Educators

FEMA: <a class="dhtgD aw5Odc" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Fpreptalks%2Fthompson&amp;sa=D&amp;sntz=1&amp;usg=AOvVaw2yl4PNvk7NMBFpOAfgr-Uj" target="_blank">PrepTalks: The Key to Building a Culture of Preparedness
FEMA: <a class="dhtgD aw5Odc" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fema.gov%2Fpreptalks%2Fpeek&amp;sa=D&amp;sntz=1&amp;usg=AOvVaw1gOELNtcB3g17dx0D__8N_" target="_blank">PrepTalks: Children and Disasters – Reducing Vulnerability and Building Capacity

You want to get your school ready for an earthquake. Before you get started, make sure you've developed a solid relationship with school administrators and teachers. You're going to need their support.

First Steps

Find out what's already been done.

First, contact your school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA/PTO) and ask if there's anyone at your school working on earthquake preparedness. If they don't know, ask the Principal, Associate Principal, or staff member in charge of safety. Find out what, if anything, has been done so far. If there’s a seismic committee, join it. If not, create one. In everything that you do, keep it positive.

Offer Your Support

Above all, be respectful.

You won't get much accomplished without the support of your school's administrators and teachers. Don't bombard them with a list of complaints. They're busy - so busy. They have a lot of responsibilities (and stress), and they're short on resources. They also have to work within the policies and procedures of the union and the school district. Be respectful of the load they're carrying.

Approach the topic of school earthquake preparedness in a positive, supportive, and collaborative way. Administrators and teachers care about your children. Offer to be their ally in making the school more resilient. Try not to be critical of what has NOT been done at the school.