Schools & Universities

Schools serve as both education and community centers, where the public can not only get an education but also vote in elections and attend community meetings and events. Schools are often designated shelters for displaced families after a disaster, and are considered part of ‘critical infrastructure.’ In many places in the U.S., school buildings (especially those built to older, lower building standards and with lighter frame construction) are vulnerable to flooding, which can lead in the short-term to loss of shelters during an emergency and in the long-term to school closures, negatively impacting students’ learning and mental health. It is vitally important for K-12 schools, as well as universities, to be designed, built, and prepared to withstand natural disasters such as flooding.

School administrators have an obligation to minimize the risk of damage to school buildings and the people within them. As they make new construction– or mitigation-related decisions, it is crucial that they become familiar with specific emergency management requirements for their state and local community, and comply with those requirements. For school building construction, most states follow the International Building Code, although some states in the most hazard-prone regions have adopted more stringent building code construction requirements. It is important to keep in mind that building codes are designed to provide only the minimum requirements needed for safety, and are not intended to prevent damage. Building above-code is encouraged to further protect students and school property. Learn more about Building Codes.

Although these resources are slightly dated, it is recommended that:

• K-12 school administrators explore “Safer, Stronger, Smarter: A Guide to Improving School Natural Hazard Safety” (FEMA 2017) and “Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans” (FEMA 2013)
• University administrators explore “Building a Disaster-Resistant University” (FEMA 2003)

Although disaster preparedness requirements vary from state to state and community to community, common requirements include:

• New schools should be located outside of high flood risk areas, and should ensure access to surrounding roadways for evacuation in the event of a flood;
• Conducting risk evaluation for and retrofitting of older school buildings, as needed; and
• Complying with existing or creating a new Emergency Operations Plan and conducting regular emergency drills, remembering not only to engage staff (who are expected to act as emergency responders in the absence of trained emergency responders on-site during school hours) but also to involve community members, including parents, students, school board or planning committee members, emergency managers, and local leaders.

To find requirements for a specific state, school administrators should refer to their state’s Department of Education and/or check out the Readiness and Emergency Management for School (REMS) Technical Assistance website.

Administrators may need to raise funds to implement flood mitigation projects. Financing methods could include:

• School bond measures or other ballot initiatives;
• Fundraising campaigns (online or through the community);
• Partnering with companies that may be willing to donate time or construction materials;
• Applying for a federal mitigation grant through the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program before a flood strikes, or the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program after a flood. (Note that to be eligible for these grants, the district must have a natural hazard mitigation plan in place, either through their local jurisdiction or approved by FEMA.)

Properly planning for natural hazards ahead of time makes schools safer and more prepared in the event of a disaster. School administrators can use this website to learn about how to find their school’s risk of flooding, assess their mitigation options, learn how to create an Emergency Operations Plan, and find potential funding sources for mitigation projects.