Early on August 8, 2023, Hurricane Dora drove unusually strong winds across the seaside town of Lahaina, HI. At dawn, a downed power line sparked a brushfire. By the afternoon, most of the town was in flames. 2,200 homes were destroyed and more than 100 people had died.
In Yancey County, NC, on the evening of September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene was predicted to bring heavy rainfall to the mountain community. By the following day, 1400 homes were lost with 10 lives taken. Bridges, roads, electrical lines, and water mains had been washed away.
And in the early hours of July 4, 2025, flash flood warnings in Kerr County, TX, swiftly escalated, but failed to reach many along the Guadalupe River. Within hours, trees, cars, and buildings had been swept downriver with 135 lives lost.
Extraordinary disasters are becoming increasingly common. From hurricanes and wildfires to floods and tornadoes, the unsettling truth is that all of our communities face heightened risks. The worst comes with little warning, and those fleeing danger confront common challenges: no electricity, no cell connection, and often no idea where their loved ones are. The most urgent needs are also the same: shelter, food and water, information, and a safe place to reunite.
Communities and families need help in responding to the increased frequency of natural disasters. They must know where to turn in times of crises—for information, medical care, and to reunite with those missing. To craft solutions for each community, we can start with our schools.
Schools are uniquely positioned to be the backbone of local emergency response
Every neighborhood has a school at its center. They are an integral part of our communities; trusted, familiar, and accessible to every household. With planning and partnerships, schools can become safe havens when the worst happens.
Schools can’t provide every service alone, but they can be the organizing centers where recovery begins. Their parking lots, gyms, classrooms, and cafeterias can serve as staging grounds for first responders and to offer shelter, power, communications, and goods distribution, particularly in the critical 72 hours following an event. Their rosters and student relationships make them ideal sites for family reunification. And as district networks, they offer flexibility and contingency planning in the event that one site is damaged.
Federal agencies already provide planning guides that schools can adopt and build upon. FEMA’s Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans offers a blueprint for integrating with local first responders and training school staff. With support from utilities and telecom providers, schools can be equipped with backup power, on-site communications hubs, and emergency supplies. Local businesses and philanthropic partners can help stock blankets, water, and food. The opportunities for public-private partnerships are vast, targeted to need, and rooted in each community.
Just as important, schools are places where communities gather—even outside of crisis. Back-to-school nights, take-home materials, and student engagement offer powerful channels for community education so that every household can know their emergency plan. By preparing in advance, families are less likely to be caught off guard.
Models in Action
When Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to Yancey County, NC, Mountain Heritage High School became more than a school—it became a lifeline. It housed first responders from across the country, coordinated recovery efforts, and provided a safe hub for displaced families. It was proof that, with preparation and community engagement, schools can help meet extraordinary challenges. As Doug Thomas, a Yancey County Schools bus driver, put it: “We are used to helping people.”
In Maui, K12 schools served as evacuation centers for families displaced from Lahaina while education officials and relief groups coordinated supplies and counseling. Staff at Maui Preparatory Academy partnered with the Red Cross to serve as a shelter. They housed over 700 people, providing food, clothing, and emergency medical care. “Who better to do these tasks than educators?” Asked Maui Prep head of school Miguel Solis. “We organize things.”
At Hunt School in Kerr County, the school transformed itself into a resilience center for the community. They functioned as a shelter, providing housing, food, and showers to 150 community members at a time. They became the operations center for responding NGOs and a fueling station for first responders. And they distributed essentials to local households in need. As principal, Sarah Nichols said, “Our school stood as a beacon of home, service, and resilience.”
The Path Forward
As disasters grow more frequent and severe, communities can’t wait for help, especially in the first critical 72 hours. We propose a national, voluntary program to equip schools to serve as Safe Havens, providing preparedness education to students and families, and shelter, essentials, and communications services in times of crisis. A community-centered framework can help ensure our schools are ready not just to teach, but to protect, connect, and recover. When everything else is uncertain, our children and communities deserve a place where help is waiting.
Scott Thach has more than a dozen years of experience in non-profit executive leadership, overseeing corporate and philanthropic partnerships and the development of new initiatives and programs. He has led the development and expansion of K12 education and engagement programs, focused on bringing STEM learning, energy literacy, and increased energy efficiency to school districts across the country.
John Garside is a strategic policy and advocacy professional with over a decade of experience advancing legislative, regulatory, and funding priorities at the local, state, and federal levels, building coalitions to advance community-centered goals. His work bridges policy design and on-the-ground implementation, ensuring that programs deliver tangible benefits to the communities they serve.
Keysha Baynes has 20+ years in nonprofit fund development and coalition building across public, private, and government sectors domestically and in 3 different countries. The last decade has been focused on sustainability through strategic partnerships for K-12 schools, community-based organizations, and industry collaborators in Los Angeles County.
For more information about Safe Haven Schools, contact [email protected].
