New Page 2

	FLORIDA PREPARES FOR SCHOOL EMERGENCIES Julie Collins Department of Education, Florida It has been a busy year for Florida's Department of Education as the agency expanded its Safe Schools programs to address emergency preparedness for schools statewide. In January 2000, the Department concluded a series of Safe Schools Regional Meetings, which provided multi-disciplinary guidance for critical incident prevention, planning and preparedness.
During Florida's 2000 legislative session Senate Bill 852 required school districts to establish model procedures for response to a variety of threats. The new legislation also reinforced existing requirements to conduct emergency drills and called for districts to provide school floor plans to their local emergency responders. In June 2000, the Department was awarded a one-year competitive grant to create two full-time positions to support and oversee a statewide, comprehensive safe schools emergency management plans program. Grant projects include the establishment of an interdisciplinary advisory committee, a survey of schools and districts on emergency preparedness and technical assistance needs, the development of planning guidelines, the establishment of a web resource for schools, and the design and development of a training program that will improve the emergency preparedness, response and recovery capabilities in all of Florida's school districts. In the fall, Department staffs were asked to assist with the statewide distribution of the American Red Cross Masters of Disaster curriculum. The Education Commissioner sent a letter to all public elementary and middle school principals in Florida announcing the arrival of the kits in their schools and explaining the curriculum's compliance with national education standards. Additionally, the Department is working with the American Red Cross to align this curriculum with the Sunshine State Standards in order to maximize the utility of these materials for Florida's teachers.
Throughout the year Office of Safe Schools staff have presented at a variety of conferences, and participated in school-related emergency preparedness activities such as drills and exercises, security assessments, and planning meetings. Program personnel are also available for technical assistance at the request of schools and school districts.
Future emergency preparedness activities for the Florida Department of Education will include training and technical assistance, a statewide conference and continued support for preparedness and planning efforts at the district level. These activities will be scheduled over the next two years pending the receipt of grant funding from the Florida Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management.

Return to *THE CONNECTION*