MODULE 5

MODULE 5
DISASTER PREVENTION & MITIGATION

DISASTER

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is an occurrence disrupting the normal conditions of existence and causing a level of suffering that exceeds the capacity of adjustment of the affected community.

DISASTER

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DISASTER

For the United Nations, it is a severe disruption of the functioning of an organization or society, which involves widespread human, material, economic or environmental impacts that exceed the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its resources.

DISASTER

As the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (FIRCREST) said, disaster occurs when a hazard impacts vulnerable people.

DISASTER

The combination of threats, vulnerability, and inability to reduce the potential negative consequences of risk results in disaster.

DISASTER PREVENTION

This involves activities and measures taken to prevent the occurrence of disasters or to reduce their likelihood. It focuses on identifying risks and vulnerabilities and implementing actions to eliminate or minimize them. Prevention strategies often include:

• Risk assessment and analysis: Identifying potential hazards and evaluating their potential impact.

• Infrastructure development: Building resilient infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, or hurricanes.

DISASTER PREVENTION

• Land use planning: Zoning and land use regulations to prevent construction in high-risk areas.

• Early warning systems: Implementing systems to detect and alert people to potential disasters, such as tsunamis or severe weather events.

• Public awareness and education: Educating communities about potential risks and how to prepare for and mitigate them

DISASTER MITIGATION

Mitigation involves actions taken to reduce or minimize the impacts of disasters that cannot be entirely prevented. This includes both structural and non-structural measures aimed at lessening the severity of disasters and their consequences. Mitigation strategies include:

• Retrofitting existing infrastructure: Strengthening buildings, bridges, and other structures to better withstand disasters.

• Environmental management: Protecting natural ecosystems, such as wetlands or forests, which can act as natural buffers against disasters like floods or landslides.

DISASTER MITIGATION

• Emergency preparedness planning: Developing comprehensive plans for responding to disasters, including evacuation routes, shelter locations, and emergency communication systems.

• Community resilience building: Strengthening community capacity to cope with and recover from disasters through social support networks, community organizing, and local resource mobilization.

• Insurance and financial mechanisms: Providing financial incentives for individuals and businesses to invest in disaster-resistant measures, as well as ensuring access to financial resources for recovery efforts.

RATIONALE FOR DISASTER PREVENTION AND LOSS CONTROL

DEFINITIONS

Rationale

• an explanation of controlling principles of opinion, belief, practice, or phenomena

• an underlying reason

DEFINITIONS

Vulnerability

• can be defined as the diminished capacity of an individual or group to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of a natural or man-made hazard

DEFINITIONS

Capacity

• refers to all the strengths, attributes, and resources available within a community, organization, or society to manage and reduce disaster risks and strengthen resilience.

Types of Disasters

According to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, natural disasters are naturally occurring physical phenomena caused by either rapid or slow onset events that have immediate impacts on human health and secondary effects that result in additional death and suffering. The following are examples of disasters:

​A. Natural Disasters

• Geophysical (e.g., Earthquakes, Landslides, Tsunamis, and Volcanic Activity)

• Hydrological (e.g., Avalanches and Floods)

• Climatological (e.g., Extreme Temperatures, Drought and Wildfires)

• Meteorological (e.g., Cyclones and Storms/Wave Surges)

• Biological (e.g., Disease Epidemics and Insect/Animal Plagues)

​A. Natural Disasters

• The United Nations Office classifies natural disasters for Disaster Risk Reduction based on their magnitude or severity, speed of onset, length, and area of impact.

• For example, earthquakes have a short duration and generally affect a small area. On the other hand, droughts take a long time to grow and fade away, affecting vast regions.

​A. Natural Disasters

• Man-Made Disasters, as defined by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, are human-caused events that occur in or near human communities, often as a result of environmental or technological disasters. These includes:

B. Man-Made Disasters

• Environmental Degradation

• Pollution

• Accidents (e.g., Industrial, Technological and Transport usually involving the production, use, or transport of hazardous materials)

B. Man-Made Disasters

• Complex emergencies refer to humanitarian crises characterized by a combination of political, economic, social, and environmental factors that lead to widespread instability and suffering. These crises often involve multiple intertwined issues, such as armed conflict, displacement of populations, food insecurity, economic collapse, and breakdown of essential services like healthcare and education.

C. Complex Emergencies

• Some disasters can result from multiple hazards or, more often, to a complex combination of natural and man-made causes, including a break-down of authority, looting, and attacks on strategic installations, including conflict situations and war. These can include:

  • Food Insecurity

  • Epidemics

  • Armed Conflicts

  • Displaced Populations

C. Complex Emergencies

• According to ICRC, these Complex Emergencies are typically characterized by:

  • Extensive Violence

  • Displacements of Populations

  • Loss of Life

  • Widespread Damage to both Societies and Economies

  • Need for Large-scale, Humanitarian Assistance across Multiple Agencies

  • Political and Military Constraints which impact or prevent Humanitarian Assistance

  • Increased Security Risks for Humanitarian Relief Workers

C. Complex Emergencies

Pandemic (from Greek pan "all" and demos "people") is an epidemic of infectious disease that has spread across a large region, which can occur to the human population or animal population and may affect health and disrupt services leading to economic and social costs.

D. Pandemic Emergencies

It may be an unusual or unexpected increase in the number of cases of an infectious disease that already exists in a specific region or population or can also refer to the appearance of a significant number of cases of an infectious disease in an area or population that is usually free from that disease. Pandemic Emergencies may occur because of natural or man-made disasters. These have included the following epidemics:

D. Pandemic Emergencies

• Ebola

• Zika

• Avian Flu

• Cholera

• Dengue Fever

• Malaria

• Yellow Fever

• Coronavirus Disease

D. Pandemic Emergencies

The IFRCRCS (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies) defines disaster management as the organization and management of resources and responsibilities for dealing with humanitarian aspects of emergencies, particularly preparedness, response, and recovery, to lessen the impact of disasters.

Aspects of Disaster Management

Aspects of Disaster Management

Disaster management

• deals with the human, material, economic or environmental impacts of the said disaster.

• It is the process of how we “prepare for, respond to, and learn from the effects of major failures." Though often caused by nature, disasters can have human origins.

Disaster management

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION & MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK IN THE PHILIPPINES (VIDEO)

ACRONYMS

• UNISDR – United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

• WCPT – World Confederation for Physical Therapy

• IFRCRCS – International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

• ICRC – International Committee of the Red Cross

• HYGO FRAMEWORK - The Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) is a global agreement aimed at reducing disaster risks and building resilience to disasters. It was adopted by United Nations member states in 2005 during the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Hyogo, Japan, hence the name "Hyogo Framework."

Disaster Prevention

• "the outright avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters."

Disaster Prevention

• UNISDR views Disaster Prevention as the concept of engaging in activities that intend to prevent or avoid potential adverse impacts through action taken in advance, activities designed to protect from the occurrence of disasters.

• WCPT similarly highlight that while not all disasters can be prevented, good risk management, evacuation plans, environmental planning, and design standards can reduce risk of loss of life and injury mitigation.

Disaster Prevention

• The HYOGO Framework was one such Global Plan for Natural Disaster Risk Reduction, which was adopted in 2005 as a 10-year Global Plan, signed by agreement with 168 Governments which offered to guide principles, priorities for action, and practical means for achieving disaster resilience for vulnerable communities.

Disaster Preparedness

"The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, professional response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely, imminent or current hazard events or conditions"

Disaster Preparedness

• According to ICRC, Disaster Preparedness refers to measures taken to prepare for and reduce the effects of disasters, be they natural or man-made.

• This is achieved through research and planning to predict areas or regions that may be at risk of disaster and, where possible, prevent these from occurring and/or reduce the impact of those disasters on the vulnerable populations that may be affected to cope effectively.

Disaster Preparedness

• Disaster preparedness activities embedded with risk reduction measures can prevent disaster situations and save maximum lives and livelihoods during any disaster situation, enabling the affected population to get back to normalcy within a short time.

• Minimization of loss of life and property damage through the facilitation of effective disaster response and rehabilitation services when required. Preparedness is the primary way of reducing the impact of disasters.

• Community-based preparedness and management should be a high priority

Disaster Response/Relief

"The provision of emergency services and public assistance during or immediately after a disaster to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people affected"

Disaster Response/Relief

The primary goals of disaster response/relief are the rescue from imminent danger and the rehabilitation of survivors' physical and emotional conditions, which go hand in hand with the recovery of the dead and the restoration of vital services such as water and electricity.

Disaster Response/Relief

The coordinated multi-agency response is vital to this stage of Disaster Management to reduce the impact of a disaster and its long-term results with relief activities including:

• Rescue

• Relocation

• Provision Food and Water

• Provision Emergency Health Care

• Prevention of Disease and Disability

• Repairing Vital Services, e.g., Telecommunications, Transport

• Provision Temporary Shelter

Disaster Recovery

The vulnerability of communities often continues for long after the initial crisis is over. Disaster Recovery refers to those programs which go beyond the provision of immediate relief to assist those who have suffered the full impact of a disaster and include the following activities:

• Rebuilding Infrastructure, e.g., Homes, Schools, Hospitals, Roads

• Health Care and Rehabilitation

• Development Activities, e.g., building human resources for health.

• Development Policies and Practices to avoid or mitigate similar situations in future

Mitigation Vs. Prevention

• Mitigation and Prevention are used as synonyms. Some prefer to drop the term Mitigation and use only Prevention.

• Mitigation means reducing the severity of the human and material damage caused by the disaster.

• Prevention is to ensure that human action or natural phenomena do not result in disaster or emergency

Loss Control

• refers to a set of proactive measures and strategies implemented to prevent or minimize the occurrence and impact of various types of losses, including accidents, injuries, illnesses, and property damage. These measures are typically undertaken by individuals, organizations, or institutions to protect themselves, their assets, and their stakeholders from harm and financial loss.

Loss Control

• Loss control is the preventive steps taken to avoid or minimize loss from accidents, injuries, illnesses, and property damage.

• The aim of loss control is to reduce the number and severity of losses.

• Human resource management, engineering, and risk management techniques all play a role in loss control.

• Loss of control of every company is accomplished by the commitments of all employees. It places a strong emphasis on safety policies and activities, as well as preparation and monitoring.

Loss Control

• The following are examples of loss control systems:

  • Implementation of loss control policy

  • Assignment of duties and responsibilities

  • Review of claims data

  • Audits and inspections

  • Accident reporting and investigation

  • Communications Development and review of emergency and contingency plans

Loss Control

• Loss control provides the following benefits:

  • Minimizes losses of equipment and property while protecting assets

  • Minimize frequency and severity of accidents

  • Reduces expenditures of insurance claims

  • Minimizes interruptions of services provided to the public

  • Provides a safe environment for employees

  • Provides resistance against claims of negligence

Six Principles of Loss Prevention

1. Prevention,

2. Awareness,

3. Compliance,

4. Detection,

5. Investigation

6. Resolution

Six Principles of Loss Prevention

1. Prevention: This principle emphasizes the importance of taking proactive measures to prevent losses from occurring in the first place. Prevention involves identifying potential risks and implementing controls and safeguards to minimize the likelihood of incidents and mitigate their impact. By addressing risks at their source, organizations can reduce the frequency and severity of losses.

Six Principles of Loss Prevention

2. Awareness: Awareness refers to promoting a culture of safety and risk awareness throughout the organization. This involves educating employees about potential hazards, safety procedures, and the importance of adhering to risk management protocols. By increasing awareness, organizations empower employees to recognize and address risks proactively, contributing to a safer work environment.

Six Principles of Loss Prevention

3. Compliance: Compliance involves adhering to relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards related to safety, security, and risk management. Organizations must ensure that their operations and practices comply with legal requirements and industry best practices to minimize legal and regulatory risks. Compliance efforts may include conducting regular audits, maintaining documentation, and implementing corrective actions as needed.

Six Principles of Loss Prevention

4. Detection: Detection focuses on identifying and monitoring potential risks and incidents as they occur. This involves implementing monitoring systems, such as surveillance cameras, sensors, and alarm systems, to detect signs of potential threats or hazards. Early detection allows organizations to respond promptly and mitigate the impact of incidents before they escalate into larger losses.

Six Principles of Loss Prevention

5. Investigation: Investigation involves conducting thorough inquiries into incidents and losses to determine their root causes and contributing factors. This includes gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and analyzing data to understand what happened and why. By investigating incidents, organizations can identify areas for improvement, implement corrective actions, and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Six Principles of Loss Prevention

6. Resolution: Resolution focuses on taking appropriate actions to address incidents and losses effectively. This may involve implementing corrective measures to prevent recurrence, providing compensation or restitution to affected parties, and restoring operations or services to normal. By resolving incidents promptly and effectively, organizations demonstrate their commitment to safety and risk management, fostering trust and confidence among stakeholders.

PLANNING
FOR EMERGENCIES

According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary

“Emergency is a sudden serious and dangerous event or situation which needs immediate action to deal with it.”

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) defined emergencies as:

“as life-threatening situations which put people at risk of death or severe deterioration in their health status or living conditions, and which have the potential to outstrip the normal coping capacity of the individual, family, community and state support systems.”

A state of emergency, as defined by the World Health Organization:

“A "state of emergency" demands to "be declared" or imposed by somebody in authority, who, at a certain moment, will also lift it. Thus, it is usually defined in time and space, it requires threshold values to be recognized, and it implies rules of engagement and an exit strategy. Conceptually, it relates best to Response.”

Why have an Emergency Plan?

• As emergencies often occurred as “sudden” and “dangerous," having a definite plan to deal with such events is an essential element for the programs relating to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S).

• The planning process can reveal flaws such as a lack of resources (equipment, trained personnel, supplies) or items that can be addressed before an emergency arises.

Why have an Emergency Plan?

• Furthermore, an emergency plan raises safety awareness and demonstrates the company's dedication to employee safety.

• The lack of an emergency plan could result in catastrophic losses, such as multiple fatalities and the organization's financial failure.

• Preparation is needed since emergencies can occur. In an emergency, the need for quick decisions, a lack of time, and a lack of resources and qualified staff can all contribute to confusion

What is the objective of the plan?

• An emergency plan lays out plans for dealing with sudden or unexpected events. The aim is to be ready to:

  • Prevent deaths and injuries from occurring.

  • Reduce the amount of damage to houses, inventory, and equipment.

  • Protect the environment and the people in your neighborhood.

  • Resumption of regular activities should be accelerated

The development of the plan begins with a vulnerability assessment. The results of the study will show:

• How likely is a situation to occur?

• What means are available to stop or prevent the situation.

• What is necessary for a given situation.

From this analysis, appropriate emergency procedures can be established.

• The relevant individuals or organizations must be invited to participate in the planning stage. Members of the team can include:

  • employees with knowledge of the work

  • supervisor of the area or work

  • safety officer

  • health and safety committee

  • union representative, if applicable

  • employees with experience in investigations

  • "outside" experts

  • a representative from local government, police, fire, or ambulance

• Other organizations should be consulted when necessary, particularly if your organization's strategy calls for the use of outside services such as fire, police, or ambulance. In some cases, one organization can collaborate with neighboring organizations to form joint response teams.

• In all situations, communication, training, and periodic drills will help ensure the plan is executed well.
  
  

Note: Other jurisdictions can have authority in certain cases, such as when a serious accident or death occurs. Your company should develop, incorporate, and maintain a protocol for coordinating incident management with the appropriate authorities (e.g., police, OH&S inspectors, etc.). This coordination may include the authority taking control of the incident scene.

What is a vulnerability assessment?

• Although emergencies are sudden events, their occurrence can be predicted with some degree of certainty. The first step is to identify which hazards pose a threat to your organization.

• Since major emergencies are rare events, records of past incidents and occupational experience are not the only source of valuable information. Knowledge of technological (chemical or physical) and natural hazards can be broadened by consulting with similar organizations, fire departments, insurance companies, engineering consultants, and government departments.

Technological and Natural Hazards

• Examples of technological hazards are:

  • Fire.

  • Explosion.

  • Building collapse.

  • Major structural failure.

  • Spills.

  • Unintentional release of products.

  • The deliberate release of products (e.g., hazardous biological agents or toxic chemicals).

  • Other terrorist activities.

Technological and Natural Hazards

• Examples of technological hazards are:

  • Exposure to ionizing radiation.

  • Loss of electrical power.

  • Loss of water supply.

  • Loss of communications.

  • Areas where flammables, explosives, or chemicals are used or stored, should be considered as the most likely place for a technological hazard emergency to occur.

The risk from natural hazards include:

• Floods.

• Earthquakes.

• Tornadoes.

• Severe windstorms.

• Snow or ice storms.

• Severe extremes in temperature (cold or hot).

• Pandemic diseases like influenza.

Series of events/decisions that should be considered?

• Having identified the hazards, the possible significant impacts of each should be itemized, such as:

  • Sequential events (for example, a fire after an explosion).

  • Evacuation.

  • Casualties.

  • Damage to plant infrastructure.

  • Loss of vital records/documents.

  • Damage to equipment.

  • Disruption of work.

Series of events/decisions that should be considered?

• Based on these events, the required actions are determined. For example:

  • Declare emergency.

  • Sound the alert.

  • Evacuate danger zone.

  • Close main shut offs.

  • Call for external aid.

  • Initiate rescue operations.

  • Attend to casualties.

  • Fight fire.

• Also, consider what resources are required and their location, such as:

  • Medical supplies.

  • Auxiliary communication equipment.

  • Power generators.

  • Respirators.

  • Chemical and radiation detection equipment.

  • Mobile equipment.

  • Emergency protective clothing.

  • Firefighting equipment.

  • Ambulance.

  • Rescue equipment.

  • Trained personnel

Elements of an Emergency Plan

• The emergency plan includes:

  • All possible emergencies, consequences, required actions, written procedures, and the resources available.

  • Detailed lists of emergency response personnel, including their cell phone numbers, alternate contact details, and their duties and responsibilities.

  • Floor plans.

  • Large scale maps showing evacuation routes and service conduits (such as gas and water lines).

• Since a sizable document will likely result, the plan should provide staff members with separate written instructions about their emergency response duties.

• The following are examples of the parts of an emergency plan. These elements may not cover every situation in every workplace but serve as a general guideline when writing a workplace-specific plan:

• A. Objective

  • The goal is to summarize the plan's intent, which is to minimize human injury and property and environmental damage in the event of an emergency.

  • It also identifies the employees who will oversee putting the plan into effect. Since the traditional chain of command cannot always be available on short notice, the purpose specifically specifies who these staff members are. At least one of them must be always on the site when the premises are occupied. The extent of the authority of this person must be indicated.

• B. Organization

  • One individual should be appointed and trained to act as an Emergency Coordinator and a "backup" coordinator. However, personnel on-site during an emergency is key in ensuring that prompt and efficient action is taken to minimize loss.

  • In certain situations, off-duty personnel might be called in to assist, but the most important decisions must be made immediately.

  • Specific duties, responsibilities, authority, and resources must be clearly defined.

• Among the responsibilities that must be assigned are:

  • Reporting the emergency.

  • Activating the emergency plan.

  • Assuming overall command.

  • Establishing communication.

  • Providing medical aid.

  • Alerting staff.

  • Ordering response, including evacuation.

  • Alerting external agencies, as necessary.

  • Confirming evacuation is complete.

• • Alerting outside population of possible risk, as necessary.

  • Requesting external aid.

  • Coordinating activities of various groups.

  • Advising relatives of casualties.

  • Providing medical aid.

  • Ensuring emergency shut offs are closed.

  • Sounding the all-clear.

  • Advising media.

• The previously established summary of responses for each emergency should be used to complete this list of responsibilities. There must be enough alternates for each responsible role to ensure that someone with authority is always on-site.

• External organizations that may be available to assist (with varying response times) include:

  • Fire departments.

  • Mobile rescue squads.

  • Ambulance services.

  • Police departments.

  • Telephone companies.

  • Hospitals.

  • Utility companies.

  • Industrial neighbors.

  • Government agencies.

• These groups should be consulted early in the planning process to address their respective positions in the event of an emergency.

• To avoid conflicting responsibilities, pre-planned coordination is needed. For example, the police, fire department, ambulance service, rescue squad, company fire brigade, and the first aid team may be on the scene simultaneously.

• A pre-determined chain of command in such a situation is required to avoid organizational difficulties. Under certain circumstances, an outside agency may assume command.

• All personnel with alerting or reporting responsibilities must be provided with a current list of cell phone numbers and addresses of those they may have to contact.

• C. Procedures
  Many factors determine what procedures are needed in an emergency, such as:

  • Nature of emergency.

  • Degree of emergency.

  • Size of organization.

  • Capabilities of the organization in an emergency.

  • Immediacy of outside aid.

  • Physical layout of the premises.
    
    

• Natural hazards, such as floods or severe storms, often provide a warning. The plan should take advantage of such warnings with, for example, instructions on sandbagging, removal of equipment to needed locations, providing alternate sources of power, light or water, extra equipment, and relocation of personnel with unique skills.

• The evacuation order is of most significant importance in alerting staff. To avoid confusion, only one type of signal should be used for the evacuation order. Commonly used for this purpose are sirens, fire bells, whistles, flashing lights, paging system announcements, or word-of-mouth in noisy environments.

The following are "musts":

• Identify evacuation routes, alternate means of escape; make these known to all staff; keep the routes unobstructed.

• Specify safe locations for staff to gather for headcounts to ensure that everyone has left the danger zone. Assign individuals to assist employees with disabilities.

• Carry out treatment of the injured and search for the missing simultaneously with efforts to contain the emergency.

• Provide alternate sources of medical aid when normal facilities may be in the danger zone.

• Ensure all staff (and/or the general public) safety first, then deal with the fire or other situation.

• D. Testing and Revision

  • Completing a comprehensive plan for handling emergencies is a significant step toward preventing disasters. However, it is difficult to predict all the problems that may happen unless the program is tested.

  • Exercises and drills may be conducted to practice all or critical portions (such as evacuation) of the plan. After each exercise, drill, or after an actual emergency, a thorough and immediate review will point out areas that require improvement.

  • Knowledge of individual responsibilities can be evaluated through paper tests or interviews.

• The plan should be revised when shortcomings have become known and should be reviewed at least annually. Changes in plant infrastructure, processes, materials used, and key personnel are occasions for updating the plan.

• It should be stressed that provision must be made to train both individuals and teams if they are expected to perform adequately in an emergency. An annual full-scale exercise will help in maintaining a high level of proficiency.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES

• When developing an emergency response plan, the first step is to conduct a risk assessment to identify potential emergency scenarios. Understanding what can happen will enable you to determine resource requirements and develop plans and procedures to prepare your business. The emergency plan should be consistent with your performance objectives.

• At the very least, every facility should develop and implement an emergency plan for protecting employees, visitors, contractors, and anyone else in the facility.

• This part of the emergency plan is called "protective actions for life safety" and includes building evacuation ("fire drills"), sheltering from severe weather such as tornadoes, "shelter-in-place" from an exterior airborne hazard such as a chemical release and lockdown.

• Lockdown is protective action when faced with an act of violence.

• When an emergency occurs, the priority is always life safety.

• The second priority is the stabilization of the incident. Many actions can be taken to stabilize an incident and minimize potential damage.

• First aid and CPR by trained employees can save lives.

• The use of fire extinguishers by trained employees can extinguish a small fire.

• Containment of a small chemical spill and supervision of building utilities and systems can minimize damage to a building and help prevent environmental damage.

• Some severe weather events can be forecast hours before they arrive, providing valuable time to protect a facility. A plan should be established, and resources should be on hand or quickly available to prepare a facility. The plan should also include a process for damage assessment, salvage, protection of undamaged property, and cleanup following an incident. These actions to minimize further damage and business disruption are examples of property conservation.

• Protective actions for life safety include:

  • Evacuation

  • Sheltering

  • Shelter-In-Place

  • Lockdown

• Your emergency plan should include these protective actions if you are a tenant in a multi-tenanted building, coordinate planning with the building manager.

• 1. Evacuation

  • Prompt evacuation of employees requires a warning system that can be heard throughout the building. Test your fire alarm system to determine if all employees can hear it. If there is no fire alarm system, use a public address system, air horns, or other means to warn everyone to evacuate.

  • Sound the evacuation signal during planned drills, so employees are familiar with the sound.

  • Make sure that there are always sufficient exits available.

• Evacuation

  • Check to see that there are at least two exits from hazardous areas on every building floor. Building or fire codes may require more exits for larger buildings.

  • Walk around the building and verify that exits are marked with exit signs, and there is sufficient lighting so people can safely travel to an exit. If you find anything that blocks an exit, have it removed.

  • Enter every stairwell, walk down the stairs, and open the exit door to the outside. Continue walking until you reach a safe place away from the building. Consider using this safe area as an assembly area for evacuees.

• Appoint an evacuation team leader and assign employees to direct the evacuation of the building.

• Assign at least one person to each floor to act as a "floor warden" to direct employees to the nearest safe exit. Assign a backup if the floor warden is not available or if the floor size is enormous.

• Ask employees if they would need any special assistance evacuating or moving to shelter.

• Assign a "buddy" or aide to assist persons with disabilities during an emergency. Contact the fire department to develop a plan to evacuate persons with disabilities.

• Have a list of employees and maintain a visitor log at the front desk, reception area, or main office area. Assign someone to take the lists to the assembly area when the building is evacuated. Use the lists to account for everyone and inform the fire department whether everyone has been accounted for.

• When employees are evacuated from a building, OSHA regulations require an accounting to ensure that everyone has gotten out safely. A fire, chemical spill, or other hazards may block an exit, so ensure the evacuation team can direct employees to an alternate safe exit.

2. Sheltering

• Sheltering refers to the practice of seeking refuge or protection in a designated location to avoid exposure to external hazards or threats. This may include seeking shelter indoors or in designated safe areas during severe weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, or wildfires.

• Sheltering can also be implemented in response to other types of emergencies, such as chemical spills, industrial accidents, or acts of violence, where individuals may need to seek refuge in a secure location to avoid exposure to hazardous substances or dangerous situations.

• The primary goal of sheltering is to provide a safe haven for individuals to protect themselves from immediate threats until it is safe to evacuate or until emergency responders can provide assistance.

3. Shelter-In-Place

• Shelter in place is a specific type of sheltering strategy that involves staying indoors and taking immediate protective actions to seal off the indoor environment from external threats or hazards. This may include sealing windows and doors, turning off ventilation systems, and avoiding external air intake to minimize exposure to airborne contaminants or hazards.

• Shelter in place is commonly implemented in response to emergencies such as chemical releases, radiological incidents, or security threats, where the safest course of action is to remain indoors and create a barrier between individuals and the external environment.

• Shelter in place procedures are often communicated through emergency alerts or public announcements, providing instructions on how to secure indoor spaces and protect oneself from potential harm until the situation is resolved or further instructions are provided.

4. Lockdown

• is a term commonly used to describe a situation where people are required to stay in a specific location and restrict their movement, typically in response to a threat or emergency situation. Lockdowns can be implemented for various reasons, including:

  • Security Threats: Lockdowns may be initiated in response to security threats such as active shooters, armed assailants, or other violent incidents. During a security lockdown, people are instructed to seek shelter indoors, secure doors and windows, and avoid areas of potential danger until the threat is mitigated or neutralized

• • Public Safety Emergencies: Lockdowns may also be implemented during public safety emergencies, such as natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires), hazardous material spills, or severe weather events. In these situations, people may be instructed to seek shelter indoors or take protective actions to minimize exposure to external hazards.

  • Health Emergencies: Lockdowns can also be implemented during health emergencies, such as disease outbreaks (e.g., pandemics) or public health crises. During a health-related lockdown, people may be required to stay at home, avoid non-essential travel, and practice social distancing to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.

Incident Stabilization

• Incident stabilization" refers to the process of bringing an emergency situation under control and preventing it from escalating further.

• Stabilizing an emergency may involve many various actions, including firefighting, administering medical treatment, rescue, containing a spill of hazardous chemicals, or handling a threat or act of violence. When you dial 9-1-1, you expect professionals to respond to your facility. Depending upon the response time and capabilities of public emergency services and the hazards and resources within your facility, you may choose to do more to prepare for these incidents.

• Regulations may require you to act before emergency services arrive.

Developing the Emergency Plan

• Understanding what might happen is the first step in creating an emergency plan. Review your risk assessment. Consider the program's success goals and how much time and effort you want to devote to preparation beyond what is needed by law.

• Assess what tools are needed to help with the incident's stabilization.

• Consider both internal and external personnel, such as municipal emergency services and contractors. Fire departments, which can also provide rescue, hazardous materials, and emergency medical services, are examples of public emergency services.

• Make a list of available tools. Check to see if external resources have the details they'll need to deal with an emergency. If not, figure out what information is required and make sure to include it in your plan.

Warning, Notifications, and Communications

• Plans should define each hazard's most appropriate protective action to ensure employees' safety and others within the building. Determine if you'll warn building occupants to take safety precautions. Develop guidelines and procedures for notifying first responders, such as public safety, qualified personnel, and management.

• Establish a plan for communicating with management and staff during and during an emergency.

Roles and Responsibilities for Building Owners and Facility Managers

• Assign personnel to monitor entry to the emergency scene to keep people away from potentially dangerous areas. The positions and functions of controls for building utility, life safety, and security systems should be familiar to others.

• These systems include ventilation, electrical, water, sanitary systems; emergency power supplies; detection, alarm, communication, warning systems; fire suppression systems; pollution control and containment systems; and security and surveillance systems.

• Personnel should be assigned to operate or supervise these systems as directed by public emergency services if they are on-site.

Site and Facility Plans and Information

• Public emergency services have limited knowledge about your facility and its hazards. Therefore, it is essential to document information about your facility. That information is vital to ensure emergency responders can safely stabilize an incident that may occur. Documentation of building systems may also prove valuable when a utility system fails—such as when a water pipe breaks, and no one knows how to shut off the water.

• Compile a site plan as well as floor plans for each house. Entry routes, parking areas, structures on the premises, building exits, emergency equipment positions, and controls for building service and security systems should all be shown on the plans. Emergency personnel should have access to operating instructions for all devices and equipment.

• Provide a copy of the plan available to the public emergency services that will respond to your facility, as well as those in charge of building management and security. Store the plan with other emergency planning information such as chemical Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), required by Hazard Communication or "right to know" regulations.

Training and Exercises

• Employees should be trained on identification, alarm, communications, alert, and security systems. Review plans with employees to ensure that they understand their roles and can carry out their duties.

• Conduct evacuation, sheltering, shelter-in-place, and lockdown exercises so that staff can hear the warning sound and know what to do in the event of an emergency.

• Facilitate exercises to practice the plan, familiarize personnel with the plan, and identify gaps or deficiencies in the plan.

10 Steps for Developing the Emergency Response Plan

1. Review performance objectives for the program.

2. Review hazard or threat scenarios identified during the risk assessment.

3. Assess the availability and capabilities of resources for incident stabilization, including people, systems, and equipment available within your business and from external sources.

4. Talk with public emergency services (e.g., fire, police, and emergency medical services) to determine their response time to your facility, knowledge of your facility and its hazards, and their capabilities to stabilize an emergency at your facility.

5. Determine if there are any regulations about emergency planning at your facility; address applicable regulations in the plan.

10 Steps for Developing the Emergency Response Plan

6. Develop protective actions for life safety (evacuation, shelter, shelter-in-place, lockdown).

7. Develop hazard and threat-specific emergency procedures using the Emergency Response Plan Template for Businesses.

8. To stabilize incidents involving the hazards at your facility, coordinate emergency plans with public emergency services.

9. Personnel should be trained to perform their duties and obligations.

10. Facilitate exercises to put your strategy into motion.

Hazards to Consider When Developing the Emergency Plan

1. Natural hazards
1.1 Geological hazards

o Earthquake

o Tsunami

o Volcano

o Landslide, mudslide, subsidence

1.2 Meteorological Hazards

o Flood, flash flood, tidal surge.

o Water control structure/dam/levee failure

o Drought

o Snow, ice, hail, sleet, arctic freeze

o Windstorm, tropical cyclone, hurricane, tornado, dust storm

o Extreme temperatures (heat, cold)

o Lightning strikes (wildland fire following)

1.3 Biological hazards

o Foodborne illnesses

o Pandemic/Infectious/contagious disease (Avian flu, H1N1, etc.)

2. Human-caused events

2.1 Accidental

o Hazardous material spill or release

o Nuclear power plant incident (if located in proximity to a nuclear power plant)

o Explosion/Fire

o Transportation accident

o Building/structure collapse

o Entrapment and or rescue (machinery, confined space, high angle, water)

1.3 Biological hazards

o Foodborne illnesses

o Pandemic/Infectious/contagious disease (Avian flu, H1N1, etc.)

2. Human-caused events

2.1 Accidental

o Hazardous material spill or release

o Nuclear power plant incident (if located in proximity to a nuclear power plant)

o Explosion/Fire

o Transportation accident

o Building/structure collapse

o Entrapment and or rescue (machinery, confined space, high angle, water)

o Transportation Incidents (motor vehicle, railroad, watercraft, aircraft, pipeline)

2.2 Intentional

o Robbery

o Lost person, child abduction, kidnap, extortion, hostage incident, workplace violence.

o Demonstrations, civil disturbance

o Bomb threat, a suspicious package

o Terrorism

3. Technology caused events

• Utility interruption or failure (telecommunications, electrical power, water, gas, steam, HVAC, pollution control system, sewerage system, other critical infrastructure)

• Cybersecurity (data corruption/theft, loss of electronic data interchange or eCommerce, loss of domain name server, spyware/malware, vulnerability exploitation/botnets/hacking, denial of service)

Property Conservation
Preventing damage before a forecasted disaster, such as a severe storm, is possible. Following a storm, fast damage assessment and cleanup operations will limit further damage and business disruption. These activities are referred to as "land protection," and they are an integral part of the emergency preparedness strategy. The following advice is aimed primarily at building owners and facility managers. However, tenants should also develop a plan in coordination with building owners and managers, and public authorities.