British Columbia announces new Emergency Management Planning Guide

British Columbia announced on Thursday a new Emergency Management Planning Guide to help schools, districts and other authorities deal with natural disasters, human-caused events and technological and biological hazards.

The guide maps out standards to support public, independent and First Nations schools during an “emergency, disaster or tragic event,” such as an earthquake, power failure or wildfire, the provincial Ministry of Education said in a press release.

“It’s up to everybody – individuals, businesses, governments – to be prepared for emergencies and disasters,” Naomi Yamamoto, Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness, said in the release. “With this new guide, we are not only improving community preparedness but also taking another important and critical step toward ensuring the public safety of British Columbians.”

Developed in collaboration with educators, parents, Emergency Management BC and police, the guide is the “first comprehensive document” for dealing with natural disasters, human-caused events and technological and biological hazards, the ministry said. It will help schools develop plans, while ensuring consistency with emergency terminology, processes and procedures.

The guide takes an all-hazards approach, focusing on a small number of responses that can be used in a variety of situations. Five basic responses are covered: drop-cover-hold on, evacuate, lockdown, lockout, and shelter in place.

Roles and responsibilities for public and independent school teachers, students, parents, principals and superintendents are also defined in the guide. As well, a 10-step process to develop a school emergency management plan is laid out. Customizable templates for release forms, letters and emergency checklists are included in the guide and will be available for download on the Ministry of Education website, the ministry reported.

Since 2001, the provincial government has spent or committed $2.2 billion to seismically upgrade or replace 213 high-risk schools. As of May, 145 schools in B.C. have been upgraded and replaced, 11 schools are currently under construction and nine schools are moving toward construction.