By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) are crucial for large organizations, but tens or hundreds of pages in a binder can be difficult to navigate. The USD 428 Board of Education voted Monday night to utilize the My EOP app that would streamline important district policies and information to employees' phones. Great Bend's Director of Teaching and Learning JoAnn Blevins said it makes accessing important information more practical.
"As a building leader, just being able to have it there no matter if on the playground or the bus, no matter where I'm at, I have access to it," she said. "It's not convenient to carry around a 100-page manual and flip to it but your phone is there."
The app can include basic contact information for staff, buildings, and emergency services. Assistant Superintendent John Popp said specific district policies for situations like accidents, active-shooters, utility accidents, and severe weather can be accessed with the swipe of a finger.
"Our Emergency Operations Plan is just short of 100 pages long, so yeah, to go find where the gas leak policy is, you can just pull up and pop it right here," he said.
In the event of something like a bomb threat, staff could fill out a form with descriptions like what type of bomb was mentioned and characteristics of the caller's voice while on another line.
The board agreed to pay $6,500 for the initial setup and first year of service. With unlimited staff access, the app will cost $3,500 for continued access and updates each subsequent year.