SECTION I ‐ MITIGATIONPREVENTION.docVIP

PAGE 1IV – RECOVERYIV_____________________________________________Model School Emergency Management Plan - RecoverySECTION IV – Recovery OrganizationAct well at the moment, and you will have performed a good action for all eternity.--John Caspar Lavater Recovery refers to the follow-up measures taken after a disaster to return the affected site back to normal operating conditions. Recovery focuses on restoring the infrastructure of the school (utilities, phones, water) to service, re-establishing a sense of emotional safety and returning to the learning environment as quickly as possible after a crisis. Recovery actions are generally begun as response activities diminish, but some activities (e.g., keeping track of personnel time) must be started simultaneously with response. Recovery measures are designed to assist students and staff impacted by physical, psychological and emotional trauma following sudden tragic events. Students and their families, administrators, teachers and staff will benefit from recovery support at two levels: immediate and ongoing. Immediate (short-term) support is needed from the first moments of a traumatic event through the first few days following it. Frequently, recent victims of the trauma are in a state of shock, and basic human needs of medical attention, shelter and food are the primary focus. Emergencies affecting a small number of people, or certain district-level emergencies, may be well served by crisis counseling and recovery assistance from other district employees, local community mental health providers, employee assistance programs and similar services.Ongoing (long-term) recovery refers to support provided to some individuals for weeks, months, or years following a tragic event. Such long-term recovery needs may only become apparent over time. A. Recovery OrganizationRecovery actions follow the same five SEMS/NIMS functions as Response, but during the Recovery phase, there will be more work for those performing