Pre- Ramble...
Gratefully acknowledging all sources referenced, readers are encouraged to download this PDF document in its original state at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) web site, click here. This version includes the original content with links to related documents and Internet resources. None of these links are original compositions, many infringing on copy right laws, all are assumed correct and written in the spirit of good intentions.
The approaches described in this guide are recommendations, not regulations. There are no reporting requirements, nor will following these principles ensure compliance with any Federal, State or local codes or regulations that may apply to your facility. There are many existing guidelines that can be adapted for your business, FEMA's Emergency Management Guide for Business & Industry (reformatted below) is one. If your company has an existing methodology in place, such as DRI's 7 Step Planning Model, this guide can act as a useful checklist or what I like to call a friendly audit.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GUIDE FOR
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO EMERGENCY PLANNING, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY FOR COMPANIES OF ALL SIZES
Sponsored by a Public-Private Partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Special thanks to the following organizations for supporting the development, promotion and distribution of the Emergency Management Guide for Business & Industry:
American
Red Cross
American
Insurance Association
Building
Owners and Managers Association International
Chemical
Manufacturers Association
Fertilizer
Institute
National
Association of Manufacturers
National
Commercial Builders Council of the National Association of Home Builders
National
Coordinating Council on Emergency Management
National
Emergency Management Association
National Industrial Council
- State Associations Group
New
Jersey Business & Industry Association
Pacific
Bell
Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency
The Emergency Management Guide for Business & Industry was produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and supported by a number of private companies and associations representing business and industry. The approaches described in this guide are recommendations, not regulations There are no reporting requirements, nor will following these principles ensure compliance with any Federal, State or local codes or regulations that may apply to your facility
FEMA is not a regulatory agency Specific regulatory issues should be addressed with the appropriate agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Prepared under FEMA Contract EMW-90-C-3348 by:
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Thomas Wahle Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart Washington, DC (202) 452-9419 |
Gregg Beatty Roy F Weston, Inc Rockville, Maryland (301) 646-6855 |
Editors Note - this document and many others are available at the FEMA web site.
A Disastrous Introduction:
Every year emergencies take their toll on business and industry -- in lives and dollars. But something can be done. Business and industry can limit injuries and damages and return more quickly to normal operations if they plan ahead.
2 More Disaster Statistics? Click here UPDATE: 11/10-2002, these numbers are out of date, pre-Sept-11, if you have updated numbers please send as an attachment.
This guide provides step-by-step advice on how to create and maintain a comprehensive emergency management program. It can be used by manufacturers, corporate offices, retailers, utilities or any organization where a sizable number of people work or gather.
To begin, you need not have in-depth knowledge of emergency management. What you need is the authority to create a plan and a commitment from the chief executive officer to make emergency management part of your corporate culture.
If you already have a plan, use this guide as a resource to assess and update your plan. The guide is organized as follows:
Section 1: Four Steps in the Planning Process -- How to form a planning team; how to conduct a vulnerability analysis; how to develop a plan, and how to implement the plan The information can be applied to virtually any type of business or industry.
Section 2: Emergency Management Considerations -- How to build such emergency management capabilities as life safety, property protection, communications and community outreach.
Section 3: Hazard-Specific Information -- Technical information about specific hazards your facility may face.
Section 4: Information Sources -- Where to turn for additional information.
What Is an Emergency?
An emergency is any unplanned event that can cause deaths or significant injuries to: employees, customers or the public, or that can shut down your business, disrupt operations, cause physical or environmental damage, or threaten the facility’s financial standing or public image. Obviously, numerous events can be "emergencies," including:
The term "disaster" has been left out of this document because it lends itself to a preconceived notion of a large-scale event, usually a "natural disaster". In fact, each event must be addressed within the context of the impact it has on the company and the community. What might constitute a nuisance to a large industrial facility could be a "disaster" to a small business.
Emergency management is the process of preparing for, mitigating, responding to and recovering from an emergency. Emergency management is a dynamic process. Planning though critical is not the only component. Training, conducting drills, testing equipment and coordinating activities with the community are other important functions.
Making the "Case" for Emergency Management:
To be successful, emergency management requires upper management support. The chief executive sets the tone by authorizing planning to take place and directing senior management to get involved.
When presenting the "case" for emergency management, avoid dwelling on the negative effects of an emergency (e.g., deaths, fines, and criminal prosecution) emphasize the positive aspects of preparedness. For example:
ESTABLISH A PLANNING TEAM
There must be an individual or group in charge of developing the emergency management plan. The following is guidance for making the appointment.
The size of the planning team will depend on the facility’s operations, requirements and resources. Involving a group of people is best because:
Determine who can be an active member and who can serve in an advisory capacity. In most cases, one or two people will be doing the bulk of the work. At the very least, you should obtain input from all functional (pending written permission) areas. Remember:
Active Members:
Have participants appointed in writing by upper management. Their job descriptions could reflect this assignment. Generic jobs descriptions include: Line Management, Labor Representative, Human Resources, Engineering, Legal, Purchasing/Contracts, Finance, Maintenance, Computer Data Maintenance, Safety & Health, Medical Security, Environmental Affairs, Public Relations, Public Information Officer, Emergency Manager, Fire & Police, and Other Response Organizations.
F1- - Here is One Example of a Planning Team
Demonstrate management’s commitment and promote an atmosphere of cooperation by "authorizing" the planning group to take the steps necessary to develop a plan. The chief executive or the plant manager should lead the group.
Establish a clear line of authority between group members and the group leader, though not so rigid as to prevent the free flow of ideas.
Step 3 - Establish a Schedule and Budget:
Establish a work schedule and planning deadlines. Timelines can be modified as priorities become more clearly defined.
Develop an initial budget for such things as research, printing, seminars, consulting services and other expenses that may be necessary during the development process.
Step 4 - Issue a Mission Statement:
Have the chief executive or plant manager issue a mission statement to demonstrate the company’s commitment to emergency management. The statement should:
2 DRJ - 10 Planning Pitfalls to Avoid Click here
STEP 2 - ANALYZE CAPABILITIES AND HAZARDS
This step entails gathering information about current capabilities and about possible hazards and emergencies and then conducting a vulnerability analysis to determine the facility’s capabilities for handling emergencies.
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Review Internal Plans and Policies
Documents to look for include:Meet with government agencies, community organizations and utilities. Ask about potential emergencies and about plans and available resources for responding to them.
While researching potential emergencies, one facility discovered that a dam, 50 miles away, posed a threat to its community. The facility was able to plan accordingly.
Identify Codes and Regulations
Identify applicable Federal, State and local regulations such as: Where State is applicable these links are for New York - last updated: December 31, 2001.
Identify Critical Products,
Services and Operations
You’ll need this information to assess the impact of potential emergencies and to determine the need for backup systems
Areas to review include:
One way to increase response capabilities is to identify employee skills (medical, engineering, communications, foreign language) that might be needed in an emergency
Identify Internal Resources and Capabilities
Resources and capabilities that could be needed in an emergency include:
Personnel -- fire department, hazardous materials response team, emergency medical services, security, emergency management group, evacuation team, public information officer
Equipment -- fire protection and suppression equipment, communications equipment, first aid supplies, emergency supplies, warning systems, emergency power equipment, decontamination equipment
Facilities -- emergency operating center, media briefing area, shelter areas, first-aid stations, sanitation facilities
Organizational capabilities -- training, evacuation plan, employee support system
Backup systems -- arrangements with other facilities to provide for:
There are many external resources that could be needed in an emergency In some cases, formal agreements may be necessary to define the facility’s relationship with the following:
Meet with insurance carriers to review all policies (See Section 2: Recovery and Restoration).
Conduct a Vulnerability Analysis:
The next step is to assess the vulnerability of your facility -- the probability and potential impact of each emergency. Use the Vulnerability Analysis Chart in the Appendix section to guide the process, which entails assigning probabilities, estimating impact and assessing resources, using a numerical system. The lower the score the better.
In the first column of the chart, list all emergencies that could affect your facility, including those identified by your local emergency management office. Consider both: Emergencies that could occur within your facility and Emergencies that could occur in your community.
In the probability column, rate the likelihood of each emergency’s occurrence. This is a subjective consideration, but useful none-the-less. Use a simple scale of 1 to 5 with 1 as the lowest probability and 5 as the highest. Below are some other factors to consider:
Historical -- What types of emergencies have occurred in the community, at this facility and at other facilities in the area?
Geographic -- What can happen as a result of the facility’s location? Keep in mind:
Technological -- What could result from a process or system failure? Possibilities include:
OnTrack, Check Stat...
Human Error -- What emergencies can be caused by employee error? Are employees trained to work safely? Do they know what to do in an emergency? Human error is the single largest cause of workplace emergencies and can result from:
OnTrack, Check Stats...
Physical -- What types of emergencies could result from the design or construction of the facility? Does the physical facility enhance safety? Consider:
Regulatory -- What emergencies or hazards are you regulated to deal with?
Analyze each potential emergency from beginning to end. Consider, what could happen as a result of:
2 Chart of Probability Statistics: Click here
Assess the Potential Human Impact:
Analyze the potential human impact of each emergency -- the possibility of death or injury Assign a rating in the Human Impact column of the Vulnerability Analysis Chart Use a 1 to 5 scale with 1 as the lowest impact and 5 as the highest.
Note, some of us have animals that are like children, or even depend on them for our livelyhood. From the farm, to the couch, see FEMA's Animals Emergencies Room for more information, Click here.
Assess the Potential Property Impact:
Consider the potential property for losses and damages Again, assign a rating in the Property Impact column, 1 being the lowest impact and 5 being the highest Consider:
A bank’s vulnerability analysis concluded that a "small" fire could be as catastrophic to the business as a computer system failure. The planning group discovered that bank employees did not know how to use fire extinguishers, and that the bank lacked any kind of evacuation or emergency response system.
Assess the Potential Business Impact:
Consider the potential loss of market share Assign a rating in the Business Impact column Again, 1 is the lowest impact and 5 is the highest Assess the impact of:
Assess Internal and External Resources:
Next assess your resources and ability to respond Assign a score to your Internal Resources and External Resources. The lower the score the better. To help you do this, consider each potential emergency from beginning to end and each resource that would be needed to respond For each emergency ask these questions:
If the answers are yes, move on to the next assessment If the answers are no, identify what can be done to correct the problem
Total the scores for each emergency. The lower the score the better. While this is a subjective rating, the comparisons will help determine planning and resource priorities -- the subject of the pages to follow.
For example, you may need to:
When assessing resources, remember that community emergency workers -- police, paramedics, fire fighters -- will focus their response where the need is greatest. Or they may be victims themselves and be unable to respond immediately. That means response to your facility may be delayed
2 DRJ - For more on conducting a Business Impact Assessment: Click here (pending written permission)
2 DRJ - Want clarification of a Risk Assessment Vs a BIA?: Click here (pending written permission)
You are now ready to develop an emergency management plan. This section describes how.
Your plan should include the following basic components:
Executive Summary -- The executive summary gives management a brief overview of:
Emergency Management Elements -- This section of the plan briefly describes the facility’s approach to the core elements of emergency management, which are:
These elements, which are described in detail in Section 2, are the foundation for the emergency procedures that your facility will follow to protect personnel and equipment and resume operations
Emergency Response Procedures -- The procedures spell out how the facility will respond to emergencies. Whenever possible, develop them as a series of checklists that can be quickly accessed by senior management, department heads, response personnel and employees. Determine what actions would be necessary to:
Specific procedures might be needed for any number of situations such as bomb threats or tornadoes, and for such functions as:
Support Documents -- Documents that could be needed in an emergency include:
Emergency call lists -- lists (wallet size if possible) of all persons on and off site who would be involved in responding to an emergency, their responsibilities and their 24- hour telephone numbers.
2 Chart - Call list by Teams, Click here.
Building and site maps -- that indicate:
Resource lists -- lists of major resources (equipment, supplies, services) that could be needed in an emergency; mutual aid agreements with other companies and government agencies
In an emergency, all personnel should know:
1. What is my role?
2. Where should I go?
Some facilities are required to develop:
The following is guidance for developing the plan:
1. Identify Challenges and Prioritize Activities
2. Determine specific goals and milestones
3. Make a list of tasks to be performed, by whom and when
4. Determine how you will address the problem areas and resource shortfalls that were identified in the vulnerability analysis
5. Write the Plan
6. Assign each member of the planning group a section to write
7. Determine the most appropriate format for each section
8. Establish an aggressive timeline with specific goals
9. Provide enough time for completion of work, but not so much as to allow assignments to linger
The following is guidance for developing the plan
Identify Challenges and Prioritize Activities:
Determine specific goals and milestones. Make a list of tasks to be performed, by whom and when. Determine how you will address the problem areas and resource shortfalls that were identified in the vulnerability analysis.
2 High-level Plan Components: Click here
Assign each member of the planning group a section to write. Determine the most appropriate format for each section. Establish an aggressive timeline with specific goals. Provide enough time for completion of work, but not so much as to allow assignments to linger. Establish a schedule for:
2 For more on Plan Maintenance: Click here (pending written permission)
Have one person or department responsible for developing a training schedule for your facility. For specific ideas about training, refer to Step 4
Coordinate with Outside Organizations
Meet periodically with local government agencies and community organizations
Inform appropriate government agencies that you are creating an emergency management plan. While their official approval may not be required, they will likely have valuable insights and information to offer.
Determine State and local requirements for reporting emergencies, and incorporate them into your procedures.
Determine protocols for turning control of a response over to outside agencies. Some details that may need to be worked out are:
Determine what kind of identification authorities will be required to allow your key personnel into your facility during an emergency.
Your emergency planning priorities may be influenced by government regulation. To remain in compliance you may be required to address specific emergency management functions that might otherwise be a lower priority activity for that given year.
Determine the needs of disabled persons and non-English-speaking personnel. For example, a blind employee could be assigned a partner in case an evacuation is necessary.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a disabled person as anyone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as seeing, hearing, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself or working.
Communicate with other offices and divisions in your company to learn:
Incorporate this information into your procedures.
Review, Conduct Training and Revise
Distribute the first draft to group members for review. Revise as needed. For a second review, conduct a tabletop exercise with management and personnel who have a key emergency management responsibility. In a conference room setting, describe an emergency scenario and have participants discuss their responsibilities and how they would react to the situation.
Based on this discussion, identify areas of confusion and overlap, and modify the plan accordingly.
Consolidate emergency plans for better coordination. Stand-alone plans, such as a Spill Prevention Control and Counter measures (SPCC) plan, fire protection plan or safety and health plan, should be incorporated into one comprehensive plan.
Arrange a briefing for the chief executive officer and senior management and obtain written approval.
Place the final plan in three-ring binders and number all copies and pages. Each individual who receives a copy should be required to sign for it and be responsible for posting subsequent changes.
Determine which sections of the plan would be appropriate to show to government agencies (some sections may refer to corporate secrets or include private listings of names, telephone numbers or radio frequencies).
Distribute the final plan to:
Implementation means more than simply exercising the plan during an emergency It means acting on recommendations made during the vulnerability analysis, integrating the plan into company operations, training employees and evaluating the plan.
Emergency planning must become part of the corporate culture:
Look for opportunities to build awareness; to educate and train personnel; to test procedures; to involve all levels of management, all departments and the community in the planning process; and to make emergency management part of what personnel do on a day-to-day basis.
Test how completely the plan has been integrated by asking:
2 For more on Plan Validation? Click here (pending written permission)
Everyone who works at or visits the facility requires some form of training This could include periodic employee discussion sessions to review procedures, technical training in equipment use for emergency responders, evacuation drills and full-scale exercises Below are basic considerations for developing a training plan.
Assign responsibility for developing a training plan Consider the training and information needs for employees, contractors, visitors, managers and those with an emergency response role identified in the plan.
Determine for a 12-month period:
Use the Training Drills and Exercises Chart to schedule training activities. Consider how to involve community responders in training activities. Conduct reviews after each training activity. Involve both personnel and community responders in the evaluation process.
Training Activities -- Training can take many forms
Orientation and Education Sessions -- These are regularly scheduled discussion sessions to provide information, answer questions and identify needs and concerns.
Tabletop Exercise -- Members of the emergency management group meet in a conference room setting to discuss their responsibilities and how they would react to emergency scenarios. This is a cost-effective and efficient way to identify areas of overlap and confusion before conducting more demanding training activities.
Walk-through Drill -- The emergency management group and response teams actually perform their emergency response functions. This activity generally involves more people and is more thorough than a tabletop exercise.
Functional Drills -- These drills test specific functions such as medical response, emergency notifications, warning and communications procedures and equipment, though not necessarily at the same time Personnel are asked to evaluate the systems and identify problem areas.
Evacuation Drill -- Personnel walk the evacuation route to a designated area where procedures for accounting for all personnel are tested. Participants are asked to make notes as they go along of what might become a hazard during an emergency, e.g., stairways cluttered with debris, smoke in the hallways. Plans are modified accordingly.
Full-scale Exercise -- A real-life emergency situation is simulated as closely as possible. This exercise involves company emergency response personnel, employees, management and community response organizations.
Employee Training -- General training for all employees should address:
The scenarios developed during the vulnerability analysis can serve as the basis for training events.
OSHA training requirements are a minimum standard for many facilities that have a fire department, hazardous materials team, rescue team or emergency medical response team.
Conduct a formal audit of the entire plan at least once a year Among the issues to consider are:
In addition to a yearly audit, evaluate and modify the plan at these times:
SECTION TWO - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
This section describes the core operational considerations of emergency management. They are:
Someone must be in charge in an emergency. The system for managing resources, analyzing information and making decisions in an emergency is called direction and control.
The direction and control system described below assumes a facility of sufficient size. Your facility may require a less sophisticated system, though the principles described here will still apply.
The configuration of your system will depend on many factors. Larger industries may have their own fire team, emergency medical technicians or hazardous materials team, while smaller organizations may need to rely on mutual aid agreements. They may also be able to consolidate positions or combine responsibilities. Tenants of office buildings or industrial parks may be part of an emergency management program for the entire facility.
Emergency Management Group (EMG):
The EMG is the team responsible for the big picture. It controls all incident-related activities. The Incident Commander (IC) oversees the technical aspects of the response. The EMG supports the IC by allocating resources and by interfacing with the community, the media, outside response organizations and regulatory agencies.
The EMG is headed by the Emergency Director (ED), who should be the facility manager. The ED is in command and control of all aspects of the emergency. Other EMG members should be senior managers who have the authority to:
The relationship between the EMG and the IC is shown below
Incident Command System (ICS):
The ICS was developed specifically for the fire service, but its principles can be applied to all emergencies. The ICS provides for coordinated response and a
clear chain of command and safe operations.
The Incident Commander (IC) is responsible for frontline management of the incident, for tactical planning and execution, for determining whether outside assistance is needed and for relaying requests for internal resources or outside assistance through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
The IC can be any employee, but a member of management with the authority to make decisions is usually the best choice. The IC must have the capability and authority to:
Emergency Operations Center (EOC):
The EOC serves as a centralized management center for emergency operations. Here, decisions are made by the EMG based upon information provided by the IC and other personnel. Regardless of size or process, every facility should designate an area where decision-makers can gather during an emergency.
The EOC should be located in an area of the facility not likely to be involved in an incident, perhaps the security department, the manager’s office, a conference room or the training center. An alternate EOC should be designated in the event that the primary location is not usable.
Each facility must determine its requirements for an EOC based upon the functions to be per-formed and the number of people involved. Ideally, the EOC is a dedicated area equipped with communications equipment, reference materials, activity logs and all the tools necessary to respond quickly and appropriately to an emergency.
EOC Resources:
In a hazardous materials accident, an off-site medic was exposed to the spilled material and required hospitalization. It was determined that the person was able to enter the hazardous area unprotected because no one among a host of managers and facility responders was "in charge" at the scene.
To develop a direction and control system:
Isolation of the incident scene must begin when the emergency is discovered. If possible, the discoverer should attempt to secure the scene and control access, but no one should be placed in physical danger to perform these functions. Basic security measures include:
Only trained personnel should be allowed to perform advanced security measures. Access to the facility, the EOC and the incident scene should be limited to persons directly involved in the response.
Coordination of Outside Response:
In some cases, laws, codes, prior agreements or the very nature of the emergency require the IC to turn operations over to an outside response organization.
When this happens, the protocols established between the facility and outside response organizations are implemented. The facility’s IC provides the community’s IC a complete report on the situation.
The facility IC keeps track of which organizations are on-site and how the response is being coordinated. This helps increase personnel safety and accountability, and prevents duplication of effort.
Keep detailed logs of actions taken during an emergency. Describe what happened, decisions made and any deviations from policy. Log the time for each event.
Communications are essential to any business operation. A communications failure can be a disaster in itself, cutting off vital business activities. Communications are needed to report emergencies, to warn personnel of the danger, to keep families and off-duty employees informed about what’s happening at the facility to coordinate response actions and to keep in contact with customers and suppliers.
Plan for all possible contingencies from a temporary or short-term disruption to a total communications failure.
Consider the functions your facility might need to perform in an emergency and the communications systems needed to support them.
Consider Communications Between:
Methods of communication include:
In an emergency, personnel will need to know whether their families are okay. Taking care of one’s loved ones is always a first priority. Make plans for communicating with employees’ families in an emergency. Also, encourage employees to:
Establish procedures for employees to report an emergency. Inform employees of procedures. Train personnel assigned specific notification tasks.
Post emergency telephone numbers near each telephone, on employee bulletin boards and in other prominent locations.
Maintain an updated list of addresses and telephone and pager numbers of key emergency response personnel (from within and outside the facility).
Listen for tornado, hurricane and other severe weather warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
Determine government agencies’ notification requirements in advance. Notification must be made immediately to local government agencies when an emergency has the potential to affect public health and safety.
Prepare announcements that could be made over public address systems.
Establish a system for warning personnel of an emergency. The system should:
Make plans for warning persons with disabilities. For instance, a flashing strobe light can be used to warn hearing-impaired people. Familiarize personnel with procedures for responding when the warning system is activated.
Establish procedures for warning customers, contractors, visitors and others who may not be familiar with the facility’s warning system.
Test your facility’s warning system at least monthly.
Test communications often. A research firm discovered in a drill that its two-way radio system did not work, limiting communications between the Emergency Operating Center (EOC) and the Incident Commander (IC) to a single telephone line. The Emergency Management Group had failed to provide a backup radio for the EOC. Fortunately, this was discovered during training.
Test alarm systems monthly. One company conducted its first test of a sophisticated alarm system 21 years after the system was installed. Rather than alarm bells,
the system played Christmas music.
Protecting the health and safety of everyone in the facility is the first priority during an emergency. FUNCTION
One common means of protection is evacuation. In the case of fire, an immediate evacuation to a predetermined area away from the facility may be necessary. In a
hurricane, evacuation could involve the entire community and take place over a period of days. To develop an evacuation policy and procedure:
Designate primary and secondary evacuation routes and exits. Have them clearly marked and well lit. Post signs. Install emergency lighting in case a power outage occurs during an evacuation. Ensure that evacuation routes and emergency exits are:
Have evacuation routes evaluated by someone not in your organization!
Consider how you would access important personal information about employees (home phone, next-of-kin, medical) in an emergency. Storing information on computer disks or in sealed envelopes are two options.
Assembly Areas and Accountability:
In some emergencies, the best means of protection is to take shelter either within the facility or away from the facility in a public building.
Train employees in evacuation, shelter and other safety procedures. Conduct sessions at least annually or when:
Consider ways to help employees prepare their families for emergencies. This will increase their personal safety and help the facility get back up and running. Those who are prepared at home will be better able to carry out their responsibilities at work.
Search and rescue, should be conducted only by properly trained and equipped professionals. Death or serious injury can occur when untrained employees reenter a damaged or contaminated facility.
A gas explosion and fire in a nursing home caused the evacuation of all patients, most of whom were disabled. Because the staff had trained for this scenario, all patients were evacuated safely.
Protecting facilities, equipment and vital records is essential to restoring operations once an emergency has occurred. FUNCTION
Planning Considerations Establish procedures for:
Identify sources of backup equipment, parts and supplies. Designate personnel to authorize, supervise and perform a facility shutdown. Train them to recognize when to abandon the effort.
Obtain materials to carry out protection procedures and keep them on hand for use only in emergencies.
Determine needs for systems to detect abnormal situations, provide warning and protect property. Consider:
Consult your property insurer about special protective systems.
Consider ways to reduce the effects of emergencies, such as moving or constructing facilities away from flood plains and fault zones. Also consider ways to reduce the chances of emergencies from occurring, such as changing processes or materials used to run the business. Consider physical retrofitting measures such as:
There are also non-structural mitigation measures to consider, including:
Consult a structural engineer or architect and your community’s building and zoning offices for additional information.
Facility shutdown is generally a last resort but always a possibility. Improper or disorganized shutdown can result in confusion, injury and property damage.
Some facilities require only simple actions such as turning off equipment, locking doors and activating alarms. Others require complex shutdown procedures. Work with department heads to establish shutdown procedures. Include information about when and how to shut off utilities. Identify:
Train personnel in shutdown procedures. Post procedures.
Vital records may include:
Preserving vital records is essential to the quick restoration of operations.
Analyzing vital records involves:
1. Classifying operations into functional categories, e.g., finance, production, sales, administration
2. Determining essential functions for keeping the business up and running, such as finance, production, sales, etc.
3. Identifying the minimum information that must be readily accessible to perform essential functions, e.g., maintaining customer collections may require access to account statements.
4. Identifying the records that contain the essential information and where they are located.
5. Identifying the equipment and materials needed to access and use the information.
Next, establish procedures for protecting and accessing vital records. Among the many approaches to consider are:
2 See Risk Techniques: Records
Your facility’s relationship with the community will influence your ability to protect personnel and property and return to normal operations. This section describes ways to involve outside organizations in the emergency management plan.
Maintain a dialogue with community leaders, first responders, government agencies, community organizations and utilities, including:
Have regular meetings with community emergency personnel to review emergency plans and procedures. Talk about what you’re doing to prepare for and prevent emergencies. Explain your concern for the community’s welfare.
Identify ways your facility could help the community in a community - wide emergency. Look for common interests and concerns. Identify opportunities for sharing resources and information.
Conduct confidence-building activities such as facility tours. Do a facility walk-through with community response groups. Involve community fire, police and emergency management personnel in drills and exercises.
Meet with your neighbors to determine how you could assist each other in an emergency.
To avoid confusion and conflict in an emergency, establish mutual aid agreements with local response agencies and businesses.
These agreements should:
Include these agencies in facility training exercises whenever possible.
Mutual aid agreements can address any number of activities or resources that might be needed in an emergency. For example:
In community-wide emergencies, business and industry are often needed to assist the community with:
While there is no way to predict what demands will be placed on your company’s resources, give some thought to how the community’s needs might influence your corporate responsibilities in an emergency. Also, consider the opportunities for community service before an emergency occurs.
When site emergencies expand beyond the facility, the community will want to know the nature of the incident, whether the public’s safety or health is in danger, what is being done to resolve the problem and what was done to prevent the situation from happening.
Determine the audiences that may be affected by an emergency and identify their information needs. Include:
The community wants to know:
In an emergency, the media are the most important link to the public. Try to develop and maintain positive relations with media outlets in your area. Determine their particular needs and interests.
Explain your plan for protecting personnel and preventing emergencies. Determine how you would communicate important public information through the media in an emergency.
When providing information to the media during an emergency:
Do’s
Don’ts
Press releases about facility generated emergencies should describe who is involved in the incident and what happened, including when, where, why and how.
Business recovery and restoration, or business resumption, goes right to a facility’s bottom line: keeping people employed and the business running.
Consider making contractual arrangements with vendors for such post-emergency services as records preservation, equipment repair, earthmoving or engineering.
Meet with your insurance carriers to discuss your property and business resumptions policies (see the next page for guidelines).
Determine critical operations and make plans for bringing those systems back on-line. The process may entail:
Take photographs or videotape the facility to document company assets. Update these records regularly.
You can assume that not every key person will be readily available or physically at the facility after an emergency. Ensure that recovery decisions can be made without undue delay. Consult your legal department regarding laws and corporate bylaws governing continuity of management.
Establish procedures for:
Include these considerations in all exercise scenarios.
Most companies discover that they are not properly insured only after they have suffered a loss. Lack of appropriate insurance can be financially devastating. Discuss the following topics with your insurance advisor to determine your individual needs.
Since employees who will rely on you for support after an emergency are your most valuable asset, consider the range of services that you could provide or arrange for, including:
After a site emergency, assess the impact of the event on business neighbors and the community and take appropriate action. How you handle this issue will have long-lasting consequences.
Immediately after an emergency, take steps to resume operations.
Maintain complete and accurate records at all times to ensure a more efficient emergency response and recovery. Certain records may also be required by regulation or by your insurance carriers or prove invaluable in the case of legal action after an incident.
Administrative actions prior to an emergency include:
Administrative actions during and after an emergency include:
Before an emergency, logistics may entail:
During an emergency, logistics may entail the provision of:
Emergency funding can be critical immediately following an emergency. Consider the need for pre-approved purchase requisitions and whether special funding authorities may be necessary.
SECTION THREE - HAZARD-SPECIFIC INFORMATION
This section provides information about some of the most common hazards:
Fire is the most common of all the hazards. Every year fires cause thousands of deaths and injuries and billions of dollars in property damage.
Planning Considerations:
Consider the following when developing your plan:
Option 1 -- Immediate evacuation of all personnel on alarm
Option 2 -- All personnel are trained in fire extinguisher use. Personnel in the immediate area of a fire attempt to control it. If they cannot, the fire alarm is sounded and all personnel evacuate.
Option 3 -- Only designated personnel are trained in fire extinguisher use.
Option 4 -- A fire team is trained to fight incipient-stage fires that can be controlled without protective equipment or breathing apparatus. Beyond this level fire, the team evacuates.
Option 5 -- A fire team is trained and equipped to fight structural fires using protective equipment and breathing apparatus.
Hazardous materials are substances that are either flammable or combustible, explosive, toxic, noxious, corrosive, oxidizable, an irritant or radioactive.
A hazardous material spill or release can pose a risk to life, health or property. An incident can result in the evacuation of a few people, a section of a facility or an entire neighborhood.
There are a number of Federal laws that regulate hazardous materials, including the:
Title III of SARA regulates the packaging, labeling, handling, storage and transportation of hazardous materials. The law requires facilities to furnish information about the quantities and health effects of materials used at the facility, and to promptly notify local and State officials whenever a significant release of hazardous materials occurs.
In addition to on-site hazards, you should be aware of the potential for an off-site incident affecting your operations. You should also be aware of hazardous materials used in facility processes and in the construction of the physical plant.
Detailed definitions as well as lists of hazardous materials can be obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Planning Considerations:
Consider the following when developing your plan:
Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters. Most communities in the United States can experience some degree of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms or winter snow thaws.
Most floods develop slowly over a period of days. Flash floods, however, are like walls of water that develop in a matter of minutes.
Flash floods can be caused by intense storms or dam failure.
Planning Considerations:
Consider the following when preparing for floods:
Flood Watch -- Flooding is possible. Stay tuned to NOAA radio. Be prepared to evacuate. Tune to local radio and television stations for additional information.
Flood Warning -- Flooding is already occurring or will occur soon. Take precautions at once. Be prepared to go to higher ground. If advised, evacuate immediately.
1. Permanent -- flood proofing measures are taken before a flood occurs and require no human intervention when flood waters rise. They include:
2. Contingent -- flood proofing measures are also taken before a flood but require some additional action when flooding occurs. These measures include:
3. Emergency -- flood proofing measures are generally less expensive than those listed above, though they require substantial advance warning and do not satisfy the minimum requirements for watertight flood-proofing as set forth by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). They include:
Participate in community flood control projects
Hurricanes are severe tropical storms with sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or greater. Hurricane winds can reach 160 miles per hour and extend inland for hundreds of miles.
Hurricanes bring torrential rains and a storm surge of ocean water that crashes into land as the storm approaches. Hurricanes also spawn tornadoes.
Hurricane advisories are issued by the National Weather Service as soon as a hurricane appears to be a threat. The hurricane season lasts from June through November.
Planning Considerations:
The following are considerations when preparing for hurricanes:
Hurricane Watch -- A hurricane is possible within 24 to 36 hours. Stay tuned for additional advisories. Tune to local radio and television stations for additional information. An evacuation may be necessary.
Hurricane Warning -- A hurricane will hit land within 24 hours. Take precautions at once. If advised, evacuate immediately.
- Portable pumps to remove flood water
- Alternate power sources such as generators or gasoline powered pumps
- Battery powered emergency lighting
Tornadoes are incredibly violent local storms that extend to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 mph. HAZARDS
Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can uproot trees and buildings and turn harmless objects into deadly missiles in a matter of seconds. Damage
paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long.
Tornadoes can occur in any state but occur more frequently in the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest. They occur with little or no warning.
Planning Considerations:
The following are considerations when planning for tornadoes:
Tornado Watch -- Tornadoes are likely. Be ready to take shelter. Stay tuned to radio and television stations for additional information.
Tornado Warning -- A tornado has been sighted in the area or is indicated by radar. Take shelter immediately.
Note: Auditoriums, cafeterias and gymnasiums that are covered with a flat, wide span roof are not considered safe.
• Make plans for evacuating personnel away from lightweight modular offices or mobile home-size buildings. These structures offer no protection from tornadoes.
• Conduct tornado drills.
• Once in the shelter, personnel should protect their heads with their arms and crouch down.
Severe winter storms bring heavy snow, ice, strong winds and freezing rain. Winter storms can prevent employees and customers from reaching the facility, leading to a temporary shutdown until roads are cleared. Heavy snow and ice can also cause structural damage and power outages.
Planning Considerations:
Following are considerations for preparing for winter storms:
Winter Storm Watch -- Severe winter weather is possible.
Winter Storm Warning -- Severe winter weather is expected.
Blizzard Warning -- Severe winter weather with sustained winds of at least 35 mph is expected.
Traveler’s Advisory -- Severe winter conditions may make driving difficult or dangerous.
Earthquakes occur most frequently west of the Rocky Mountains, although historically the most violent earthquakes have occurred in the central United States. Earthquakes occur suddenly and without warning.
Earthquakes can seriously damage buildings and their contents; disrupt gas, electric and telephone services; and trigger landslides, avalanches, flash floods, fires and huge ocean waves called tsunamis.
Aftershocks can occur for weeks following an earthquake. In many buildings, the greatest danger to people in an earthquake is when equipment and non-structural elements such as ceilings, partitions, windows and lighting fixtures shake loose.
Planning Considerations:
Following are guidelines for preparing for earthquakes:
- Move large and heavy objects to lower shelves or the floor. Hang heavy items away from where people work.
- Secure shelves, filing cabinets, tall furniture, desktop equipment, computers, printers, copiers and light fixtures.
- Secure fixed equipment and heavy machinery to the floor. Larger equipment can be placed on casters and attached to tethers, which attach to the wall.
- Add bracing to suspended ceilings, if necessary.
- Install safety glass where appropriate.
- Secure large utility and process piping.
Conduct earthquake drills. Provide personnel with the following safety information:
Technological emergencies include any interruption or loss of a utility service, power source, life support system, information system or equipment needed to keep the business in operation.
Planning Considerations:
The following are suggestions for planning for technological emergencies:
Identify all critical operations, including:
SECTION FOUR - INFORMATION SOURCES
This section provides information sources:
READY-TO-PRINT BROCHURE MECHANICALS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEE SAFETY PROGRAM. You can provide your employees and customers with life-saving information from FEMA and the American Red Cross. Available at no charge is ready-to-print artwork for a series of brochures on disaster preparedness and family safety.
Select any of the brochures below, and you’ll receive camera-ready materials, printing instructions and ideas for adding your own logo or sponsor message.
Write to: Camera-ready Requests, Community & Family Preparedness Program, 500 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20472.
FEMA Headquarters
Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C
Street, SW, Washington, DC
20472, (202)646-2500.
FEMA Regional Offices
Region 1: Boston (617)223-9540
Region 2: New York (212)225-7209
Region 3: Philadelphia (215)931-5500
Region 4: Atlanta (404)853-4200
Region 5: Chicago (312)408-5500
Region 6: Denton, TX (817)898-5104
Region 7: Kansas City, MO (816)283-7061
Region 8: Denver (303)235-1813
Region 9: San Francisco (415)923-7100
Region 10: Bothell, WA (206)487-4604
State Emergency Management Agencies (FEMA region numbers are in parentheses.)
Alabama (4)
Alabama Emergency Management
Agency
5898 S. County Rd.41 Drawer 2160
Clanton, AL 35045-5160
(205)280-2201
Alaska (10)
Department of Military &
Veteran Affairs
P.O. Box 5750
Camp Denali, AK 99595-5750
(907)428-7000
Arizona (9)
Arizona Division of Emergency
Services
National Guard Bldg.
5636 E. McDowell Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(602)231-6245
Arkansas (6)
Office of Emergency Services
P.O. Box 758
Conway, AR 72032
(501)321-5601
California (9)
Office of Emergency Services
2800 Meadowview Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95823
(916)262-1816
Colorado (8)
Colorado Office of Emergency
Management
Camp George West
Golden, CO 80401
(303)273-1622
Connecticut (1)
Connecticut Office of Emergency
Management
360 Broad St.
Hartford, CT 06105
(203)566-3180
Delaware (3)
Division of Emergency Planning
and Operations
P.O. Box 527
Delaware City, DE 19706
(302) 326-6000
District of Columbia (3)
Office of Emergency Preparedness
200 14th St., NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20009
(202)727-3159
Florida (4)
Division of Emergency
Management
2555 Shumar Oak Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100
(904)413-9969
Georgia (4)
Georgia Emergency Management
Agency
P.O. Box 18055
Atlanta, GA 30316-0055
(404)635-7001
Hawaii (9)
State Civil Defense
3949 Diamond Head Rd.
Honolulu, HI 96816-4495
(808)733-4300
Idaho (10)
Bureau of Disaster Services
650 W. State St.
Boise, ID 83720
(208)334-2336
Illinois (5)
Illinois Emergency Management
Agency
110 E. Adams St.
Springfield, IL 62706
(217)782-2700
Indiana (5)
Indiana Emergency Management
Agency
State Office Bldg., Room E-208
302 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317)232-3980
Iowa (7)
Iowa Emergency Management
Division
Hoover State Office Bldg.
Level A, Room 29
Des Moines, IA 50319
(515)281-3231
Kansas (7)
Division of Emergency Preparedness
2800 S.W. Topeka Blvd
Topeka , KS 66611 - 1401
(913)274-1401
Kentucky (4)
Kentucky Disaster and Emergency
Services
100 Minutemen Pkwy
Frankfort, KY 40601-6168
(502)564-8682
Louisiana (6)
Office of Emergency Preparedness
Department of Public Safety
LAMilitary Dept.
P.O. Box 44217
Capitol Station
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
(504)342-5470
Maine (1)
Maine Emergency Management
Agency
72 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0072
(207)287-4080
Maryland (3)
Maryland Emergency
Management and Civil Defense
Agency
Two Sudbrook Ln., East
Pikesville, MD 21208
(410)486-4422
Massachusetts (1)
Massachusetts Emergency
Management Agency
P.O. Box 1496
Framingham, MA 01701-0317
(508)820-2000
Michigan (5)
Emergency Management Division
Michigan State Police
300 S. Washington Sq.
Suite 300
Lansing, MI 48913
(517)366-6198
Minnesota (5)
Division of Emergency Services
Department of Public Safety
State Capitol, B-5
St. Paul, MN 55155
(612)296-0450
Mississippi (4)
Mississippi Emergency
Management Agency
P.O. Box 4501, Fondren Station
Jackson, MS 39296
(601)352-9100
Missouri (7)
State Emergency Management
Agency
P.O. Box 116
Jefferson City, MO 65102
(573)526-9101
Montana (8)
Emergency Management
Specialist
Disaster and Emergency Services
P.O. Box 4789
Helena, MT 59604-4789
(406)444-6911
Nebraska (7)
Nebraska Civil Defense Agency
National Guard Center
1300 Military Road
Lincoln, NE 68508-1090
(402)471-7410
Nevada (9)
Nevada Division of Emergency
Services
2525 S. Carson St.
Carson City, NV 89710
(702) 687-4240
New Hampshire (1)
Governor’s Office of Emergency
Management
State Office Park South
107 Pleasant St.
Concord, NH 03301-3809
(603)271-2231
New Jersey (2)
Office of Emergency Management
P.O. Box 7068
W. Trenton, NJ 08628-0068
(609)538-6050
New Mexico (6)
Emergency Planning and
Coordination
Department of Public Safety
4491 Cerrillos Rd.
P.O. Box 1628
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1628
(505)827-9222
New York (2)
State Emergency Management
Office
Bldg. #22, Suite 101
Albany, NY 12226-2251
(518)457-2222
North Carolina (4)
Division of Emergency
Management
116 West Jones St.
Raleigh, NC 27603-1335
(919)733-5406
North Dakota (8)
North Dakota Division of
Emergency Management
P.O. Box 5511
Bismarck, ND 58502-5511
(701) 328-3300
Ohio (5)
Ohio Emergency Management
Agency
2825 W. Dublin Granville Rd.
Columbus, OH 43235-2206
(614)889-7150
Oklahoma (6)
Oklahoma Civil Defense
P.O. Box 53365
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3365
(405)521-2481
Oregon (10)
Emergency Management Division
Oregon State Executive
Department
595 Cottage St., NE
Salem, OR 97310
(503)378-2911
Pennsylvania (3)
Pennsylvania Emergency
Management Agency
P.O. Box 3321
Harrisburg, PA 17105-3321
(717) 651-2007
Puerto Rico (2)
State Civil Defense
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
P.O. Box 5127
San Juan, PR 00906
(809)724-0124
Rhode Island (1)
Rhode Island Emergency
Management Agency
675 New London Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920
(401) 946-9996
South Carolina (4)
South Carolina Emergency
Management Division
1429 Senate St., Rutledge Bldg.
Columbia, SC 29201-3782
(803)734-8020
South Dakota (8)
Division of Emergency and
Disaster Services
State Capitol, 500 East Capitol
Pierre, SD 57501
(605)773-3231
Tennessee (4)
Tennessee Emergency
Management Agency
3041 Sidco Dr. P.O. 41502
Nashville, TN 37204-1502
(615)741-6528
Texas (6)
Division of Emergency
Management
P.O. Box 4087
Austin, TX 78773-0001
(512)424-2000
Utah (8)
Division of Comprehensive
Emergency Management
Sate Office Bldg., Room 1110
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
(801)538-3400
Vermont (1)
Vermont Emergency Management Agency
Dept. of Public Safety
Waterbury State Complex
103 S. Main St.
Waterbury, VT 05671-2101
(802)244-8271
Virgin Islands (2)
Territorial Emergency Management Agency
A & Q Building # 2c Estate Content
St Thomas, VI 00820
(809)773-2244
Virginia (3)
Department of Emergency
Services
P.O. Box 40955
Richmond, VA 23225-6491
(804)674-2497
Washington (10)
Division of Emergency
Management
4220 E. Martin Way, MS-PT 11
Olympia, WA 98504-0955
(360) 923-4505
West Virginia (3)
West Virginia Office of
Emergency Services
State Capitol Complex
Room EB80
Charleston, WV 25305-0360
(304)558-5380
Wisconsin (5)
Division of Emergency
Government
2400 Wright St. P.O. Box 7865
Madison, WI 53707
(608) 242-3232
Wyoming (8)
Wyoming Emergency
Management Agency
P.O. Box 1709
Cheyenne, WY 82003
(307)777-7566