Blunt’s Homeland Security
Council Embraces Safe Schools Project
JEFFERSON CITY, April 6, 2006-Gov. Blunt’s Homeland
Security Council joined efforts today to help ensure schools have
much needed public health emergency plans.
“The Safe Schools initiative is an innovative
approach that enables public safety officials and health agencies
to access school information needed to help protect our school children
in an emergency situation,” said Director Mark James, Department
of Public Safety. “Every school in the state should make it
their top priority to have responsible emergency plans in place.”
The Department of Health and Senior Services partnered
with the Missouri School Boards Association to provide a secure online
planning and training system for emergency preparedness with an emphasis
in contagious disease and biological and chemical terrorism. The web-based
system is offered at no cost to all Missouri’s schools both
public and private.
“Missouri is taking the lead on public health
issues and this project exemplifies our ground-breaking efforts to
ensure we continue to lead the nation in this area,” said Julie
Eckstein, Director of the Department of Health and Senior Services.
“The project benefits teachers, administrative staff and students
and parents with training and resources to develop comprehensive public
health emergency plans.”
Last November Gov. Blunt signed executive order 05-42
establishing the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as Missouri’s
new standard for emergency preparedness. The Safe Schools initiative
ensures school plans are compliant with NIMS.
Schools can become more familiar with the project by
visiting www.schoolsprepared.org.