In this essay the author recalls the process of organizing and interpreting an exhibition of art and language made in response to a catastrophic fire that devastated California's Sonoma and Napa counties in late 2017. The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art invited a group of artists and writers to be part of its small exhibition planning team to help…

A case study on how one Colorado school district navigated crisis response, mental health support, and community rebuilding during devastating natural disasters, with specific attention to the 2021 Colorado Marshall Fires, the largest wildfire in Colorado history.

In this paper we propose the concept of 'becoming-with' in relation to the experience of the catastrophic fires in the summer of 2019-2020 in Australia, and their implications for research into young children's response to bushfires, and their learning about bushfire recovery, which resulted in the development of an arts-based project to explore…

School emergency management can be addressed through the development of a school emergency operations plan (EOP) that addresses the school safety continuum, including safety, security, emergency management, and preparedness. Planners will address hazards and threats (e.g., wildfire and criminal activity), emergency management functions…

Wildfires lead to the loss of life and property in many parts of the world. Understanding their dangers and, more particularly, the underlying dynamics which lead to fires of catastrophic scale contributes to better awareness as well as prevention and firefighting capabilities within the affected areas. In order to enable a basic understanding of…

Every summer, fires rage in different areas of the western United States. They are often massive, out of control, and extremely destructive. How do these fires begin and how are they controlled? What are the overall impacts of a wildfire? Are there any benefits of a wildfire? These questions will be addressed in this article. (Contains 3 online…

The author's first action after finding out that her school's library was on fire was to call the Buildings and Grounds people: somebody had to know what was going on. She was assured that several fire companies were on the scene, and that there was no reason for her to come down there. Those first few hours were her introduction to the world of…

The nation's schools and school districts are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for approximately 55 million elementary and secondary school students in public and nonpublic schools. Families and communities expect schools and school districts to keep children and youths safe from threats, including human-caused…

Should elementary school students be introduced to disturbing current events topics? A common response would be to protect the innocence of young children, allowing them to live their lives relatively free of the troubles that beset the world. But closer examination reveals that the study of current events actually helps to reduce fear and worry.…

This publication discusses conditions that feed wildfires, how a building catches fire, determining the school's risk, creating a survivable space for the school, the importance of maintenance, the fire-resistant school, meeting code requirements, and related flood and mudslide risks. Much of this publication has been adapted for schools from the…

Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton declared natural disasters somewhere in the United States on average of about one per week between 1998 and 2005. Despite this frequency, most citizens are unprepared when a natural disaster occurs in their city or neighborhood. In particular, teachers and students can become paralyzed by the overwhelming…

Discusses causes of library disasters and provides several examples of disasters. Emphasis is on the importance of awareness, insurance protection, a written disaster plan, cooperation with the fire marshall and insurance agent in planning, and staff training. Several elements of the written plan are listed. (22 references) (MES)

Based on Huntsville (Alabama) schools' experience with a devastating fire, the superintendent later ensured adequate fire insurance coverage, promoted regular fire drills, and developed an emergency response plan that delineated staff responsibilities, communication modes, and training and updating procedures. The plan served the district well…

This article discusses Monroe Community College's CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), a program designed to help neighborhoods and work sites prepare for effective disaster response through training and planning. The program requires 24 hours of theoretical and hands-on practice in self-help and mutual-aid emergency functions. CERT personnel…

The State Library of Ohio designed this disaster preparedness plan to assist small libraries in gathering information that will be invaluable in the event of an emergency. This plan, which focuses on fire and water disaster prevention, is devoted to using simple and inexpensive measures to prevent a disaster or to lessen its effect. The plan…