Emergency Planning for Students with Disabilities and Special Needs

Bob Spears, Director of Emergency Services

Los Angeles Unified School District

Los Angeles Unified School District

We serve the City of Los Angeles and 28 other municipalities

K – 12 Enrollment: 694,288 Number of Schools: 1,190 – including charters Number of Employees: 83,967

Schools specifically for special education: 19 Population at those schools: 4,000 students

Planning Steps Before an Emergency

Identification Process Preventing Injuries Mitigation of Hazards Preparing Students and Staff

Which Students May Additional Need Support in an Emergency?

Students with disabilities and special needs may require accommodations in two general areas:

1.EVACUATION Students with mobility impairments may

pose challenges in exiting a building and going to the safe assembly area. All schools establish a safe refuge area for evacuation but specific students may need assistance in getting there.

Which Students May Additional Need Support in an Emergency?

Students with disabilities and special needs may require accommodations in two general areas:

2.SHELTER Once at the safe assembly area, some

students may need more support than others. Students who depend on medical devices, medicines or constant assistance will still require this support once they are evacuated.

Identification

The challenge for site administrators is to identify these students, capture their information, define their needs and have it in one central file.

In the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), we will identify a field in the school computer for students who need a specific emergency plan. The school staff will then print out hard copies for the emergency management team.

Identification Many individuals or groups on campus can

identify students who need assistance in an emergency:

School Safety Committee Nurse Teachers Parents Individual Education Program (IEP) Team

NOTE: This student list is not the same as your Special Education or Individuals with Disabilities list as all students with special needs may not receive special education services.

Who is included?

Think of all kinds of challenges: Students with temporary disabilities (i.e.,

student with a broken ankle) Students with asthma (smoke may be a

problem) Blind students may not be able to navigate

hallways after an earthquake or hurricane Students with traumatic brain injury (TBI)

or emotional trauma

Identification

Once the students are identified, then the school computer can generate reports: Class Schedules Parent Contact Information Health Issues

These reports are put in the emergency plan so that these students will not be overlooked. They identify your most vulnerable population.

Prevention

What prevention actions can schools take to address emergency planning considerations for students with disabilities and special needs? Use only classrooms with direct egress to safe area Hold additional evacuation practice with staff Have students practice with search and rescue

teams Review contents of emergency supply cache with

staff, students, and parents Supply portable generators for students dependent

on medical devices Review system for alerting individuals of an

emergency—test the system to ensure that it remains in working order

Mitigation

What physical modifications could be made to mitigate the challenges to students and staff? Repair/modification to pathways with

access to the Safe Assembly Area – the field or shelter designated for the emergency.

Work with district maintenance staff to make sure critical access issues are addressed

Generators for schools with elevators

Mitigation

Conduct regular site inspections to make sure that all fire and safety codes are being met Hallways are clear and open Doors are not blocked Safe Refuge Areas are not compromised by

campus activities or construction

Preparedness

Planning for each student with disabilities and special needs: Develop an emergency plan that is customized

for each student Plans should be developed in collaboration with

school staff, parents, and students Plans should take into consideration any

transportation, communication, or medical needs a student may have

Preferred evacuation strategies should be discussed and articulated in the student’s emergency plan

Preparedness

Site Administration should modify their emergency management plans to accommodate students with special needs.

Examples of accommodations may include: Identification of Areas of Refuge on upper

floors where students can safely wait for rescue

Identification of specific items that should be added to the school’s emergency supply cache

Identification of human resources that may need to be reassigned to meet specific needs

Preparedness Provide training for school staff and first responders Coordinate and communicate emergency plans with

local first responders Conduct evacuation and shelter-in-place drills

Invite local first responders to drills. Invite local Health Care & Medical Services personnel to

come to drills. Invite parents to observe drills and to practice playing their

part. Use post-drill evaluations, “hot washes” and after-action

reports to refine your Safe School Plan. Purchase needed equipment, such as evacuation

chairs Identify roles and responsibilities for school staff to

follow in an emergency

Preparedness: Supplies and Go-Kits

Classroom Go-kits contain materials for health and safety such as flashlights and bandages as well as items to engage children during extended lockdown.

Go-kits may need be customized to include any special medications, supplies and equipment that students may need.

Preparedness

Identify Roles for Members of the School’s Incident Command System Operations Section Leader – to make sure that

the Search and Rescue Teams account for everyone and First Aid is ready for all possibilities.

Logistics Section Leader –What specific supplies are needed for this population? How many special busses are needed to evacuate all of your students?

Planning Section Leader -What are the immediate and long term needs of this population? Who is most “at risk”? Who will need support first?

Contact Information

Bob SpearsEmergency ServicesLos Angeles Unified School District333 South Beaudry Ave., 20th floorLos Angeles, California 90017Telephone: (213) 241-3889Fax: (213) 241-6816 faxEmail: bob.spears@lausd.net