BP 3516 — Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Plan

Section: 3000 - Business and Non-Instructional Operations
Status: Active

Adopted: 2017-11-14

Revised: 2024-10-10

Policy text

EMERGENCY****AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN

The Governing Board recognizes that all district staff and students must be prepared to respond quickly and responsibly to emergencies, disasters, and threats of disaster. The district shall take all reasonable steps to prevent and/or mitigate the impact of a disaster on district students, staff, and schools.

The Superintendent or designee shall develop and maintain a disaster preparedness plan which contains routine and emergency disaster procedures, including, but not limited to:

Fire on or off school grounds which endangers students and staff
Earthquake, flood, or other natural disasters
Environmental hazards, such as leakages or spills of hazardous materials
Attack or disturbance, or threat of attack or disturbance, by an individual or group
Bomb threat or actual detonation
Biological, radiological, chemical, and other activities, or heightened warning of such activities
Medical emergencies and quarantines, such as a pandemic influenza outbreak
Attack or threat of attack to the district’s digital network and technology infrastructure

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the district’s procedures include strategies and actions for prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, including but not limited to, the following:

Regular inspection of the school facilities and equipment, identification of risks, and implementation of strategies and measures to increase the safety and security of school facilities
Routine monitoring of the security of the district’s digital network and technology infrastructure
Instruction for district staff and students regarding emergency plans, including:

Training of staff in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Regular practice of emergency procedures by students and staff

Specific determination of roles and responsibilities of staff during a disaster or other emergency, including determination of:
- The appropriate chain of command at the district and, if communication between the district and site is not possible, at each site
- Individuals responsible for specific duties
- Designation of the principal for the overall control and supervision of activities at each school during an emergency, including authorization to use discretion in situations which do not permit execution of prearranged plans
- Identification of at least one person at each site who holds a valid certificate in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Assignment of responsibility for identification of injured persons and administration of first aid
Personal safety and security, including:
- Identification of areas of responsibility for the supervision of students
- Procedures for the evacuation of students and staff, including posting of evacuation routes
- Procedures for the release of students
- Identification of transportation needs, including a plan which allows bus seating capacity limits to be exceeded when a disaster or hazard requires students to be moved immediately to ensure their safety (per Education Code 39834)
- Provision of first aid kit to each classroom
- Arrangements for students and staff with special needs
- Upon notification that a pandemic situation exists, adjustment of attendance policies for students and sick leave policies for staff with known or suspected pandemic influenza or other infectious disease
Closure of schools, including an analysis of:
- The impact on student learning and methods to ensure continuity of instruction
- How to provide for coninuity of operations for essential central office functions, such as payroll and ongoing communications with students and parents/guardians
Communication among staff, parents/guardians, the Governing Board, other governmental agencies, and the media during and emergency
Cooperation with other state and local agencies, including:
- Development of guidelines for law enforcement involvement and intervention
- Collaboration with the local health department, including development of a tracking system to alert the local health department of a substantial increase of student or staff absenteeism as indicative of a potential outbreak of an infectious disease
Steps to be taken after the disaster or emergency, including:
- Inspection of school facilities
- Provision of mental health services for students and staff, as needed

In developing the disaster preparedness plan, the Superintendent or designee shall involve district staff at all levels, including administrators, school resource officers, facilities managers, transportation managers, food services personnel, school psychologists, counselors, school nurses, teachers, classified employees, and public information officers. As appropriate, they shall also collaborate with law enforcement, fire safety officials, emergency medical services, health and mental health professionals, parents/guardians, and students.

The plan shall comply with state-approved Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) guidelines established for multiple-jurisdiction or multiple-agency operations and with the National Incident Management System.

The Superintendent or designee shall provide training to employees regarding their responsibilities, including periodic drills and exercises to test and refine staff’s responsiveness in the event of an emergency.

The Board shall grant the use of school buildings, grounds, and equipment to public agencies, including the American Red Cross, for mass care and welfare shelters during disasters or other emergencies affecting the public health and welfare. The Board shall cooperate with such agencies in furnishing and maintaining whatever services the district may deem necessary to meet the community’s needs.

District employees are considered disaster service workers and are subject to disaster service activities assigned to them.