K-12 Expert Addresses Emergency Preparedness Plans 

By Dan Weltin, Contributing Editor 

Emergency planning in K-12 environments is no longer a checklist — it’s a layered, dynamic strategy that touches every corner of school operations. Jeffrey D. Cardwell, Chief Operating Officer for Norristown Area School District recently talked with Dan Weltin, editor-in-chief for the facility market, at the NFMT and Clean Buildings Conferences about how the operations team integrates facility security, public health, transportation safety, and coordinated emergency response into their daily operations. 

Serving around 9,000 students across 13 buildings and three municipalities, Norristown’s challenges are as complex as they are varied. The district has adopted a “safety-first” capital planning approach, beginning with critical upgrades like secure entry vestibules, access control, perimeter surveillance, and intrusion-resistant infrastructure — all aimed at modernizing decades-old buildings without creating a prison-like feel. 

The district's Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) — 300-page living documents — are the backbone of their response strategy. Reviewed and signed off annually, the EOPs map out protocols for everything from chemical spills and bomb threats to severe weather and mass evacuations. Regular drills, including active shooter simulations and shelter-in-place exercises, help ensure everyone knows their role during crises. 

The district has gone beyond drills by rethinking common practices. For instance, fire drill protocols have evolved to require the use of alternate exits, ensuring staff and students adapt in real time to blocked routes. Infectious disease preparedness, enhanced after COVID-19, includes cleaning protocols based on Department of Education alerts and training for custodial staff to handle biohazards. 

Community coordination remains a cornerstone of the district’s emergency planning. Norristown collaborates with multiple police departments and has identified a reunification site at a nearby expo center, allowing safe evacuation and family reuniting away from potential threat zones. 

These comprehensive efforts offer a blueprint for other districts balancing safety, transparency, and community trust. Hear more from Norristown’s leadership in the full conversation. 

Dan Weltin is the editor-in-chief of the facilities market, which includes Facility Maintenance Decisions, a sister publication to Facility Cleaning Decisions. 

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posted on 6/23/2025