1. The most significant problem that state and local education agencies are facing in relation to disaster and emergency planning is that there is no consistency to the efforts in this regard. Individual states have specific plans in some cases (western and Pacific coast sates), but for the most part there is no specific disaster or emergency plan in place beyond a very basic emergency response system (National Association of State Boards of Education). Given the ever-present threat of terrorist attacks, which can occur anywhere and in any manner, and the fact that natural disaster can also strike anywhere at any time, emergency and disaster planning is vital in all schools. There needs to be a coordinated effort nationwide to establish emergency plans in all schools, and these need to be standardized so that there can be cooperation between agencies within any region and involving any particular school. Inter-region coordination of disaster response efforts could also be employed in the case of a large scale disaster.
If all schools work on the same disaster and emergency system, then the responding agencies will be able to better assess the situation quickly and respond appropriately. If no such coordination exists, this may result in not getting appropriate response teams to a situation in a timely manner. If they know exactly what emergency response is being taken by the individual schools, they know how to react appropriately and use resources effectively. Without such a unified national plan, every situation needs to be assessed individually and no general emergency response by the various state and federal agencies can be instituted without delays which may be costly and lethal for those in the disaster area. While there will always be local differences, since no two disasters are alike, if there is a general plan in place, small adaptions can be made rapidly to fit the precise incidence.
2. Louise Comfort...