Birmingham, AL – Alabama and Mississippi have been judged among the best states for planning to keep children safe during disasters.
A report by the group Save the Children says Alabama and Mississippi are two of 12 states to meet four standards for protecting children during disasters.
The group judged states on whether they had plans for evacuating children in child care, children with special needs and children in school, as well as reuniting children with their families.
Malissa Valdes, public information specialist for the Alabama Department of Education, says that in 1999, the governor directed principals to develop a plan outlining how their schools would react to an emergency on campus.
She says local school boards are required adopt safety plans for each school under their authority.
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