Situational Awareness and Emergency Preparedness for K-12 Illinois Educators: A Continuing Education Curriculum Model

Abstract

School personnel, whether they are part of the administration, staff, or faculty, have many responsibilities. Some are spelled out as part of their job descriptions while others are implied or assumed. An area that has been reported in the media at more frequent rates were stories of the actions of school personnel in the safety and security of the school environment. These stories ranged from actions of protecting students during tornadoes to active shooter incidents that resulted in loss of life. It was surprising to find that in Illinois there is no specific training for K-12 personnel in emergency preparedness and the mitigating actions they can take before, during and after disasters and emergency situations. This study researches the currently available training at federal and state level and proposes comprehensive disaster preparedness, awareness, and workplace violence training units specifically tailored for K-12 school administrations, staffs and faculties to prepare them for the unexpected in the school environment.