Be Ready for the Unexpected: Why Every Student Needs an Emergency Supply Kit at School

When crisis strikes at school, preparation can make all the difference between panic and peace of mind. Emergency supply kits—or emergency “go-kits”—are essential for enhancing school preparedness, providing crucial supplies when faced with disasters, lockdown events, or other emergency situations. Whether it’s a natural disaster, medical emergency, or unexpected lockdown, having the right supplies readily available can support students and staff through challenging situations.

Understanding the Need for School Emergency Kits

Whether you’re in middle school, high school, or even in college, things happen and sometimes they’re unexpected. Keeping an emergency kit in your backpack or purse can be beneficial to you on those days when accidents happen, and you can’t go home. Students and staff may be forced to shelter at the school due external events, incidents or weather. This could be for multiple hours to an overnight extension. It would be both wise and prudent to have basic survival and sheltering supplies available for both staff and students.

Emergency kits should contain supplies in preparation for evacuations and incidents that force school populations to shelter in place. Kept in each classroom, this survival kit can be of particular help in providing the emergency supplies that may be needed in a lockdown situation in which students and staff cannot leave the classroom. The emergency kit provides the essential emergency supplies most needed for support in the first several hours after a severe emergency or disaster.

Essential Items for Student Emergency Kits

An emergency kit should include a flashlight, a radio (and fresh batteries), non-perishable food, a first aid kit, and other items. A first aid kit should contain ibuprofen, acetaminophen, aspirin, adhesive bandages, antibiotic/burn ointment, sterile gauze pads, first aid handbook, etc.

For personal student emergency kits, consider including:

• Communication Tools: It’s important to always keep your phone charged, especially at school. You or even a friend may need to charge a cell phone for something important so keeping a charger in your emergency kit is definitely vital! Portable chargers also come in handy when there is no outlet available for you to use a plug-in charger.
• Personal Care Items: Hair ties are important to keep in your kit because you never know when you or someone else may need it. You could be having a bad hair day, or you want to tie it up just because it’s in your way. No matter the circumstances, hair ties are usually always the go-to when someone needs to do something with their hair at school.
• Basic Supplies: Personal Supplies (antibacterial hand sanitizer, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, etc., prescription medicines, extra pair of glasses or contacts).
• Emergency Documents: Copies of important family documents in a waterproof and/or fireproof, portable container.

School-Wide Emergency Preparedness

One kit should be provided in each classroom with additional units in other areas where students and staff congregate: libraries, cafeterias, gyms, auditoriums and offices. This kit is specifically designed for schools using recommendations from leading disaster response organizations. It meets the immediate needs of up to 25 students and 1 teacher.

Schools should consider the specific characteristics of the school, such as its population, climate, facilities, and resources when building their go-kits. Schools should include supplies for several different types of emergencies, including pandemics and technological and natural disasters.

Maintenance and Storage Considerations

The school’s emergency plan should include procedures for designating which staff are responsible for replenishing the go-kits. All supplies should be well labeled and maintained. You should check your kit at least once every 6 months to ensure that all items are still up to date. When something expires it should be replaced immediately.

Go-kits should be stored in secure, readily accessible locations throughout the building so that they can be retrieved during an emergency. The go-kits should contain enough space to hold a stockpile of essential emergency supplies, but portable enough to be easily carried during an emergency. Examples of common containers include backpacks, duffel bags, or plastic bins.

Finding Quality Emergency Supplies

When assembling emergency kits, it’s crucial to source reliable, high-quality supplies from trusted vendors. For families and schools in Northern Virginia, School Supplies in Prince William County, VA offers comprehensive educational and office supplies that can support emergency preparedness efforts. School & Office Annex has been a trusted resource for everything needed to fuel learning and success since 1990, serving as a proud pillar of the Woodbridge and Lake Ridge communities.

Whether you’re a teacher, a homeschooling parent, a busy professional, or you’re simply someone looking for creative tools to fuel learning, School & Office Annex is your one-stop shop! We’re here to support your journey towards success! Their commitment to the community and comprehensive inventory makes them an ideal partner for schools and families preparing emergency supply kits.

Building a Culture of Preparedness

Making a family emergency kit can be fun for the family to do together. Use this checklist to help you make an emergency kit. An emergency kit has all of the things that you and your family may need during an emergency. As part of your lesson on safety and preparedness, you should build a kit with the collective group, discussing the purpose of the different items that are added.

School staff members may not view themselves as first responders, but when an incident occurs, they’re the first people able to take steps to prevent or mitigate a threat. With the proper supplies, training and policies in place, staff members are empowered to take crucial steps to respond to an emergency.

Emergency preparedness isn’t just about having supplies—it’s about creating a mindset of readiness and responsibility. By ensuring every student has access to essential emergency supplies, schools can provide peace of mind to families while demonstrating their commitment to student safety and well-being. Start building your emergency kit today, because when unexpected situations arise, preparation makes all the difference.