Partners in Preparedness

Sonoma County Office of Education

As a recipient of the 2004-2005 fiscal year (FY) Emergency Response and Crisis Management Grant, the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) and Redwood Empire Schools Insurance Group (RESIG), in partnership with Sonoma State University, began assessing and addressing the preparedness and response needs of the county's 253 public and private schools. During the winter of 2005, the efforts of these three agencies on behalf of the schools were united under one program, officially dubbed: "SchoolGuard." With its FY '04-'05 grant monies, Sonoma SchoolGuard was responsible for:

• creating a Model Emergency Operations Plan template for the schools;
• spearheading a county-wide classroom hazard mitigation project;
• assisting with the development of a Crisis Intervention Plan and training;
• providing SEMS/NIMS, CPR/AED & First Aid Instructor, School CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), Exercise Design, and Pandemic Influenza trainings for school personnel;
• coordinating and facilitating preparedness drills;
• procuring and distributing GETS (Government Emergency Telecommunications System) cards for district superintendents;
• designing & producing a school emergency preparedness calendar; and
• publishing a loss recovery resource guide for schools.

Current Projects

Capitalizing on the success of Sonoma's SchoolGuard '04-'05 projects, SCOE and RESIG are busy putting their Region 1 Grant monies (FY '05-'06) to work in the county's schools. High on this fiscal year's "to do" list are:

• offering a second opportunity for schools to participate in the classroom hazard mitigation project;
• expanding the popular School CERT program;
• mentoring schools as they implement their school plan;
• providing team-focused SEMS/NIMS trainings;
• introducing Teen SERT into county high schools;
• enhancing school site communication capabilities;
• initiating a coordinated disaster communications system for district offices;
• facilitating the development of a private school preparedness consortium;
• working with schools to educate parents and guardians about school preparedness protocol;
• helping schools procure emergency supplies;
• promoting the pandemic flu response plan for schools, and;
• implementing a standard Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between schools and the Public Health Department for mass prophylaxis on school sites.

Community Partnerships

It was apparent from the beginning that fulfilling grant project goals would require forging effective agency and business partnerships. Sonoma SchoolGuard diligently cultivated those relationships and in so doing, has become a model for successful community partnering. To date those partners include, but are not limited to, the following agencies:

• American Red Cross, Sonoma County Chapter
• California Office of Emergency Services
• Cloverdale Police Department
• Clover-Stornetta Farms
• Congressman Mike Thompson
• Goobanoff Associates
• Mullen & Filippi
• RLA Sheet Metal
• Santa Rosa Fire Department
• Santa Rosa Police Department, School Resource Team
• Sonoma County Department of Emergency Services
• Sonoma County Department of Health Services, Public Health Division
• Sonoma County Sheriff's Department
• Sonoma Fire Department
• State Farm Insurance
• Trevco/Quake-Hold Products
• Volunteer Center of Sonoma County
• Windsor Fire Protection District

On 'Guard

Stay "tuned" to this website for photo essays and program updates of Sonoma SchoolGuard projects. We'll be posting these regularly with the beginning of the '06-'07 school year.

Emergency Preparedness Workshops

The SchoolGuard project includes both regional workshops for partnering counties, and county-specific workshops tailored to the individual needs of each partner county.

Contact Information

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