Creating an effective school district emergency operations plan (EOP) is crucial for ensuring the safety and security of students, staff, and the broader school community. A well-developed EOP is not just a document but a dynamic framework that enhances preparedness, response, and recovery in the face of emergencies.
Solvei Jurmu, who is director of safety and security for three school districts in Lake County, Illinois, will be presenting “Developing an Effective Emergency Operations Plans for School Districts from the Ground Up” at this summer’s Campus Safety Conference in Austin, Texas, July 21-23. For more information and to register, CLICK HERE.
This article explores the foundational steps in building a comprehensive, functional, and legally compliant school district EOP, highlighting the collaboration needed between law enforcement and school leadership.
Why Your School District Needs an EOP
The importance of a robust emergency operations plan became evident in my 25-year career in law enforcement as well as my current role as director of safety and security for three school districts in Lake County, Ill. One district experienced multiple bomb threats over the course of a week. Two districts had EOPs in place, while one did not. Even though the district that was targeted had an EOP, it quickly became clear that it needed significant amendments to address emergency response procedures, evacuation protocols, and reunification processes.
This incident underscored the necessity of customizing EOPs to fit the unique needs of each district, considering factors such as cultural differences, staff composition, and local community dynamics. Legal and liability considerations also play a critical role, as a well-developed EOP aligns with the five mission areas of national preparedness: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Each of these five mission areas plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and security of the school district and its community.
6 Steps to Building an Effective Emergency Operations Plan
When I transitioned from law enforcement to education, one of my tasks was to manage the districts’ EOPs. Having never written an emergency operations plan before, I faced the challenge of determining where to start and how to bring the document to completion. As a task- and detail-oriented individual, I knew I wanted to get it right. However, I quickly realized that creating an EOP is not a solo endeavor, nor should it be.
Step 1: Training and Research
The first step in the process was training and research. Building an EOP can be overwhelming, but preparation is key. I leveraged many resources, including FEMA’s IS-362 course and REMS webinars, to gain foundational knowledge. Additionally, I researched numerous EOPs from other school districts to gain insights into best practices and potential pitfalls.
Step 2: Get Input from Appropriate Stakeholders
Creating an effective emergency operations plan requires input from multiple stakeholders. A single perspective, such as law enforcement, is insufficient. I advocated for all three school districts to establish an EOP planning team that included internal stakeholders such as school building leaders, district administrators, operations personnel, transportation staff, nurses, front office staff, teachers, and social workers. External stakeholders, including police, fire departments, county emergency management, neighboring districts, and local government representatives, also played a critical role in shaping the plan.
Step 3: Identify Internal and External Threats
Identifying both internal and external threats is another essential step in emergency operations plan development. Site vulnerability assessments, crime data analysis, and past incident reports helped pinpoint risks. Internal stakeholders assessed hazards within school buildings, while external stakeholders provided data on threats occurring in the surrounding communities that could impact the schools.
Step 4: Outline District Objectives
A well-structured EOP should outline objectives before, during, and after an emergency. These goals typically focus on protecting lives and minimizing harm, maintaining continuity of education and school operations, establishing clear communication, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and school board policies, training school personnel, and fostering collaboration with first responders and other external partners.
Step 5: Follow the Emergency Management Framework
An effective EOP follows the Emergency Management framework and incorporates prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery for all hazards and threats.
Solvei Jurmu, director of safety and security for Deerfield Public School District 109, North Shore SD 112, and Bannockburn SD 106. Photo courtesy Solvei Jurmu
Prevention and mitigation involve implementing strategies to reduce risks before they occur, such as behavioral threat assessments, anti-bullying programs, and infrastructure improvements like secure perimeter doors, visitor management systems, and surveillance cameras.
Protection focuses on safeguarding students and staff during emergencies by establishing access control policies, visitor management procedures, and coordination with first responders.
Response involves outlining the necessary steps during an emergency, defining Incident Command System (ICS) roles, activation procedures, emergency response protocols, and communication strategies.
Recovery identifies short- and long-term actions that should happen after an incident, including reunification plans, psychological support for students and staff, and post-incident debriefs.
Step 6: Customize
The layout of an emergency operations plan should be customized to address local threats and specific school district needs. A traditional structure, following FEMA and NIMS guidelines, includes a cover page, table of contents, implementation and approval section, signatory page, record of changes, and record of distribution. The basic plan provides the foundation for the emergency operations plan and outlines the overarching approach to emergency management.
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Functional annexes address specific emergency procedures, such as communications, all-clear procedures, and the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which includes actions such as lockdown, evacuate, shelter, hold, and secure. Additional annexes may cover the buddy teacher system, standard reunification method, accounting for all persons, and continuity of operations.
Hazard- and threat-specific annexes address response strategies for incidents such as active shooters, severe weather, and cyber threats. Lastly, appendices, forms, and agreements provide easy access to necessary documents and contacts for internal and external stakeholders.
After Implementation, Continuously Review and Revise Your EOP
An EOP is not a static document but an evolving framework that requires regular updates and training. Effective implementation involves conducting drills, tabletop exercises, and full-scale simulations with students, staff, and first responders. Reviewing and revising the EOP annually based on after-action reports and emerging threats is crucial for maintaining its effectiveness.
Gathering input from school personnel, emergency responders, and community members helps refine the plan and ensure it remains relevant. Additionally, integrating the EOP with municipal, county, and state emergency protocols ensures consistency and alignment with broader emergency management strategies.
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Developing a high-quality EOP requires leveraging available resources, including FEMA, the Department of Education — at national, state, and county levels — REMS (Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools), the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, SchoolSafety.gov, and Safe and Sound Schools. Networking with other school districts can also provide valuable insights and shared experiences that enhance emergency operations plan development.
EOPs Need Planning, Collaboration and Continuous Revisions
Building an effective school district emergency operations plan requires careful planning, collaboration, and continuous improvement. By following a structured approach that includes training, team-building, assessment, goal-setting, development, and implementation, districts can create a robust framework to enhance preparedness, response, and recovery.
Ensuring that the EOP remains dynamic, legally compliant, and tailored to the district’s specific needs will ultimately contribute to a safer and more resilient school environment.
Solvei Jurmu is Director of Safety and Security for three school districts in Lake County, Ill.: the North Shore School District 112, Deerfield Public School District 109, and Bannockburn School District 106.
NOTE: The views expressed by guest bloggers and contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Campus Safety.
