The Red Cross encourages teaching preparedness in the classroom. Instructing students what to do in the event of an emergency can help save lives at school and at home.

Disaster Preparedness Materials for classrooms
To help local schools prepare comprehensive emergency preparedness plans that are exercised regularly and developed in partnership with their community leaders and first responders the Red Cross suggests the following:

• Recommended emergency supplies for schools
• The Be Ready Book - Help your kids to be prepared for emergencies (coloring book, puzzles)
  

Red Cross Ready Rating for Schools

The American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles’ Red Cross Ready Rating™ (Ready Rating) program is a first-of-its-kind preparedness program that is designed to guide businesses, organizations, and schools in becoming better prepared for emergencies. Most preparedness programs focus on families and individuals, but the Red Cross saw a real need to address preparedness in the workplace and schools.

We can help each other to be ready for emergencies. A disaster can happen at any time, but preparedness and prevention are two elements within our control. Being ready for the inevitable is a shared responsibility that starts with each of us.

The Ready Rating Program is designed to guide businesses, organizations and schools in becoming better prepared for emergencies. It provides information and tools in a simple, actionable way and publicly acknowledges its members for their commitment to improving preparedness with a recognition seal that can be displayed in their place of operation.

Red Cross Ready Rating Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Ready Rating Program?
Why is the Ready Rating Program needed?
How does the Ready Rating Program work?
How do Ready Rating program members benefit?

Personalized Support
We take our commitment to you very seriously. We have a dedicated staff, so please feel free to contact us at anytime if you have questions. As a member, you also have exclusive access to Red Cross training programs to help you implement your emergency-preparedness plan.

Ready Rating Seal
Once you have completed your online assessment, you may display the Ready Rating seal in accordance with your membership agreement. We encourage you to display this seal to help you communicate to the public your commitment to proactive preparedness.

Members-Only Web Content
We have developed a range of offerings to support your Ready Rating program membership, including tools that are easily and conveniently accessible online. We’ve created a members-only portal that provides instant access to important information, guides, and templates. The website provides a variety of materials that you can share, print and distribute as you see fit. These materials include template materials for communicating with your employees, clients, and members; materials to use with local media; idea sheets; and tips to completing the program criteria, and more.

Safety Stipend (Schools Only)
After your school has completed the five-step criteria, you will receive an unrestricted $300 Annual Safety Stipend to reward your emergency planning efforts!

Recognition
We will publish a list of all Ready Rating members each year. This list will also be available on our website.

Red Cross Ready Rating Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Ready Rating Program?
Why is the Ready Rating Program needed?
How does the Ready Rating Program work?
How do Ready Rating program members benefit?

1. Commit to membership in the Ready Rating Program.
2. Conduct an initial analysis of disaster vulnerability.
3. Develop an emergency response plan.
4. Implement your emergency response plan.
5. Do your part annually to ensure that the overall community is ready.

Step 1. Commit to membership in the Ready Rating Program.
Commit to increasing your organization’s emergency readiness each year. Key actions include:

• CEO or sponsoring executive signs the Ready Rating Membership Agreement
• Appoint a Ready Rating Coordinator to serve as liaison with the American Red Cross
• Complete the Ready Rating 123 Assessment online

Step 2. Conduct a hazard vulnerability assessment.
Gather information about possible emergencies that could impact your business’ capability to respond to and recover from a disaster or emergency. Key actions include:

• Understand the types of disasters most likely to impact your business
• Assess your organization’s capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster
• Identify external emergency response resources that will provide assistance during a disaster

Step 3. Develop an emergency response plan.
Create a plan describing the steps your organization will take to protect your business and employees before, during and after an emergency. Key actions include:

• Establish an emergency planning committee that is representative of your organization
• Develop a written plan describing how your business will respond during a disaster
• Develop a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) describing how your business will operate during and after an emergency

Step 4. Implement your emergency response plan.
Make emergency preparedness part of your corporate culture. Key actions include:

• Train employees in emergency preparedness and the appropriate procedures to follow at work
• Acquire and maintain needed safety equipment and emergency preparedness supplies
• Encourage emergency preparedness among employees at work and at home
• Conduct and assess regular drills and exercises to determine the readiness of your employees and facility to respond to an emergency

Step 5. Help your community get prepared.
Now that your company and employees are prepared, commit to helping the overall community prepare for a disaster or other emergencies. Your organization can:

• Host blood drives
• Appoint employees to be trained as Red Cross disaster education instructors
• Appoint employees to be trained as Red Cross national disaster volunteers
• Contribute supplies and/or services to emergency response efforts
• Invest in Red Cross services and programs
• Provide scholarships for Red Cross Health and Safety training courses and products
• Adopt a local school or district and support their disaster and emergency

Membership Renewal

Ready Rating membership is based on a calendar year and must be renewed each year. Approximately three months before the end of the year, you will receive your renewal packet. Renewal is easy – just return the membership agreement and complete the online assessment. As long as you have made progress and your score has increased, you will receive your new seal shortly after the first of the year. Or if your business/organization has a score of 60, you are simply required to maintain that score.

Red Cross Ready Rating Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Ready Rating Program?
Why is the Ready Rating Program needed?
How does the Ready Rating Program work?
How do Ready Rating program members benefit?

Close to 60% of Americans are wholly unprepared for a disaster of any kind. 82% agreed: “If someone could make it easy for me to be prepared, I’d do it.” The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that more than 40% of businesses will never reopen following a disaster. Of the remaining companies, 25% will close within 2 years.

One-third of businesses surveyed do not have a business continuity plan in place. Nearly 50% of Americans believe that taking care of employees is the best thing a company can do in order to be thought of as a socially responsible business. During an emergency, schools must function temporarily as parent, nurse and physician until families can be reunited. New national data shows that 90% of parents agree that Red Cross recognition of their schools emergency preparedness measures is important to them.

Return on investment:

• Minimize losses during an emergency
  • When organizations have an emergency plan in place, they can respond more quickly and efficiently to contain and remedy costly situations. Ready Rating provides a format for members to engage vendors and partners in improving readiness.
• Enhance productivity
  • Being prepared reduces the amount of time employees are unable 
to work during a disaster. Additionally, employees who are knowledgeable about safety plans for their child’s school have greater peace of mind when separated from their child during the work day.
• Maintain – and even improve – your brand
  • Organizations that are able to deliver for their communities in the face of a disaster earn the respect and loyalty of all.

Red Cross Ready Rating Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Ready Rating Program?
Why is the Ready Rating Program needed?
How does the Ready Rating Program work?
How do Ready Rating program members benefit?