Action Tips: Make an Evacuation Plan for your School

Ask your principal if the school already has an evacuation plan. If one isn’t available, offer to create one. If one is available, ask if you can see it to ensure that all scenarios have been considered.

• Create maps of the school's campus with the exits clearly marked. 
• Draw the evacuation routes on the map in bold colors.
• Have a primary and secondary evacuation route in your overall plan.
• Map how people will exit the school building.  (Think: cars/transportation shuttling students as well as those walking from the school.)
• Connect with local churches and community centers for potential housing of students.
• Establish where student meeting areas will be and a location for emergency service providers.
• Educate school administrators/teachers on how to prepare for a crisis.
• Consider establishing a crisis team that will identify the types of emergencies that may occur and when to initiate each plan.
• Reach out to local fire and police departments. They can go over your plan for any potential evacuation or routing problems.
• Update the parentals about your evacuation procedures, routing methods and where a possible shelter will be in case of emergency.

Want to take even more action? Visit our Disaster Preparedness section. GO

Sources:

eHow
American Red Cross