In the event something should affect your ability to leave campus, most schools are well equipped with supplies to support faculty, staff, and students for a considerable amount of time.
There are numerous natural and human-instigated disasters that can affect your school (as well as your personal safety) for which even the best risk management plans cannot protect you from. Tornados, earthquakes, fires, industrial accidents, and the like can happen without a moment’s notice, leaving you and your students without an immediate escape route. This is when a personal emergency kit can come to your rescue.
Creating Your Personal Emergency Kit
Personal emergency kits can be created from old backpacks, plastic totes, or any container large enough to hold your desired contents that is also easily transportable (in case you need to change locations). You’ll want something sized to easily fit in your office, if not under your desk.
What you’ll want to include:
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Dust masks and disposable respirators. (Box of 20 on Amazon)
- One week supply of protein bars or emergency survival food ration bars
- One week supply of emergency water packets or bottled water jug
- Blanket
- Metal whistle
- Water purification tablets
- First aid kit containing adhesive bandages, pain relievers, scissors, gauze, antibiotic wipes, nonlatex gloves, hydrocortisone ointment packets, roller bandage, tweezers, oral thermometer, and instruction booklet
- Hand-crank AM FM radio
- Light sticks
- Multi-tool such as a Swiss Army knife or Leatherman
- Poncho
- Matches or lighter
Additional items to consider
- Hand warmers
- Socks
- Duct tape
- Wet wipes
- Instant cold packs
- Plastic bags for disposing of used medical supplies
- Safety pins
- Saline solution
- Triangle bandage
- Soap or hand sanitizer
- Aloe Vera gel
- Sunscreen
- Chapstick
- Toilet paper
Believe it or not, these items can save lives, and many of them have long shelf lives meaning you won’t need to refresh your kit but once every three to five years.
Additional ISM articles of interest
ISM Monthly Update for Risk Managers Vol. 4 No. 6 Q&A With ISM’s Risk Manager (Reverse Evacuation)
ISM Monthly Update for Risk Managers Vol. 1 No. 8 A Protocol and Script for Calling 911
Private School News Vol. 10 No. 1 When Disaster Relocates Your Campus
ISM Monthly Update for Risk Managers Vol. 1 No. 3 Managing Risk With Basic Drills
ISM Monthly Update for Business Managers Vol. 11 No. 4 After a Tragedy
ISM Monthly Update for Risk Managers Vol. 3 No. 1 Crisis Planning—It’s Your job
