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Planning for Family Reunification After an
Emergency Event
In the context of emergency preparedness, family reunification means to reunite children with
verified and authorized family members, caregivers, and guardians after a critical and
often highly stressful incident (e.g., a fire, a natural disaster, a school bus accident,
a situation involving weapons or violence at school) that disrupts the school day
and prompts the need for a school dismissal to protect the school community.
The Family Reunification Annex is one of 10 recommended functional
annexes that a school emergency operations plan should contain, according to the
Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans.
NEW Family Reunification Resources and Training
The REMS TA Center is pleased to announce a NEW fact sheet and Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) on this important topic. These new resources expand the training and support available to school districts and schools in developing a Family Reunification Annex and implementing a successful reunification process. Be sure to check out all the varied resources available. From fact sheets to Webinars to live training opportunities, there is something to meet the unique needs of the school districts, schools, and communities they serve.
- Integrating Family Reunification Planning Before, During, and After an Emergency Into the School Emergency Operations Plan (EOP): This fact sheet provides detailed information related to best practices, voices from the field, and important resources to guide a successful family reunification process. Quotes from practitioners in the field of school safety provide first-hand experience and guidance from people who have managed successful reunification processes and have extensive experience in developing the family reunification annex.
- Planning for Family Reunification Before, During, and After an Emergency Train-the-Educator: This 2-hour synchronous training opportunity equips participants to review and update their Family Reunification Annex. Visit the VTBR Web page to learn more about eligibility requirements and the hosting process, and to download and fill out an application.
Family Reunification Considerations
To address before, during, and after an emergency, planning teams should work with community partners to confirm reunification locations and ensure continued care for students and staff not yet reunified. Some key considerations highlighted in the new fact sheet and VTBR to manage a successful family reunification process include:
Before family reunification is necessary, develop a plan and design for the reunification site (including on-campus and off-campus locations). Be sure to create a course of action to connect all related functions of reunification, such as communications, transportation, and psychological first aid for schools and families.
During the family reunification process, prepare for the arrival of caregivers and provide a thorough process to check documentation to release students to authorized caregivers. Provide appropriate emotional support when communicating critical information regarding missing or injured students, or the loss of a child.
After the family reunification process concludes, coordinate the transfer of operational control back to the responsible parties and return the building to pre-reunification condition. Provide necessary transportation and ongoing mental health support as needed. Convene the planning team as soon as possible, but within 2 weeks of the event, to debrief after the event and adjust the Family Reunification Annex as needed, based on lessons learned.
More REMS TA Center Family Reunification and Post-Disaster Reunification Resources
The REMS TA Center also offers several resources and training opportunities that can help K-12 schools and school districts with their planning efforts. These include the following:
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