"Emergency preparedness" is skyrocketing as a buzzword in board meetings. How can you best prepare for what promises to be a year full of surprises?
Prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The 5 steps of emergency management. They sound simple, right? Well, we all know that emergencies lasting from 10 seconds to 10 months can have a lasting effect on a school and a community.
According to Coach & A.D., the number one concern among athletic directors is the health and safety of their staff and students. We assume the concern is shared amongst superintendents and school boards. While administrators care for facilities, maintain equipment, and follow safety guidelines, data management is often overlooked. Any experienced administrator will tell you that accurate information can improve outcomes as much as anything else.
Let’s take a look at how real-time data can improve outcomes in emergency management in these 6 scary situations.
1. An Athlete is Missing
Bueller… Bueller? Sounds funny, but the simple act of taking attendance can prevent problems in many ways.
Roll call! OK, this time it’s for real: Bueller is missing. Did he get on another bus? Is he still on campus? Is he safe?
Imagine this: You click “absent” on your FinalForms app. The parents reply with a red alert. Bueller may be in trouble… or about to cause trouble. Luckily, mom runs a simple ‘find my son’s phone’ on her mobile device and locates him lost in left field. You’re able to find him, get him on the bus, and return him home safely.
2. An Athlete is Down
Your coaches shoulder an extraordinary responsibility every time their athletes compete. Today, it's 95' and humid and an athlete went down and continues to be non-responsive.
He went down where? Is he allergic to bees? What about latex? Does he have asthma? Are his parents here? How quickly can they come?
Imagine this: You open FinalForms and click the student's e-card. You read off his medical conditions to the first responder and note that he's allergic to bees. One click, you call mom... she's on her way. The athletic trainer locates the sting. You administer the epi-pen. Mom arrives and finds her child speedily recovering.
3. Coach is Down
Green cards, blue cards, e-cards… however you manage student emergency contacts and medical information is a must. But, do you do the same for your staff?
Who’s down? Isn’t he a volunteer? No, I have no idea if he has health problems. No, I have no idea who to call. Is he married… I DON’T KNOW!
Imagine this: You grab your phone, tap FinalForms, and click Coach Jones’ medical card including a clickable list of contacts plus a list of his medical conditions, including both diabetes and a defibrillator. You call his wife then inform the first responders about his medical conditions.
4. The Bus is Broken
Your football team, band, and cheerleaders are heading to Western for another showdown. 5 buses, 200 athletes, and 14 coaches.
Bus 3 was in an accident. 2 students sustained minor injuries. The calls are flooding in. “Was my son on that bus?”
Imagine this: You grab your phone, click FinalForms, and see a roster of students on bus 3. You send a notification to their parents regarding the emergency procedures and pickup plan. You also notify parents of students on the other buses that their children are OK. You click to call the parents of the 2 injured students and meet them at the hospital to provide support.
5. The Department of Health Wants a Report
Many COVID-19 screening tools are easy-to-use. However, only a few track the details at a level that is useful to closely monitor exposures, tests, and vaccinations.
He tested positive? When did he first report symptoms? Who are his close contacts? Who is vaccinated? Who is not?
Imagine this: You click the student’s name and view an entire attendance record including groups, sports, clubs, and activities that may include close contacts. The record also includes day-by-day, session-by-session screening results including temperatures and symptoms. You click EXPORT and send it off to the board of health.
6. About That Concussion… The School Board Needs Information
Your star soccer player suffered a concussion earlier this season and her return has been rocky. She stepped off the field last night due to headaches and nausea. You get a phone call from your Superintendent.
Did she sign the papers? Did her parents sign? Did coach take the required courses? When, when, and when? Do we have return-to-play protocol documented?
Imagine this: You sit down at your desk, fire up FinalForms, and click the student’s name. You find a time-stamped evidence of form signatures, certifications, and proper procedure. You print reports, send them to the board, and head home for a good night of sleep.
Finally, Ask This: How Soon Can I Improve My Preparedness?
Improving emergency preparedness is a collaborative effort, and it may require school board approval, but it's not as hard as you think. The best solutions are easy to implement, include training, and feature easy-to-use interfaces that allow your staff to get with the game overnight. Ask around, your colleagues have probably had experiences with technologies that work, and others that don't. Choose a solution that is proven when it comes to performance when it counts!
Prepare for the worst case scenario with the best team in the business!
We hate to use fear factors in discussions with schools, but the reality is scary situations do arise. We help you put the best structure in place to improve the outcomes that impact individuals, families, and communities. FinalForms is a team of "school people" who understand that every district is unique and needs special attention to details that make a difference.
