Towards Effective Management of Fire Emergency and Risk Reduction in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Kwara State, Nigeria: Is There Emergency Preparedness Plan

Abstract

Emergency preparedness plan is a written manual that identifies and provides detailed understanding of what to be done or put in place, assign who to do what and directactions on how to carry out certain responsibilities in an emergency like fire outbreak for peace and tranquility in secondary schools. This study examined emergency preparedness plan availability in public and private secondary schools in Kwara State, Nigeria towards effective management of fire emergency and risk reduction. The objectives were to assess emergency preparedness plan availability in secondary schools, and using Kendall’s w-statistics to justify the responses. Eighteen (18) public and private secondary schools were sampled throughmulti-stage sampling technique. From the sampled schools, 13 principals, 143 teachers and 557 students were randomly sampled. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The results were evaluated using frequency charts and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (w). The findings revealed that no secondary school has emergency preparedness plan. Results also showed that secondary schools do not have safety committee(s) that will oversee school safety affairs against fire and other disasters. Kendall’s analysis revealed a low (.131) degree of agreement amongst the respondents on emergency preparedness plan availability.The null hypothesis tested at  = .05 level of significance was rejected since  (i.e.) and P-value of .0228 < .05. Hence, the research hypothesis () was accepted.It was concluded that secondary schools in Kwara State have no fire or any disaster/emergency preparedness plan and are not safe in the event of fire occurrence. The study recommends that the State’s Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development in collaboration with State Fire Service Headquarters, State Emergency Management Agency, school principals’ representative and other stakeholders should develop an agreeable emergency preparedness plan (manual) for secondary schools in the statesubject to annual reviews and amendments.