Promoting Emergency and Disaster Management Preparedness Awareness in Schools and Communities in Nigeria Through Safety Education

Abstract

Emergencies and disasters are regarded as occurrences of great magnitude that is catastrophic in nature with serious impacts on schools and communities. Since disasters are destructive in nature, there is need for increased awareness on emergency and disaster management preparedness. A successful disaster response depends on the availability of emergency and disaster preparedness at all levels, hence, the need for safety education for the promotion of emergency and disaster management preparedness awareness in schools and communities. This paper examined the meaning of emergency, and disaster, types and causes of disaster, emergency and disaster management/preparedness and the role of schools in it. It also analysed the concept of safety education, its goals and objectives as well as its avenues and facilitators. It was recommended among other things that emergency and disaster management preparedness awareness be created in communities and safety education be included in the school’s curricular.