CSBA Sample
Board Policy
Emergencies And Disaster Preparedness Plan

BP 3516 
Business and Noninstructional Operations

***Note:  5 CCR 560 mandates that the Governing Board adopt policy for use by district schools in formulating individual civil defense and disaster preparedness plans.***

The Governing Board of the Mount Diablo Unified School District recognizes that all district staff and students must be prepared to respond quickly and responsibly to emergencies, disasters, and threats of disaster. The district shall take all reasonable steps to prevent and/or mitigate the impact of a disaster on district students, staff, and schools.

***Note:  Education Code 32282 requires that emergency disaster procedures, including, but not limited to, earthquake emergency procedures, be incorporated into the comprehensive school safety plan. See BP/AR 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan and AR 3516.3 - Earthquake Emergency Procedure System. For districts with an average daily attendance (ADA) over 2,500, the comprehensive safety plan is a school-level plan developed by the school site council or school safety planning committee. Districts with an ADA of 2,500 or less may instead choose to develop a districtwide plan. The following paragraph may be revised to reflect district practice and the individuals or groups responsible for developing the disaster preparedness plan.***

The Superintendent or designee shall develop and maintain a disaster preparedness plan which contains routine and emergency disaster procedures, including, but not limited to, earthquake emergency procedures and adaptations for individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Such procedures or suitably modified versions shall be incorporated into the comprehensive school safety plans annually reviewed by the Superintendent or designee.  (Education Code 32282)

(cf. 0400 - Comprehensive Plans)
(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)
(cf. 3516.3 - Earthquake Emergency Procedure System)

***Note:  The following optional paragraph reflects a recommendation from the U.S. Department of Education's Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans, available on its web site, and may be revised to reflect district practice.***

In developing the disaster preparedness plan, the Superintendent or designee shall involve district staff at all levels, including administrators, district police or security officers, facilities managers, transportation managers, food services personnel, school psychologists, counselors, school nurses, teachers, classified employees, and public information officers. As appropriate, he/she shall also collaborate with law enforcement, fire safety officials, emergency medical services, health and mental health professionals, parents/guardians, and students.

(cf. 0420 - School Plans/Site Councils)
(cf. 1220 - Citizen Advisory Committees)
(cf. 3513.3 - District Police/Security Department)

***Note:  In order to be eligible for reimbursement of response-related personnel costs due to a Governor-proclaimed disaster, each district must follow the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) guidelines (Government Code 8607; 19 CCR 2400-2450) to coordinate multiple-jurisdiction or multiple-agency operations. The guidelines urge districts to formally adopt policy language giving clear direction to staff to meet SEMS requirements. Districts may contact the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for more information.***

***Note:  In addition, public agencies must comply with the National Incident Management System (NIMS). See the Federal Emergency Management Agency's publication National Incident Management System. In accordance with the State of California Emergency Plan, Cal OES is the principal coordinator for NIMS implementation statewide and will annually communicate, monitor, and implement NIMS requirements in cooperation with state and local agencies.***

The plan shall comply with state-approved Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) guidelines established for multiple-jurisdiction or multiple-agency operations and with the National Incident Management System.

The Superintendent or designee shall provide training to employees regarding their responsibilities, including periodic drills and exercises to test and refine staff's responsiveness in the event of an emergency.

(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4231 - Staff Development)
(cf. 4331 - Staff Development)

***Note:  Pursuant to Education Code 32282, a procedure to allow the use of school facilities for mass care and welfare shelters during disasters or other emergencies must be incorporated into the comprehensive school safety plan. See AR 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan.***

The Board shall grant the use of school buildings, grounds, and equipment to public agencies, including the American Red Cross, for mass care and welfare shelters during disasters or other emergencies affecting the public health and welfare. The Board shall cooperate with such agencies in furnishing and maintaining whatever services the district may deem necessary to meet the community's needs.  (Education Code 32282)

(cf. 1330 - Use of School Facilities)

***Note:  Pursuant to Government Code 3100, all public employees are declared to be disaster service workers. As such, in the event that a local or state emergency has been proclaimed or a federal disaster declaration has been made, district staff may be directed to perform jobs other than their usual duties for periods of time exceeding their normal working hours. In those cases, their workers' compensation insurance coverage becomes the responsibility of Cal OES, but their overtime is paid by the district. For further information, see the Cal OES publication School Emergency Response:  Using SEMS at Districts and Sites.***

***Note:  Government Code 3100-3109 require all disaster service workers to take the oath or affirmation of allegiance to the U.S. Constitution contained in the California Constitution, Article 20, Section 3; see AR/E 4112.3/4212.3/4312.3 - Oath or Affirmation. Although Board members are required to take the same oath upon entering office (see BB 9224 - Oath or Affirmation), they are not considered disaster service workers according to the definition in Government Code 3101.***

District employees are considered disaster service workers and are subject to disaster service activities assigned to them.  (Government Code 3100)

(cf. 4112.3/4212.3/4312.3 - Oath or Affirmation)
(cf. 4119.3/4219.3/4319.3 - Duties of Personnel)

Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
32001  Fire alarms and drills
32040  Duty to equip school with first aid kit
32280-32289  School safety plans
32290  Safety devices
39834 Operating overloaded bus
46390-46392  Emergency average daily attendance in case of disaster
49505 Natural disaster; meals for homeless students; reimbursement
CIVIL CODE
1714.5  Release from liability for disaster service workers and shelters
GOVERNMENT CODE
3100-3109  Public employees as disaster service workers; oath or affirmation
8607 Standardized emergency management system
CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION
Article 20, Section 3  Oath or affirmation
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
550  Fire drills
560  Civil defense and disaster preparedness plans
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 19
2400-2450  Standardized emergency management system
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
12101-12213 Americans with Disabilities Act

Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Crisis Response Box, 2000
CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES PUBLICATIONS
Active Shooter Awareness Guidance, February 2018
State of California Emergency Plan, 2017
School Emergency Response:  Using SEMS at Districts and Sites, June 1998
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY PUBLICATIONS
National Incident Management System, 3rd ed., October 2017
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans, 2013
WEB SITES
CSBA:  http://www.csba.org
American Red Cross:  http://www.redcross.org
California Attorney General's Office:  http://oag.ca.gov
California Department of Education, Crisis Preparedness:  http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ss/cp
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services:  http://www.caloes.ca.gov
California Seismic Safety Commission:  http://www.seismic.ca.gov
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:  http://www.cdc.gov
Federal Emergency Management Agency:  http://www.fema.gov
U.S. Department of Education, Emergency Planning:  http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/crisisplanning.html
U.S. Department of Homeland Security:  http://www.dhs.gov

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