In an effort to grow our corporate social responsibility activities, Tetra Tech has recently embarked on a new effort to enhance the safety and preparedness of America’s schools. The company’s Emergency Management and Community Resilience practice is partnering, on a pro bono basis, with school districts and state-sponsored Safe Schools organizations to deliver emergency planning services, beginning with districts in Kansas, Pennsylvania, and New York.

As of early 2014, Tetra Tech has engaged the officials at the Easton Area School District in northeast Pennsylvania and Averill Park School District in the Capitol Region of New York in an effort to maximize awareness of the school’s safety and emergency response protocols. Tetra Tech emergency management professionals seek to involve the entire community in this planning effort, which has been designed to evaluate and improve communication mechanisms and procedures between schools district representatives, local public safety officials, media outlets, and parents in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency. Tetra Tech understands the need for strong relationships between the private and institutional sector and their local public safety officials so that their first interaction does not come in the midst of a crisis response.

For each partner school district, Tetra Tech will evaluate existing emergency communication protocols, as well as roles, responsibilities, and key personnel involved with managing an emergency situation. Tetra Tech will provide subject matter experts to enhance plans, ensuring consistency with federal and state emergency response and crisis management guidance. Once plans and procedures are updated, Tetra Tech will conduct awareness trainings and emergency exercises to familiarize stakeholders with each other and their response plans. School districts and local organizations will be responsible for implementing the plans and maintaining the infrastructure to support them.

Tetra Tech plans to expand this corporate responsibility program to additional states and school districts in the near future.