Three new guides on emergency operations plans for schools, colleges, and houses of worship were released by the Obama administration on June 18. The guides, which were jointly produced by the Departments of Education, Homeland Security, Justice, and Health and Human Services, incorporate lessons learned from the recent shootings in Newtown and Oak Creek, and the tornadoes in Oklahoma. The guides can be customized for each type of community, and used to revise and update existing plans as well as create new ones.

The new publications are titled Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans, Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Institutions of Higher Education, and Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship. They can be accessed via the website of the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center. Questions or concerns may be directed to the REMS TA Center by email at info@remstacenter.org or by toll-free telephone at 1-855-781-7367.