Schools

​Recovery disaster and emergency response

Take Action

After the event has impacted the school, the following should occur:

If school has been not been temporarily closed

1. Assess safety of students and staff.
2. Assess the status of the school, noting BAS protocols.
3. If any visible damage or potential hazards e.g. asbestos, site access, tree damage, then engage BAS for site inspection.
4. If required, consider temporary closure under CE Directive 1/2015.
5. Implement Business Continuity Plan as required.

If school has been vacated (holidays, weekends) or temporarily closed under CE Directive 1/2019

1. Assess safety and wellbeing of staff.
2. Assess status of school.
3. If any visible damage or potential hazards e.g. asbestos, engage BAS for site inspection.
4. Implement Business Continuity Plan as required.
5. Decide on resuming educational services.
6. Invoke, or continue, temporary closure of the school under CE Directive 1.2015 as required and advise the Regional Response Controller.
7. Utilise Communication Strategy.
8. Re-open school after conducting a Suitability Assessment and determining that it is safe to do so​.

Useful Tools

• Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS)
• Memorandum of Agreement – Public Cyclone Shelter and Evacuation Centres
• Checklist – Suitability Assessment
• Checklist – Recovery – Post Disaster
• Disaster and Emergency Management procedure
• CE Directive No. 1/2019 – Temporary closure and re-opening of state schools in disaster or emergency situations (PDF, 820KB)
• Quick reference guide – disaster event planning for school principals

Communications

The Disaster and Emergency Communications Strategy provides a summary of the phases of an event and suggested internal and external stakeholder communications opportunities for schools and regions to consider.

Templates are also available for principals to use when communicating with parents and school communities at the start of annual disaster seasons and during or following a severe weather event or school lockdown.

• Flowchart of communications to specific audiences and the channels available
• Communications templates – severe weather event
• Communications templates – school lockdown

Damage to schools

All staff and community members are reminded not to access the school site after a disaster or emergency event until advised by the Principal that it is safe to do so. Schools impacted will be subjected to assessments to determine any damage by Building and Asset Services (BAS) and then by the Principal to consider the suitability to resume normal services. A Suitability Assessment Checklist is attached to the school's Emergency Response Plan.

Special leave entitlements

Staff are also able to access paid special leave to deal with the effects of natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, severe storms or bushfires under Special Leave DIRECTIVE 05/17 (PDF, 165 KB). Contact the Principal for more information.

Useful Sites

• MyH​R (login required)

Weather/events

• Bureau of Meteorology
• Get Ready Queensland – Disaster Management
• Bushfire Mapping

Agencies

• Queensland Police Service
• Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
• Queensland Ambulance Service
• State Emergency Services
• Queensland Health – Natural disasters and severe weather

Key Contacts

Emergency and School Security

• Email: qed-emergency@id.ngcomms.net
• Phone: (07) 3034 6025 (disaster and emergency management)
• Phone: (07) 3034 6016 (disaster and emergency management)
• Phone: (07) 3034 6010 (school security)
• School Watch Phone: 13 17 88

Employee Assistance Program

• External counselling services – LifeWorks by Morneau Shepell – Phone 1800 604 640
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)