The purpose of the qualitative narrative inquiry was to re-story the lived experiences of emergency preparedness of public elementary schoolteachers during the COVID-19 pandemic to drive change within the field of education to increase elementary schoolteachers' preparedness for implementing emergency plans. The problem is the unexpected and immediate global shutdown affected the perception of emergency preparedness for public elementary schoolteachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, failing to provide adequate support to adapt the curriculum to a change in learning modalities and socio-emotional well-being. The study provided valuable insights for policymakers and administrators, suggesting potential revisions to current emergency preparedness plans. Three research questions guided the study, exploring participants' perspectives and experiences. The research involved 11 certified public elementary schoolteachers from various public elementary schools across Arizona. The data analysis utilized an inductive, iterative coding process, identifying four key themes: lack of support from administration, colleague relationships, school culture, and massive shift in education. The themes shed light on educators' challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating insufficient preparedness to transition online. The study highlighted the absence of actionable emergency preparedness plans, limited technology proficiency, and inadequate socio-emotional support as hurdles for educators. Recommendations for school districts include revising emergency preparedness plans for future pandemic, offer trainings for technology and online learning strategies, and creating a culture of inclusion. Educator preparation programs recommendations include lesson plan development and delivery for online learning, online field observations, and content on crisis management. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]