SCHOOL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR NATURAL DISASTERS MANAGING EMERGENCIES EFFECTIVELY Keith Thomas, Loss Prevention & Risk Manager LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND SERVICE FOR MANITOBA S PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS
DEFINITION OF EMERGENCY An abnormal situation which in order to limit danger to people or damage to property or environment, requires prompt action beyond normal procedures.
COMMON SCHOOL EMERGENCIES IN MANITOBA PRIOR TO 1960 Fire/explosions Loss of heat Loss of water Power failure Sudden severe weather School bus accident
SCHOOL EMERGENCY PLANNING AFTER 1960 Threat of Nuclear War
SCHOOL EMERGENCY PLANNING AFTER 1960 Bomb threats Dangerous persons/lockdowns Environmental threats Suicide Serious medical emergencies Special needs Pandemic planning Community emergency
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN ADDRESSES FOUR AREAS Mitigation and prevention Preparedness Response Recovery
MITIGATION AND PREVENTION Includes all activities, initiatives and programs designed to reduce the severity or prevent harm from happening to students, staff and visitors while at school
PREPAREDNESS All activities that enable staff and students to respond to emergencies. Prevention activities may include emergency management planning, first aid training and acquiring emergency supplies
RESPONSE All activities undertaken at the time of an emergency and may include evacuation, relocation, isolation and expansion
RECOVERY All activities that assist the students and staff to return to school healthy, both physically and mentally. May include utilizing the crisis support team and critical incident stress debriefing
TYPES OF EMERGENCY RESPONSES Evacuation Relocation Shelter in Place Reception Center
SCHOOL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN The Plan is intended to provide School Administrators with simple step- bystep emergency procedures in one convenient binder. For this Plan to be effective, it is important that school administrators inform all school staff of all emergency procedures at least once each school year, preferably at the start of the school year. The ultimate goal of this Plan is to protect the health and safety of all students and staff and to minimize the potential human and financial loss associated with many emergencies.
SCHOOL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN SEVERE WEATHER If Environment Canada issues a severe thunderstorm warning and the thunderstorm is observed at recess or dismissal, keep all students in the school until the storm has passed. If Environment Canada issues a tornado warning, move all students and staff to the central hallway on the ground floor. Instruct students to kneel against the wall.
ELIE TORNADO An F5 tornado touched down in Elie, June 22 nd, 2007
ELIE TORNADO ENVIRONMENT CANADA Elie tornado upgraded to highest level on damage scale - Canada's first official F5 tornado
AN F5 TORNADO Wind speeds between 261 and 318 mph Causes total damage Few if any structures are left standing Cars can become airborne missiles
MANITOBA FLOODS Happens annually in Manitoba
MANITOBA FLOODS There is no doubt about spring flooding The question is where will it occur and how bad will it be
AERIAL VIEW OF MORRIS PRIOR TO SPRING MELT 2013
AFTER SNOW MELT 2013
In March 1989, the strongest measured geomagnetic storm caused the collapse of Hydro-Québec's electricity transmission system in Canada. More than six million people lost electric power for nine hours. That cost the government $12.7 billion
RECORDED EARTHQUAKES WESTERN CANADA
Earthquake reported in western Manitoba Feb.1 st.2012 The USGS is reporting a 3.3 magnitude earthquake near the Manitoba Saskatchewan border. The quake happened near Esterhazy and researchers at the U of M say the quake was caused by potash mines in the area. Groundwater intrusion into the potash will basically weaken the potash so the upper layer will collapse and generate minor earthquakes
CANADIAN ICE STORM OF 1998 Jan.5 to 8, 1998 Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick Most freezing rain lasts a few hours, this storm was for 80 hours 28 people died, most from hypothermia Over 4 million people lost power Over 600,000 people had to leave their homes 130 power transmission towers were destroyed and 30,000 utility poles fell
CANADIAN ICE STORM OF 1998 The storm coated everything in glassy ice making all transportation treacherous 100,000 people went into shelters January 8 th - the military was brought in to perform many tasks. Power was restored in urban areas in a few days but many rural areas had 700,000 without power three weeks later
LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND SERVICE FOR MANITOBA S PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND SERVICE FOR MANITOBA S PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDS