AEA 13-Emergency Response Handbook</head> <body> <P><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Sooner or later, each school will be affected by the death of a classmate or staff person. Some deaths will be expected following a long term illness while others will be sudden and violent in nature. Whoever died and however the death occurred, people need special consideration and guidance during this period of mourning.</font></P> <P><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The PURPOSE of the Emergency Response Manual is to provide assistance to schools in dealing with crises. When a crisis has been made known to school personnel, the EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM will evaluate the situation and plan intervention strategies. This manual outlines standard procedures and guidelines so individuals can respond in an orderly and helpful way.</font></P> <P><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In preparing this document committees agreed that emergency situations share common characteristics which could be handled with similar strategies. Losses occur not only from death, which was our focus, but also result from natural disaster, divorces, family relocations, injury, disability, etc. To support individuals or communities through such crises we would utilize many of the philosophies and strategies for coping with death.</font></P> <P><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In addition to recognizing many circumstances for deaths and loss, we recognize differences in size and organization of schools. Our attempt has been to create guidelines for coping with emergencies that can be tailored for each situation with its own unique characteristics.</font></P> <P><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">We used a variety of resources in assembling this material and have listed many of them in the body of the document. The Handbook represents current theory and best practices from across the country. Special recognition goes to Mississippi Bend AEA who, in conjunction with Vera French Mental Health Center and Bettendorf Community School District, prepared a handbook which served as the basis for this document. We do not view this handbook as the "end result" but invite critique as a means of improving the content.</font></P> <p> </p> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#111111" width="100%" id="AutoNumber3"> <tr> <td width="100%" align="center"><input type=button value="Back" onClick="history.go(-1)"><input type=button value="Forward" onClick="history.go(1)"></td> </tr> </table> </body> </html>