Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness Winter Preparedness For Schools

Winter Weather Preparedness for Schools

Children can be especially susceptible to the dangers associated with winter weather. This information is intended for parents, schools administrators, transportation supervisors, and bus drivers.

Parents

Monitor school emergency closure/delay messages; and local media for weather and school closure/delay updates.

Dress your child for cold weather. Layers are best: sweaters, pants, bright colored winter coats, hats, scarves, socks and boots.

Allow extra time to get to the bus stop or school.

Instruct your child to stand at least 10 steps away (or back) from bus stops. Buses and cars need extra room to stop when there is snow or ice; and they may unexpectedly hit ice.

School Administrators

School administrators and principals need to be sensitive to the dangers of winter weather. Winter weather procedures and practices need to be established before the onset of winter.

Before winter weather arrives

Review the severe weather annex of your school emergency management plan.

• Educate school staff, students, and larger community on winter weather procedures. Review closure/delay thresholds prior to the onset of winter weather.
• Review procedures and test systems for notifying local media of closure/delays.
• Elements of your emergency management plan, such as evacuation processes and reunification points, may need to be adjusted during the winter season; your plan should account for these seasonal differences.

Test your parent notification system prior to the onset of winter weather to help parents become familiar with your school’s/district’s messaging.

Know where to get weather information. Options to consider are: local media (television or radio), your county emergency management agency, or the National Weather Service website. Invest in a NOAA Weather Radio for each building in your district.

Know how and where to get road information. Be sure your transportation office is in contact with city/county transportation officials, monitor local police and media traffic reports, and rely on on-site security at each building. Ohgo provides up-to-date information on road conditions, traffic, construction, and other activity affecting roadways managed by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Activating the Plan

Determine when it is appropriate to implement winter weather procedures your school (such as in your school emergency management plan). Gather information about the type of winter storm, expected impact, and time of impact on the school district.

When a warning or advisory is issued, assess the weather situation by monitoring National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts, current weather conditions and road conditions.

Consider that it may be difficult for parents to pick up children in a timely manner if you decide to close school early. Schools may need to make provisions to allow students inside school buildings during extremely cold weather.

Be sure message to close/delay is clear and directs parents to a website or other source for additional information.

School Transportation Supervisor

Establish communication channels with surrounding districts, and monitor road conditions outside of the district if buses have to travel there.

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 winter weather.

Provide training for drivers on defensive driving styles that are appropriate for winter 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.

School Bus Driver

Communicate with school dispatcher about anything unusual, delays, or impassable roads.

Be familiar with alternate routes. Stay up-to-date on the forecasts and maintain communication with transportation officials.

For heavy snow or blowing and drifting snow: be prepared to select an alternate route if directed by radio.

For ice storms: Remain alert for downed trees, utility lines and other road hazards.

For extreme cold: Learn to recognize symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite. Know your school’s/district’s plan if you identify a child may have symptoms.