Disaster Response: Are Your
Employees Prepared?

By Cheri Clymer
Special to School Transportation News

The attack on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, created worldwide safety and security awareness. Many organizations have been formed to warn and/or assist the American people.

We, as an industry, have also focused on new and updated security measures. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security - including the Transportation Security Administration, Citizen Corps, Community Emergency Response Team training, School Bus Watch, Highway Watch - and NAPT training programs related to emergency management are but a few of the newest organizations and programs. The information presented helps school districts and transportation departments prepare for the worst. Transportation will become a viable resource in the response phase of an emergency management plan.

With the enormous push to be prepared, have we overlooked a valuable commodity our employees? Have we considered the employees' needs, their families and disaster preparation? Part of our responsibility as employers is to help our staff plan for and survive a disaster. When catastrophe strikes, if transportation personnel have been encouraged to prepare an emergency response plan at home, employers will have a better success rate when needing their help at work.

The Department of Homeland Security proposes the following steps be taken to prepare for any disaster.

1. Prepare an emergency supply kit(s), keeping in mind the basic needs of water, food and clean air. Plan to make two kits, one for "sheltering in place" and the other to use if you have to leave home.

2. Make a family communications plan, assessing what you will do in an emergency, how you will contact each other and what will determine when you will stay at your home or move to a pre-determined location. Consider different escape routes and alternate means of transportation.

3. Stay informed. Understand the different types of terrorist threats - biological, chemical, nuclear or radiological - and the response for each. Consider natural disasters as well. ( wildfires, blizzards, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.)

4. Remain calm. Follow the advice of local law enforcement officials.

Tom Ridge, Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, explains: "Terrorism forces us to make a choice. We can be afraid. Or, we can be ready."

Preparing for disaster makes sense. Assist your employees with planning for an emergency response. When the time comes, the guidance will pay off.

Clymer is a certified pupil transportation driver instructor for the Thompson School District in Loveland, Colo., and she is co-developer of the NAPT School Bus Emergency Manual. She may be contacted at clymerc@thompson.k12.co.us.

Source: School Transportation News, May 2006. All rights reserved.