By Herschel Acosta, CCM

Disaster recovery is a word often heard, but few truly experience firsthand. Whether it’s a hurricane, flood, tornado, chemical/biological risks, or man-made event, the threat of disaster, whether visible or invisible, is real enough to demand preparedness.

Facility managers play a pivotal role in how well a school weathers and recovers from a crisis. Preparation determines resilience.

Below are a few principles that can help facility managers prepare for the disasters that they hope will never come, but must always be ready for:

1. Pre-Event Planning

A good offense begins with a strong defense. The foundation of resilience lies in risk assessment, hazard mapping, and training.

Every region has its own threats. Coastal areas face hurricanes, the central U.S. deals with tornadoes, and sadly, schools everywhere must now consider active-shooter scenarios. Other facilities may face chemical hazards from nearby manufacturing plants or recurring flooding. The key is to identify local risks and understand a school’s vulnerabilities.

Once the risks are mapped, the next step is to develop an emergency operations plan tailored to each campus—not a generic binder, but a living document aligned with their district’s resources and the capabilities of local fire, police, and emergency response teams.

If possible, facility managers should conduct walkthroughs with first responders. These site visits often reveal insights that can’t be captured in a plan alone. Some districts may even benefit from a central emergency operations hub that coordinates real-time information from all campuses. The more coordination and clarity built before a crisis, the more confident the team will be when it matters most.

2. During the Event

When a disaster unfolds, communication and calm execution make all the difference.

The biggest hurdle in any emergency is often information—too little, too late. Rumors spread faster than facts, and uncertainty erodes trust. That’s why it’s critical to establish and test communication protocols in advance. Determine who the spokesperson will be—superintendent, communications director, or a joint task force—and make sure messages are clear, consistent, and timely.

Equally important are the physical response protocols: evacuation, shelter-in-place, and lockdown. Far removed from the fire drills of years gone by, today’s risks require broader readiness. Practice both evacuation and shelter-in-place scenarios so that staff and students understand their roles.

One lesson that stands out came from the Columbine tragedy, when responders discovered that some teachers and students didn’t know their room numbers during emergency calls. Something as simple as numbering rooms visibly on the interior can make communication faster and more effective when seconds count.

3. Post-Event Recovery

Once the crisis has passed, the work is far from over. Recovery begins with safety inspections and rapid condition assessments to ensure that facilities are structurally sound. Then comes the logistical challenge of restoring learning continuity—through temporary classrooms, remote instruction, or staggered schedules—while repairs are underway.

Prioritize repairs to critical infrastructure first: water, HVAC, IT systems, and power. Document every step for insurance and reimbursement. These records become invaluable when working with FEMA or other agencies.

4. Codes, Costs, and the Fine Print

Resilience is as much about planning as it is about funding. Many states now require storm shelters as part of new school construction or major renovations; new codes may mandate that gymnasiums or other spaces double as tornado shelters.

Each funding source—federal, state, or private—comes with conditions. Understand those obligations early to avoid surprises later.

FEMA, for example, typically funds repairs to restore a building to its pre-disaster condition—not to upgrade it. That distinction matters when planning both immediate recovery and long-term resilience.

Closing Reflections

Disaster recovery is not just about responding to tragedy—it’s about building confidence in a community’s ability to endure and rebuild.

Schools are not just facilities; they are centers of life, learning, and hope. When disaster strikes, the speed and quality of recovery depend on foresight, relationships, and disciplined preparation.

Preparedness isn’t just a plan—it’s a mindset. In the words of President John F. Kennedy, “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”

The best time to prepare for the next emergency is now—when the skies are clear and there’s time to focus on foresight instead of recovery.

Herschel Acosta, CCM, is Senior Vice President for KAI 360 a program and project management firm. 

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Colorado’s Mesa County School District 51, however, was able to make upgrades to its on-average 38-year-old buildings that are expected to save more than $617,000 per year in energy costs, and more than $390,000 in operating and maintenance costs over the next five years  – all without a tax increase.

At a total construction cost of $10,720,459, the district’s goal was to provide energy efficient, comfortable and healthy learning environments, officials said.

The district initiated the project in 2008 with a proposal for a bond measure that failed to pass. In need of an alternative funding method, the district selected Trane, an air control, HVAC and building services provider and brand of Ingersoll Rand, to complete the project.

After upgrades were completed, Trane was able to organize a utility rebate for the district totaling $1,298,416.

Covering 2,200 square miles, Mesa County School District 51 has 43 school campuses valued at $363 million. The district is the largest employer between Denver and Provo, Utah with about 3,200 employees and has 22,315 students, making it the twelfth largest school district out of 178 in the state.

Trane’s Comprehensive Solutions Director Jim Knutson said the local economy was involved in natural gas drilling that decreased from 2008 to 2010. The drop in activity led to an unemployment rate increase from 3 percent to 9 percent in one year – the largest rise in unemployment in any county in the U.S. in 2009, he said.

The district’s revenue comes primarily from state funding at 58 percent, with 36 percent from local property tax and 6 percent from specific ownership tax.

"Despite these hardships, the district still was able, through performance contracting, to create a high performance learning environment and reinvest the savings back into their facilities and are now achieving excess savings to help their budgets," he said.      

Performance contracting is an option for funding energy-saving improvements in buildings that allows schools to manage and optimize their energy use and leverage the savings to support strategic educational objectives.

Trane held two rounds of workshops with the district and community to identify major concerns, narrowing the issues down to address overcrowding, the physical plant condition, building pride in the facility and creating equity for teachers.

The district saw a savings of $750,000, and annual utility costs dropped from $3,590,000 to $2,840,000 over the three-phase project cycle.

The total annual energy and water conservation savings guaranteed by Trane was $727,786, with a cumulative operating cost savings over the first five years of $401,480.

After the fifth year, the company guarantees the district will have no operating or maintenance costs and positive annual cash flow each year, Knutson said.

The initial "Fast Track" phase, which cost $4,102,761, involved summer construction of the boiler room, air conditioning upgrades to the high school and lighting repairs district-wide to help fund large capital upgrades.
                        
The second and third phases, which cost $4,531,077 and $2,090,455, respectively, were energy conservation measures, higher energy use index buildings with larger scope, and district-wide commissioning.

The lighting retrofit included 27,926 replaced lighting fixtures and occupancy controls and timers placed in classrooms, private and open offices, gyms, hallways, restrooms, libraries and cafeterias.

Further renovations included six major boiler replacements, domestic water heaters, variable air volume system installations and HVAC system upgrades. Kitchen facilities were also upgraded, with HVAC improvements and electric to gas oven conversions.

A district-wide building automation system was installed and 1,300 water fixtures were upgraded for water conservation.

The outcomes of the high performance measures included better lighting, enhanced comfort and learning environments, reduced obsolescence and reduced emergencies, according to officials.

In addition to the reduced carbon footprint, student awareness was increased and reduced operations and maintenance were all paid for out of savings. The project earned a total of 26 Energy Star awards.

Company officials said the key lessons that other districts could learn are the importance of leveraging business partnerships and using workshops with all interested parties to gain consensus.

Most importantly, according to officials, it is better not to wait — opportunity costs can be expensive, they said.

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