Assess Climate Impact on Campus

Climate issues are an important risk to include in your K-12 school, college, or university’s risk register. You must consider and plan for day-to-day climate concerns and more sporadic weather events. Carefully assess and prioritize your specific risks to choose the plans that best fit your institution.

Environmental Management of Campus Infrastructure

Campus buildings, facilities, and services also are subject to climate impacts. Consider severe weather events and long-term weather changes and evaluate:

• Sustainability initiatives that fit your campus priorities, such as carbon emissions reduction, renewable energy projects, water conservation, and food waste composting
• Vulnerabilities and opportunities to strengthen your systems and update facilities for resilience
• Transportation systems that take severe weather situations into account
• Energy systems that optimize usage and are prepared for utility failures from flooding, wildfires, or other weather-related events

Emergency Protocol

Every institution needs to establish an emergency management plan that includes climate-related issues. Some schools deal with seasonal extreme weather. Others encounter weather events occasionally — and unexpectedly. The frequency and intensity of impact can be unpredictable, so it’s critical to plan for multiple scenarios.

Take the following actions:

• Develop emergency protocols that detail your campus preparation and response plans. List emergency personnel with contact info. Include state-specific mandates like California Disaster Service Workers. Routinely update your plan.
• Review guidance from state and federal laws and agencies that may apply, and consider linking to them as well as any local resources available to you.
• Consider creating a Campus Community Emergency Response Team to help with training, drills, and campus community outreach and education.
• Plan out and publicize how you will notify your community about closures and operational changes. Provide detail if different locations may make individual decisions.
• Communicate evacuation plans and routes, including for people with disabilities. Consider specific situations, such as during exams or athletic events.
• Identify essential campus services and explain which employees will be responsible for keeping them operational, and how.
• Address geography-specific weather. If winter weather can be severe, offer guidance and education about winter weather safety tips, especially for vehicles. Where specific events — like hurricanes, earthquakes or tornadoes — occur regularly, provide preparation and response details, addressing workplace scenarios and guidance for parents who may come to campus. Consider addressing extreme heat in your protocols.
• Address precautions related to wildfires and wildfire smoke, especially for work areas that may be impacted.

Personal Impact and Safety

Institutional preparedness includes helping community members prepare for climate events. Prioritize educating students and staff about how they can protect themselves.

Create resources, training sessions, or other educational opportunities covering:

• Heat-related risks so that students, employees, supervisors, coaches, trainers, and other appropriate personnel understand the signs and treatment
• Air-quality precautions, both inside and outside
• Personal steps the campus community can take at home and within their families to prepare for risks such as flooding, wildfire, landslides, and tsunami
• Workplace safety concerns and precautions, including during severe heat and cold

Consider an education campaign to help people prepare for emergencies, and consider highlighting common inquiries through FAQs.

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