl Management designations. Hehas had experience in a number of re-lated areas. As a “generalist” in the safetyfield, he works closely with church insti-tutions around the world to identify andreduce risk exposures.

additionalResources• At Adventist Risk Management,

Inc., “Our ministry is to protect yourministry.” Extensive risk control re-sources are available on our Website tohelp with all aspects of risk manage-ment. They are free and can be ac-cessed at http://www.adventistrisk.org.

• Prevention Web, Serving the infor-mation needs of the disaster reductioncommunity: http://www.preventionweb.net/english/countries/statistics/? cid=185

• National Weather Service, NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administra-tion (NOAA) “Weather Safety”: http:// www.weather.gov/safety

• American Red Cross, “Plan andPrepare”: http://www.redcross.org/prepare

• Ready.gov, “Thunderstorms andLightning”: http://www.ready.gov/ thunderstorms-lightning

REFERENCES1. http://rems.ed.gov/docs/ REMS_ K-12_

Guide_ 508.pdf.2. http://www.education.noaa. gov/ Weather_

and_Atmosphere/Weather_Systems_and_ Patterns.html.3. http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/ tornado/

school. html.4. Credit: National Fire Protection Associa-

tion, Fire Loss in the U.S. During 2012: http:// www. usfa.fema.gov/ statistics/ estimates/ nfpa/ index.shtm.5. http://inspectapedia.com/aluminum/

Aluminum_Wiring.htm.6. http://www.adventistrisk.org.7. http://www.fldoe.org/edfacil/sref.asp.


tion, there is some consolation inknowing that we did our very best. Weare called to be faithful stewards of theresources entrusted to us, especially thelives of God’s precious children—ourstudents and staff.

Dr. WilliamChunestudy servesas the EducationalResource Specialistfor Adventist RiskManagement, Inc.(ARM), in SilverSpring, Maryland.

His responsibilities include developingand distributing curricular resources forARM’s clients and field service staff. Ad-ditionally, Dr. Chunestudy is responsiblefor planning and executing domestic andinternational risk management confer-ences. Additional areas of emphasis in-clude child protection and cyber risks. Healso serves the North American Divisionas liaison to Shield the Vulnerable. Priorto coming to ARM, Dr. Chunestudyserved the Seventh-day AdventistChurch for 38 years as a teacher and ad-ministrator on the elementary, second-ary, and collegiate level.

A Risk Control Spe-cialist for AdventistRisk Management,Inc., Bill Cochranhas more than 40years of denomina-tional service, in-cluding work in the

area of finance for Pacific Union College(PUC), Angwin, California, and busi-ness manager for Kamagambo HighSchool and Teacher Training College inKenya. While at PUC, he was an activemember of the Angwin Volunteer FireDepartment, reaching the rank of Assis-tant Chief.

John J. Dougan is aSenior Risk ControlSpecialist in theRisk Management/ Education Depart-ment of AdventistRisk Management,Inc. He holds a de-

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Documents

20 The Journal of Adventist Education • Summer 2014 http ...circle.adventist.org/files/jae/en/jae201476052010.pdf · can include tornadoes, high winds, hurricanes, freezing rain