Emergency planning is critical for all, but especially for at-risk populations, as they depend on others planning for them and helping to keep them safe. Schools are a primary example: youth spend most of their time during the year within the custody of schools and school personnel. Developing a high-quality school emergency operations plan is critical to keep youth safe. These plans should account for all settings and all times and include all possible threats and hazards. They also need to account for access and functional needs for the whole school community. Such plans should be supported by leadership, built through a collaborative process and customized to the building level.

Please join the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Emergency Partners Information Connection (EPIC) on February 19, at 1 p.m. for a webinar with the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center’s project director and deputy project director, and the U.S. Department of Education’s project administrator. We will share information on the fundamentals of emergency planning for schools and resources available to support comprehensive planning efforts. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools administers the REMS TA Center—the national TA Center assisting public and nonpublic education agencies with their comprehensive school preparedness efforts (including school safety, security, and emergency management).