Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Winter Preparedness For Schools

Winter Weather Preparedness for Schools

School administrators should coordinate and organize information to prepare a winter weather emergency plan. The following lists suggestions to follow while designing a winter disaster preparedness plan.

Gather Information

• Know where to get weather information. Invest in buying a NOAA Weather Radio; use local media sources, the Internet and paging services.
• Know how and where to get road information: State police road conditions, city and county transportation officials, and drivers or security teams are excellent sources.

Alert Students and Staff

• Announce the weather emergency and inform students and staff to take action. Use mobile communication for bus drivers and a PA (public address) system for school staff and students.

Activate the Plan

• Determine when to activate plan. Gather information about the type of winter storm, expected impact, and time of impact on the school district. The primary decision will be whether to cancel, delay or hold classes as usual.
• In weather watch situations, immediate action will usually not be required.
• When a warning or advisory is issued, assess the weather situation by monitoring NWS forecasts, current weather conditions and road conditions.

Cancel or Delay Classes

• Determine when to cancel or delay classes. How much time do you have before the storm impacts the area? Not only must students be transported to schools safely, but also back to their homes by bus, car or on foot.
• What kind of an impact will the storm make? Will roads be impassable, or will road conditions just have a minimal effect on transportation of students, causing only slight delays.

School Transportation Administrator

• Establish communication channels with road maintenance supervisors changing conditions
• Establish communication channels with surrounding districts, and monitor road conditions outside of the district if buses have to travel outside of the district
• Have an emergency preparedness plan that calls in extra drivers and designates spare vehicles ready to cover routes that are delayed significantly
• Make certain that all district vehicles have a means of communication with a central dispatch point
• Use only vehicles that have appropriate tires and equipment for inclement weather
• Provide in-service for drivers on defensive driving styles that are appropriate for inclement weather and poor road surfaces
• Install weather channel monitoring equipment at the central dispatch point.
• Be prepared to reroute specific buses if roads are impassable safely.

School Bus Driver Actions

• For heavy snow or blowing and drifting snow - be prepared to select an alternate route if directed by radio.
• Stay up to date on the latest forecast and maintain communication with school officials.
• For ice storms - remain alert for downed trees, utility lines and other road hazards.
• Be familiar with alternate routes. Stay up to date on the forecasts and maintain communication with school officials.
• For extreme cold, learn to recognize and treat symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite.
• Be alert for pedestrians who may be using roadways when sidewalks are inaccessible.
• Leave extra following distance and use conservative speeds that allow for an assured clear distance ahead.
• Avoid sudden control inputs that may lead to a loss of vehicular control.
• Insist that riders observe riding behaviors that do not distract the driver.
• Communicate with school dispatcher about anything unusual, delays, or impassable roads.

Safety Instructions

• Educate school staff and students. Conduct drills and hold safety programs annually.
• Participate in Winter Weather Awareness Week campaigns.
• Contact your local emergency management agency or National Weather Service office for a speaker to discuss winter weather safety.