Half of Iowa schools' emergency plans outdated
11:25 AM
Posted: Monday, November 13, 2006
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) -- Fewer than half of the state's schools responded to a Homeland Security survey about emergency response plans with most of the schools that responded saying that have such a plan, even if it needs updating.
Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management sent out surveys to the state's 365 school districts last month. Only 169 responded anonymously.
Of those, 75 districts said their plans needed updating. Sixteen districts said they had no emergency plan in place or had an incomplete one. Seventy-eight districts said their plans were up to date.
Bret Voorhees, bureau chief with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said he's encouraged by the numbers but that "there's always room for improvement."
"Forty-five percent need updating. (Plans) may be a year old and up to a couple of years old," he said. "The main thing is they have a plan."
Fire and weather response plans are used as models used for other emergencies, such as school shootings, said Mike Buser, who is working with the schools in Linn, Johnson, Benton, Jones, Cedar, Iowa and Washington counties on the plans.
When a school is locked down, he said, it's similar to what happens when students need to be sheltered during tornadoes.
The program is funded by a $500,000 federal grant, said Buser, who is also the Mount Vernon fire chief.
Buser said he hopes students are safer in school today because of response plans implemented after the 1999 shootings in Columbine, Colo.
Voorhees said the survey's results will be presented to a committee of education and public safety officials and the private sector that will look at how the plans can be improved.
Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management sent out surveys to the state's 365 school districts last month. Only 169 responded anonymously.
Of those, 75 districts said their plans needed updating. Sixteen districts said they had no emergency plan in place or had an incomplete one. Seventy-eight districts said their plans were up to date.
Bret Voorhees, bureau chief with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said he's encouraged by the numbers but that "there's always room for improvement."
"Forty-five percent need updating. (Plans) may be a year old and up to a couple of years old," he said. "The main thing is they have a plan."
Fire and weather response plans are used as models used for other emergencies, such as school shootings, said Mike Buser, who is working with the schools in Linn, Johnson, Benton, Jones, Cedar, Iowa and Washington counties on the plans.
When a school is locked down, he said, it's similar to what happens when students need to be sheltered during tornadoes.
The program is funded by a $500,000 federal grant, said Buser, who is also the Mount Vernon fire chief.
Buser said he hopes students are safer in school today because of response plans implemented after the 1999 shootings in Columbine, Colo.
Voorhees said the survey's results will be presented to a committee of education and public safety officials and the private sector that will look at how the plans can be improved.
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