History of School Safety and Psychological First Aid for Children

Development, Evaluation, and Future Directions of the PREPaRE School Crisis Prevention and Intervention Training Curriculum

“…PREPaRE's response and recovery elements provide training in immediate crisis interventions. The importance of these activities is demonstrated by research suggesting mental health services are a critical element of crisis response (Heath, Ryan, Dean, & Bingham, 2007) and that mental health challenges associated with crisis exposure adversely affect academic achievement (Saigh, Mroueh, & Bremner, 1997).…”

Evaluating Children’s Learning of Adaptive Response Capacities from ShakeOut, an Earthquake and Tsunami Drill in Two Washington State School Districts

“…"Drop, cover and hold on" is shorthand for the recommendation to drop down onto your hands and knees, cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on to your shelter School-based disaster drills are believed to be a good approach for mitigating injuries and deaths and improving children's resilience to disasters (Heath et al 2007;Hull 2011). Ronan and Johnston (2005) stressed that repeated practice of response skills helps improve children's self-confidence and resiliency to disasters, particularly when children have the opportunity to receive constructive feedback during practices.…”

“…Ramirez et al (2009: p. 110) reported from their observation of a school drill that many students did not take the drill seriously, and the drill was viewed by both students and teachers as a "compulsory exercise with little meaning." Also, there is some concern that school drills increase children's anxiety and hazard fears in a non-constructive manner (Heath et al 2007;Johnson 2011). Although there is a growing body of research indicating that well-executed disaster drills and curricular activities do not increase anxiety in children (Ronan and Johnston 2001;Ronan et al 2010), concern alone can pose a challenge to gaining parent and teacher support for school drills.…”

A Multiple Case Study of the Interagency Relationship Between School Administrators and Law Enforcement Personnel in the Creation, Implementation, and Sustaining of School Emergency Management Plans

“…During the 1850s in the United States, a school building caught fire and because of a lack of fire safety preparation, several students died in the fire (Golway, 2003). As a result, schools across the U.S. began taking steps to prepare for emergencies by incorporating the use of regularly-scheduled fire drills (Heath, Pamela, Dean, & Bingham, 2007). The practice of fire drills developed a smooth evacuation process thereby potentially saving lives.…”

“…During the 1950s and 1960s, several public and private schools began air raid drills in anticipation of a potential nuclear attack where students had to hide under their school desks (Heath et al, 2007). Similarly, many school districts located in regions that are known for certain types of natural disasters began to practice safety procedures specifically for those types of hazards (Federal Emergency Management Agencey [FEMA], 2016).…”