ASTM Committee Seeks Participation in School Preparedness Guide

Apr 3, 2007 2:27 PM

           

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International Committee E54 on Homeland Security Applications invites interested parties to participate in the development of a proposed new standard, WK8908, Guide for School Preparedness and All-Hazard Response.

The proposed guide will cover concepts, principles and best practices for integrated emergency management programs concerning preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery for schools and school districts. The guide will facilitate the preparation for, mitigation against, response to and recovery from a natural or man-caused incident.

The types of situations that will be addressed in WK8908 include all hazards, such as school shootings, hazardous material threats, natural disasters and other risks.

The committee's task group is particularly interested in receiving input from emergency preparedness and emergency management officials, school officials and students.

"It is our hope that this proposed standard will provide a compendium of the best practices, resources and knowledge regarding school systems in emergency operations and response," says Joe Adams, one of three co-chairs of the WK8908 task group and director of emergency preparedness, NW Georgia Health District 1-1.

"This is obviously needed, not only in the United States, but throughout the world," says Rick Tobin, task group co-chair.

Kay Goss, another co-chair of the task group and senior advisor for public safety and Homeland security government solutions, Electronic Data Systems Corp., Herndon, Va., says "The proposed guidance would empower school officials to take action they deem suitable, given their risks and needs, and give them a checklist of steps to take, developed by a team of educators and emergency managers, with additional input from a range of school stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, students, parents and members of surrounding communities."

While WK8908 focuses on grades K-12, Adams notes that the task group is also considering other types of schools, colleges and universities and may address these types of schools in future standards.

For information, contact Timothy Brooke, manager, Technical Committee Operations, ASTM International at (610) 832-9729 or tbrooke@astm.org.

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