| The study was an analysis of Florida school districts' emergency management plans. Using the Internet, telephone, and fax, the researcher gathered plans from 66 of the 67 districts. Ten research questions, based on emergency management preparedness literature and Florida Statute 230.23 (6) (f), were applied to each. The questions were grouped into the preventive, interventive, and postventive levels of emergency management preparedness, as well as whether they were state mandated or based on literature.; Examination of the district emergency management plans revealed the components specified by Florida statute had a higher rate of compliance than those recommended in emergency management literature. At the preventive level, 28% articulated their plan with local agencies, 81% included a common alarm system, 68% designated contacts, and 53% incorporated roles and responsibilities. At the interventive level, 98% included contingency planning for hazardous materials while 100% included weather and man-made emergencies. At the postventive level, 37% of the plans specified training, 7% detailed procedures for annual training, and 62% addressed how to work with the media.; Two policy recommendations, four recommendations for further study and a model emergency management plan were included in the study. The policy recommendations included annual revisitation at each site and an examination of issues related to the preventive and postventive levels of emergency management preparedness. Recommendations for further study included a comparative policy analysis at a regional or national level; a determination of the readiness of schools to implement these emergency plans; an examination of school leadership, faculty, staff and community perceptions of the plans; and an examination of the extent to which emergency management plans are reflected in the district safety annual reports required by F.S. 229.8348 Safe Passage Act. |
