How do you prepare 1,400 students for a real emergency without creating unnecessary fear?

For Jennie Bruneman and the West Sonoma County Union High School District, the answer is not simply more drills. It's building a culture where students, staff, and parents understand what's happening, what their role is, and how to respond with confidence.

In this episode of When Minutes Matter, host Carolena Enayati sits down with Jennie Bruneman, Director of Facilities, Bond and Technology, to explore how her district transformed its approach to emergency preparedness.

They discuss:

• Why the district rebuilt its emergency response plan from the ground up
• How five clear emergency categories help reduce confusion and unnecessary fear
• Why the district drills monthly even though California requires quarterly drills
• How teachers, administrators, students, and parents are brought into the preparedness process
• What it takes to conduct a full-scale emergency exercise with 1,400 students
• How tabletop exercises and clearly defined roles prepare staff before a crisis
• Why communication with parents is critical when information can spread instantly through students' phones
• How post-drill feedback helps identify gaps and continuously improve the response plan

Jennie also explains why preparedness cannot simply become a priority after a tragedy. With new students entering every year, training and communication have to remain an ongoing part of the culture.

If you're a safety director, school administrator, facilities leader, educator, or emergency preparedness professional responsible for keeping a community safe, this conversation offers a practical look at what preparedness looks like when it moves beyond the plan and into everyday practice.

#SchoolSafety #EmergencyPreparedness #SafetyLeadership #CrisisManagement