SCHOOL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
CHANDA MANUEL
A few days from now, a new school year starts. And with this, the Department of Education (DepEd) is reiterating the implementation of disaster preparedness measures to minimize risks and ensure learners’continued access to education.
The DepEd emphasizes that adequate preparedness can mitigate the effects of disasters on schools, personnel and learners. If everyone is prepared, there can be collective reduction of the exposure of learners and school personnel to danger, the risks of schools suffering from damages, and the disruption to education.
The Philippines, situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire, is prone to earthquake, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, as well as typhoons, flooding and landslides. Disaster risk reduction in education must aim at addressing the underlying drivers of disasters such as lack of knowledge of teachers about risks, risk assessment and risk reduction, and lack of disaster preparedness.
School personnel should be able to anticipate risks of natural and manmade hazards and ensure the safety of people and property before, during and after an emergency so that there is protection and safety of lives and minimal or no disruption in the delivery of education.
As part of disaster preparedness, the DepEd directed school authorities to ensure that school buildings and all DepEd facilities can withstand heavy rain and strong winds. Moreover, notebooks, teaching materials, school records, and equipment should be protected from rain and flood.
Schools are also required to study weather disturbances, their signs, warning systems and effects and regularly conduct disaster response drills. School authorities must also strictly observe policies on class suspension in coordination with the local government units to avoid unnecessary exposure to danger during inclement weather.
Also, schools are encouraged to involve the students, their families and their communities in preparing for disasters as this is an effective method of raising their awareness about risk reduction.
Disaster preparedness should be anchored on family preparedness and not just individual readiness.
DepEd had earlier issued DO 27, s. 2015 promoting family earthquake preparedness through school activities, supporting previous DepEd orders on school-based preparedness measures such as the conduct of drills, identification of risks, among others.
— oOo—
The author is Teacher III at San Agustin Elementary School, Lubao North District.