CONTINGENCY PLANNING:
A word from the wise BY ART JOHNSON, CR, WLS
To quote a well known proverb, “Shrewd is the one seeing the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.” These are wise words. School districts are under extreme pressure to be back in business as soon as possible when they are faced with perils like water/flood, fire, smoke damages, hazardous materials spills, or even an influenza outbreak situation. Developing a sequential action plan to help deal with these catastrophes is very wise, shrewd, and intelligent. There was a day that, in many households, at least one member of the family stayed home as the children were growing up; if the school was closed, there was always someone around to look
after the children. Unlike in my day, those times do not exist for the most part any longer. Parents scramble every time there is a pro D day – let alone an event that closes the school for any length of time. A good contingency plan, then, is essential in reducing both the time that the school schedule is interrupted and the extent of damage that one of these catastrophes may cause. Let’s consider some details that may be included in this plan. Look at the area surrounding the school, some of the issues that must be considered may include: • Where is the facility located? • Is there a river or a stream nearby? • Are you on a flood plain? • Is there a forest nearby with the potential of a wild fire or a wind storm? • Where are the locations of the fire hydrants? • Who are your neighbors - chemical manufacturer, a farm, a garbage dump…? • What is the potential for vandalism? Look at the indoors: • What is the condition of the plumbing, its age and material make-up? • What about the fire suppression system? • What is the risk of interior vandalism? • What is the condition and age of the roof? • Where are all the chemical and hazardous products stored? This list can not include every risk out there, but as a restoration company, we have handled all of the above. Having a sure plan in place is imperative when it comes to dealing with them when they do occur. It is essential that the right resources be identified, before
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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Spring 2008
