Disaster Planning and Emergency Preparedness for Students

The thought of a disaster or crisis can seem overwhelming when a student is on campus, especially when they may be far away from home and expected to be independent. The reality is that natural disasters and man-made emergencies can happen at any time, anywhere. Though colleges and universities should always have strong plans in place with first responders like firefighters and police available, students must also do their part to protect themselves from whatever might come their way.

This guide will help you and other students feel empowered, capable, and confident in your abilities to respond quickly and appropriately in the event of an emergency. We take a look at the emergencies most likely to happen while on campus, how students can take basic preparations for those emergencies, and what to expect from their schools. We also spoke to an expert on some key points to remember, and offer a wealth of resources to keep safe. Maybe you’ll even begin to feel compelled to pursue an emergency management degree. No matter how you see it, use this resource to discover how to best prepare for emergencies as a student.

Why Prepare? Four Reasons Why Preparation Matters

• Growing in independence.
  When you’re away at college, you might have the help of parents, and, of course, the campus community itself, but it is also a time to learn new skills and test your abilities. Put yourself to the test by doing the research, learning about the plans the school has in place, and preparing plans of your own.
• Avoiding panic and anxiety.
  The more prepared you are, the more relaxed you will be about the possibility of handling difficult situations. If you are the type of person who gets anxious about the unknown, or someone who might find it tough to keep your head about you when disaster strikes, thorough preparation can help keep you on solid ground.
• Learning self-reliance.
  As you become more prepared, you’ll begin to see the college plans for an emergency as your safety net, not as your primary source of security. That primary source is you! You’ll have your evacuation or shelter-in-place plans ready to go, a bag filled with the basic essentials, and an idea of what to do when things get rough – all on your own.
• Reassuring others.
  Being fully prepared for any eventuality is certainly comforting for you, but it’s also a source of relief for friends and family, especially those who live far away from you. Your preparation can give your family and friends the ability to breathe a sigh of relief and say “It’s alright – they can take care of themselves. They got this!”

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Types of Emergencies & Disasters to Anticipate

There are numerous disasters that can befall the United States and other areas of the world. A comprehensive list from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes everything from natural disasters to radiation emergencies to pandemics and bioterrorism. But which ones are most likely to happen?

Natural Disasters

Natural disasters are those situations in which Mother Nature unleashes some sort of fury: this might be an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, major flood, or another extreme weather event. Sometimes natural disasters come with plenty of warning, such as the case with a hurricane; in other cases, the disaster hits suddenly, such as a tornado that forms within minutes or an earthquake that happens with no warning at all. Being prepared for both scenarios can help ensure your safety and ability to recover.

Houston Community College is a good example of a school that was prepared for an emergency and swung into action immediately. In the aftermath of the massive flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, HCC established a hotline for assisting students, did a “roll call” to ensure safety, kept students updated, and were flexible with scheduling as the school got back on its feet. This organized preparedness helped students, faculty, and staff deal with the problem and get back into the school routine as quickly as possible.

Public Emergencies

These are events that trigger contingency plans, such as the campus abruptly closing, a campus-wide lockdown, or even an evacuation that occurs suddenly. Events such as these can potentially leave you no opportunity to go back to a dorm room or retrieve items that you might like to have.

Examples of this occurred in the recent past. For instance, school shootings are a fast-paced emergency situation that unfolds in a matter of minutes, while there are also emergencies that unravel at a more gradual pace, like a pandemic. In cases like these, confusion can run rampant, so it’s important to follow plans that the school has in place to handle the situation, and to make your own choices for your safety as best you can.

How to Prepare: Getting Your Emergency Plan Together

Creating an emergency plan well before disaster strikes is the best protection. Though the details of your emergency plan may change depending upon whether you are at school or at home, keep in mind that this advice can be adapted easily to wherever you might be, no matter the situation.

Please note this is not an exhaustive list, as your needs might vary depending upon your personal situation. You may even choose to add quite a bit to this list, as the idea is to ensure you have all the basic things you need to get through at least the first 72 hours after a crisis hits.

Careers in Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness

Careers in emergency management are incredibly important as these careers provide the public with leaders who know what to do in an emergency situation and can do their best to keep everyone safe. Some individuals might realize they are very good at planning and responding to emergencies, and make a point of turning that talent into a rewarding career.

In most cases, careers in disaster relief or emergency planning require a high school diploma or bachelor’s degree. There is often plenty of room to grow in these professions as society’s needs change and new opportunities for preparation, response, and mitigation increase. Here are a few options for those who want a career in helping others through emergencies:

• Emergency Management Directors
  These professionals are often on the front lines of an emergency, ready to direct and delegate as necessary to the personnel who make up the response and recovery teams. They might also work to plan out responses to various scenarios, evaluate those responses when they are used, and work on mitigation efforts in the aftermath. You can gain easy and accessible path to entry with one of the top emergency management degrees online.
• Firefighters
  Most people run from fire, but these highly-trained professionals work to save people from fires, know how the flames will move, and use their expertise to put out those fires. They protect people and structures, and that in-depth knowledge starts with training and education, such as these online fire science programs.
• Public Health Professionals
  These individuals are often some of the first to spot health problems in certain populations, and they might also be considered front-line workers in the event of pandemics and other large-scale crises around the world. An online degree in public health can grant you access into this field.
• Homeland Security Expert
  When threats arise against the United States, the professionals in Homeland Security are there to trace the threat, respond proactively, and work to prevent danger in the future. These experts might work everywhere from local field offices to the highest levels of government, and some of the best online homeland security degrees can allow you to work your way there.

Advice from an Expert About Emergency Preparedness

Jason C. McClaren is an Air Force Veteran, firefighter, and founder of business continuity and disaster recovery consultancy, Jason McClaren & Associates. As a trusted business continuity advisor and practitioner, Jason regularly works with government, industrial, higher education, and healthcare organizations.

Many college students look to their school for protection; but in a disaster situation, those students might have to fend for themselves to some extent. What are some good ways to drive this message home?

While schools do a great job of protecting students, they often work on lean staffing models and budgets. This can lead to holes in the emergency preparedness and security side of safety. Most college police departments run short staffed and with minimal officers on duty. On top of this, many colleges do not have a full-time emergency management staff member for proactive threat monitoring.

This is why most new student orientations will provide a basic level of emergency preparedness and awareness training for incoming students. Disasters don’t plan ahead but the students can. The main way to prepare is to have several ways to get notified about disasters and connect with the local city or county notification systems for disaster alerts. This will increase the chance that the student will be notified should a disaster occur.

What are some things students can do to feel more prepared, empowered, and capable?

Students can take CPR, Stop the Bleed, CERT training, online classes through FEMA Independent Learning. Many of these are free or have low costs for students. CPR and Stop the Bleed training can help a student think of disasters before they occur and what they would in such an emergency. The online classes through FEMA also provide knowledge and “what-if” scenarios to be better prepared.

Finally, it is always beneficial to practice like you play. Students can contact their local emergency management agency at the county or the local hospital to see if they can be a role player in a disaster exercise. This can provide real world experience in a low stress environment.

What are some ways students can connect with other students or community members to help ensure more people are building emergency kits and learning how to stay safe?

If students participate in a CERT team that will be the best experience in connecting with the community for emergency issues; also volunteering with the local emergency management agency or the school police department. If the school has a student veteran association, they can also be a great resource as many of them have had to build similar kits in the military.

In the immediate aftermath of a disaster – even a relatively “slow motion” one like the COVID-19 pandemic – there is often a sense of frustration, fear or even panic. What can students do to mitigate that feeling and stay calm, and help others do the same?

When you are prepared the panic and fear will be minimized. However, the frustration will be dependent on the personality of the person involved. For example, this current pandemic leads to the Type A people getting upset with those roaming around the stores buying non-essential items, thereby possibly extending the stay-at-home orders and leading to an even more extended disaster which leads to further anxiety and the cycle goes on.

In order to combat this, the student can follow the tips given out by the official agencies no matter what the disaster. Students should also understand that you can’t worry about other people, you can only worry about yourself. Taking your own proper precautions and preparedness actions will allow you to mitigate any uncertainty and help your family once you are reunited if you are not together when the disaster begins.

Additional Resources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Careers in Disaster Relief :This report is great for anyone who wants to make a career out of helping others through emergencies and disasters.
• CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide this regularly-updated website for those who need information on being ready for any eventuality.
• Community Emergency Response Team: Also known as CERT, these local teams are trained to help others in the event of disasters. This website offers a wealth of information, including training materials.
• Disaster Preparedness for College Students: This comprehensive guide to preparation from Texas A&M details what a student needs in the event of emergency.
• FEMA Mobile App: This app for cell phones can give you important information on the go.
• KnoWhat2Do: This easy-to-navigate website focuses on what to do in a variety of emergencies and disasters, including how to prepare with a solid plan.
• Know Your Alerts and Warnings: This PDF is a solid resource for figuring out the meaning of certain alerts, warning tones, and more signals that might be sent out in the event of emergency.
• Ready.gov: This service of the US Department of Homeland Security provides a wealth of information on how to prepare for disasters and emergencies in the United States.
• Ready Campus: Every college student should read this guide, loaded with resources, on how to ensure they can stay as safe as possible on their campus during emergencies.