HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMERGENCY PLANNING

AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT UPDATE

Co-Presenters:TONY ZEMAN

Director of Security & SafetyAIMÉE DENVER

Health Services Coordinator

EMERGENCY PREPARATION OVERVIEW

• Emergency Response Plan (Draft)

• ERCM Grant

• Relationships with Local Agencies

• Incident Tactics

• Pandemic Flu Preparation

• Next Steps

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN

• Updated Response Plan to meet NIMS Guidelines– Incident Command System

– All Hazardous Planning

– Template for site planning

– Emergency Flip Charts

• Quick Reference Chart – To be used at schools

EMERGENCY RESPONSE CRISIS MANAGEMENT GRANT

• Review of Emergency Response Plan• Collaboration with Local Agencies

– Cities hiring a joint emergency coordinator to work with each local city

• Training of Superintendent Cabinet– NIMS – Tabletop Exercise

• Training of School Administrators– Support of School Staff

Next Steps

• Emergency Template to schools

• Each school finalizes their Emergency Plan

• Work with the cities Coordinator

• Observe Highline Medical Center Drill on October 19th

• Participate with City of Burien’s Earthquake Drill on October 25th

RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL AGENCIES

Community Partnerships– Unincorporated King County

– City of Burien

– City of Normandy Park

– City of Des Moines

– City of SeaTac

INCIDENT TACTICS• Computer Based Training Program

– Designed for School Administrators and Security Officers

• Challenges/Scenarios– Earthquake– Airplane Crash (in final stages)– Toxic Leak (in planning)– Active Shooter (in planning)

• Superintendent’s Cabinet has completed Earthquake Challenge scenario

• All Administrators will complete Earthquake Challenge

Pandemic Influenza Seattle & King County

Aimée Denver, RN, M.Ed.Health Services Coordinator

Highline Schools206-433-2413

denverat@hsd401.org

Definitions• Epidemic: An increase in disease above what is

normally expected• Pandemic: A worldwide epidemic

Why The Concern About Pandemic Influenza?

• Influenza pandemics are inevitable:naturally recur at more-or-less cyclical intervals usually three per century

• Can cause:– High levels of sickness and death– Drastic disruption of critical services– Severe economic losses

• There will be little warning time between the onset of spread of a pandemic and its arrival in the U.S.

Why The Concern About Pandemic Influenza?

• Outbreaks occur simultaneously in many areas • Impact will last for weeks to months• Pandemics can disproportionately affect

younger, working-age people• Current avian influenza outbreak in Asia

appears to be a threat

Phases in Simple Terms

1. Low risk

2. New virus

3. Self limiting

4. Person to person

5. Epidemic exists

6. Pandemic exists

Phases of a Pandemic

Mitigation and Preparedness

Phase I Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 Phase 6

Response

Interpandemic Pandemic Alert Pandemic

Declared globally by the World Health OrganizationDeclared nationally by the Department of Health and Human Services

What about past flu pandemics?

A(H1N1) A(H2N2) A(H3N2)1918: “Spanish Flu” 1957: “Asian Flu” 1968: “Hong Kong Flu”

20-40 m deaths

675,000 US deaths

Persons < 65 yo

1-4 m deaths

70,000 US deaths Infants and Elderly

1-4 m deaths

34,000 US deaths

Infants and <20 yo

Credit: US National Museum of Health and Medicine

Potential Impact of Pandemic Flu in the USA

• Up to 200 million people infected

• 40 - 90 million people clinically ill

• 20 - 46 million (low range estimate only) outpatient medical visits

• 360,000 – 9,600,000 people hospitalized

• 104,000 – 2,200,000 deaths

National Impact

What will happen locally?• From 25-35% of the workforce could be affected at any

given time therefore parents and staff may not be at work

• Increased absence of staff and students

• The economic impact will be dramatic

• The epidemic could persist for two months or longer

• Psychological impacts on the workforce will be extreme

• Community containment measures, such as closing schools and other establishments and canceling events, may be implemented to minimize disease spread.

What will happen to schools?

Public Health has said that with onecase on the I-5 corridor that all

schools will be closed for up to 6-8 weeks to deal with the first wave when vaccines and anti-virals will

be unavailable or ineffective.

Transmission

Will a flu vaccine protect me?

Answer: No, current vaccines do not protect against bird flu.

• Protects against expected strains– A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and B

• H5N1 investigational vaccine– Able to induce antibodies in adults– May or may not protect against pandemic

strain when it emerges

Treatment & Prevention: Antiviral Drugs

• Antiviral agents such as TamiFlu ®– Effective in preventing illness– Can prevent severe complications – May not be effective against pandemic

virus

• Supplies will be limited– Establish priority groups for use of available

drug– Treatment over prevention

• Excessive Absenteeism:• Students• Staff (teachers, para-educators, bus drivers, etc)

• Social Distancing Techniques: • School Closure: • Isolation/Quarantine

• Major Impacts:• Financial • Academic: State assessment and graduation requirements

OSPI is working on recommendations• Social/Community: kids will need daycare and meals if school closed• Grief and loss concerns

Major Impacts will be influenced by Breadth/Scope and Length of Time.

Purposeful Planning For Schools—Key Threats

Mitigation Steps to Take Status HPS • Develop District task force Done

•Review District Infectious Disease Policy and Procedures including surveillance, care and transportation of sick students and staff

Done

• Develop ongoing relationships with:Public Health and other emergency respondersOSPI and other districtsCommunication agencies

In process

•Educate students, families and staff about prevention and preparedness

In process

• Develop plan for practice of Emergency Operations Center

In process

• Develop Communications plan and educate student, staff and families on resources: website, signage, reverse “911,” classroom and newsletter presentation

In process

• Keep students, staff and families informed of changes

Following Board approval

NEXT STEPSFinalize Emergency Response PlanHelp Schools update their Emergency Plan School Administrators Take Incident Tactics – Earthquake Challenge

Finalize remaining challenges

Educate School Administrators and Staff on Pandemic Flu Work with Public Health to continue Pandemic Flu planningParticipate in a Disaster Drill with Local PartnersWork with local municipalities on Emergency Planning as well as to develop Memorandums of Understanding