Introduction
Emergency operations plan (EOP) is a course of action that aims at reducing the damage caused by potential incidents. If left unchecked, such occurrences may harm an organization’s population. The tool provides an organised and systematic plan to mitigate, prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the emergencies (FEMA: Guide for developing high-quality school emergency operations plans, 2013).
In this paper, the author will focus on the EOPs adopted by San Francisco and Los Angeles Unified School Districts.
EOPs Selected for Analysis
The EOPs chosen for analysis are those put in place by San Francisco and LA Unified School Districts. The EOPs were selected because they are designed for institutions with a large population of young people. In such places, incidents may lead to a large number of casualties if no appropriate response action is taken. The EOPs chosen provide detailed information on managing such events as bomb threats, medical emergencies, and fires. Bomb threats or bombing cases are not a common occurrence in San Francisco or LA. However, the rise in incidences of terrorism across the globe means that learning institutions should put in place measures to counter and manage bomb related threats and attacks. Fire breakouts are common in San Francisco neighbourhoods. For example, on October 1, 2016, structure fires were reported in three different places. As a result, San Francisco’s EOP can be used to analyse whether or not the fire management plans are in line with the guidelines provided in such tools as FEMA (FEMA: Guide for developing high-quality school emergency operations plans, 2013).
The Realistic Nature of the Plans
All the plans adopted by San Francisco and LA Unified Schools are realistic. The reason is that they are systematic and provide all the necessary steps that could work in a real-life situation. The plans provide a detailed analysis of the expectations of members of staff, internal and external communications, as well as common and specialised procedures. Other important outlines are the specific roles, responsibilities, and response measures. In times of medical emergencies, for example, the EOPs begin by stating that the members of staff should carefully assess the situation and immediately call 911.
In cases of bleeding, the school administration should apply direct pressure on the wound until haemorrhage stops (San Francisco Unified School District, 2014). The procedure sounds realistic because the steps are similar to what takes place in a real situation.
Evaluation Tools Used
The evaluation tools used for the analysis are the FEMA Sample, the Guide for Developing HQ School EOPs, and Resources-EOPs for K-12. The tools provide important information on strategies, policies, and procedures required to mitigate and recover from incidents that pose a threat to an organization. They define preparedness based on five components. The constituents are prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery (Los Angeles Unified School District, 2010).
The San Francisco and LA Unified Schools EOPs match the guidelines stipulated in the tools used.
The Best Plan
Based on the analysis, Los Angeles Unified School District has the best EOP. The reason is because the plan outlines all the necessary procedures required to manage incidents both in the school and in the entire district. It highlights the need for collaboration between the district and the local, state, and federal agencies. In addition, the plan follows all the guidelines stated in FEMA, Guide for Developing HQ for Schools EOPs, and Resources EOPs for K-12. In terms of incidents, LA’s EOP also covers a wide range of probable disasters compared to San Francisco’s plan. All the response measures are clearly explained and follow the guidelines stated in different acts and policy guides, such as the California Emergencies Act, the Good Samaritan Law and SB 911, as well as the American Red Cross (Los Angeles Unified School District, 2010).
The Worst Plan
Out of the three chosen EOPs, the one used by San Francisco Unified School District was found to be the worst plan. However, this does not mean that the EOP is not realistic and useful in managing the different incidents stated. The plan provides important information on how to handle such cases as medical emergencies, bomb threats, fires, earthquakes, and intruders on campus. The reason why it was regarded as the worst plan out of the three is that it leaves out some significant incidents and probable disasters. In addition, the EOP only mentions the responsibilities of the school’s personnel and administration. It fails to state the roles of external parties, such as the various San Francisco federal departments and agencies (San Francisco Unified School District, 2014).
The Relevance of the Selected EOPs
The two EOPs are relevant given that they are applicable to a wide array of emergencies and disasters. The incidents covered in both plans are likely to occur in learning institutions and neighbourhoods. Some of the disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, flooding, and terrorism acts, may affect more than one site (Los Angeles Unified School District, 2010). The chosen EOPs are relevant because they provide measures that can help to protect the safety and welfare of students and members of staff, organise safe and coordinated responses, as well as enable the schools to restore normal conditions within a short time and with less confusion.
Realistic Utilization of Groups
San Francisco and Los Angeles Unified School Districts’ EOPs use supporting and cooperating groups to help manage the identified disasters and emergencies. However, Los Angeles utilises more personnel from within and outside the learning institution. Some of the cooperating and support groups include the school’s personnel, the local district, the federal agencies, and the Red Cross. The groups work together, communicate, and depend on each other during incidents to ensure that emergencies are well managed (Los Angeles Unified School District, 2010).
Reasonable Timeframes
Support and coordination groups should respond to disaster stricken areas within the shortest time possible. In addition, the creation of emergency response plans should not take more than one academic year (FEMA: Guide for developing high-quality school emergency operations plans, 2013). However, implementation may take more than one year. The EOPs used by San Francisco and Los Angeles were created and completed within one academic year. However, the Los Angeles plan took a longer period to implement. The factors associated with the long duration of implementation include the degree of changes made, budget, and the approval time required for all recommendations.
The Effectiveness of the Selected EOPs
The two EOPs are effective in relation to outcomes, loss, and recovery during emergencies. However, the levels of efficacy vary based on the situation at hand. In relation to earthquakes, for example, the San Francisco plan and the stipulated response steps seem to be more effective compared to the Los Angeles EOP. The reason for this is that the San Francisco plan is more detailed as far as the actions to be taken by support groups both inside and outside the school are concerned (San Francisco Unified School District, 2014).
The Main Differences between the Selected EOPs
The two EOPs have a similar goal of responding and recovering from emergencies. However, the plans vary in a number of ways. The variations are in terms of scope, vulnerability, and evaluation of impacts. The LA’s EOP, for example, provides information on the effect of each disaster and the school’s vulnerability to the situation (Los Angeles Unified School District, 2010). On its part, the San Francisco plan only provides information on response measures.
Conclusion
Emergency operation plans are important given that they promote effective response and recovery from different incidents, such as fires, medical emergencies, and earthquakes. In learning institutions, the plans must be in line with the guidelines stipulated in such tools as the FEMA for Schools. The effectiveness of the plans depend on the collaboration between multiple jurisdictions, functional agencies, and emergency response disciplines.
References
FEMA: Sample school emergency operations plan. (2013).
FEMA: Guide for developing high-quality school emergency operations plans. (2013).
Los Angeles Unified School District: Emergency operations plan. (2010). Web.
San Francisco Unified School District: School site emergency plan. (2014). Web.