Rural Schools: Emergency Management Planning for All Settings. Fact Sheet

Schools have the task of keeping students and staff safe; thus, emergency management planning is critical in rural communities despite the unique circumstances and challenges they may face. "Education Across America: Cities, Suburbs, Towns, and Rural Areas," a Website released by the National Center for Education Statistics, illuminates the steps that rural schools across the country are taking to prepare for emergencies, including creating emergency operations plans (EOPs) that describe courses of action for scenarios such as active shooter situations, natural hazards, pandemics, and various other incidents. Rural schools are also practicing with their students by conducting exercises, including evacuation and lockdown drills. This fact sheet provides rural school leaders and core planning teams with additional information on how to engage in emergency management planning in collaboration with community partners. The fact sheet also highlights the importance of the rural community at large coming together to support safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness, particularly in rural school settings.