Emergency Management Essentials

“There are no secrets to success. It is
the result of preparation, hard work,
and learning from failure”
General Colin Powell
Emergency Management

 A comprehensive understanding on the steps
necessary to respond to and manage an emergency

 When an emergency occurs:
 Immediate action is imperative to protect life,
property and the environment.
 How you act in the initial stages will determine the
final outcome.
 An Emergency Management Plan is necessary to
prepare all staff members on the proper actions to
take during an emergency.

 Vehicle Accident
 Fire
 Gas Leak
 Hazardous/Chemical Spill
 Trespasser or intruder
 Burglary
 Act of Violence, Domestic,
Assault, Work Place Violence
 Missing person, kidnapping,
hostage
 Suspicious person, vehicle,
incident or package
 Bomb threat
 Burglary
 Natural Disaster (hurricane,
tornado, thunderstorm)
 Power outage

 Your organization or community should have an Emergency
Action Plan or Comprehensive Emergency Plan that gives
thorough written instructions for emergency situations.
 An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is a written document
required by particular OSHA standards [29 CFR 1910.38(a)].
 The purpose of an EAP is to facilitate and organize employer
and employee actions during workplace emergencies. It
covers all potential emergency situations and contingencies.
Emergency management

 Your organization or community should have a system in place
to identify and emergency:
 Local News
 Alarm or Alert System
 Phone Call
 Cell Phone Alerts or Apps

 The initial assessment of the emergency determines:
 Type
 Location
 Safety Hazards
 9-1-1 Notification

 Your organization or community should have a system or
procedure to notify your employees, residents, members.
 Emergency Alert System
 Email Blast
 Phone Calls
 9-1-1 Notification
 Door to Door
The level of emergency determines the method of notification

 When establishing response procedures:
 Work closely with local law enforcement and fire department in
developing your procedures
 Consider Safety First!
 Establish an organizational chart
 Train staff
The type of emergency determines the level of response

 When managing the scene, consider the following:
 Protection of life and safety of responders
 Protection of evidence
 Positioning of vehicles
 Traffic Control
 Proper tools and equipment
 Establish an evacuation area
 Ensure parking for all responding emergency vehicles
 Prepare a briefing for management and the community

 The following guidelines should be taken into account when
establishing an evacuation:
• Conditions under which an evacuation may be necessary
• A clear chain of command and the person assigned for the
responsibility of ordering an evacuation or shutdown
• Specific evacuations including routes and exits
• Procedures for assisting all visitors, employees, and persons
with disabilities
• A means of accounting for all personnel after the evacuation
• Designation of what, if any, employees will remain after the
evacuation alarm to shut down critical operations or perform
other duties before evacuating

 Once the scene is cleared by the Police or Fire Department, it is
important to return to normal activity. This is a gradual process,
but safety must remain a priority. Equipment, resources,
personnel and expense is all determined by the classification of
the emergency

 Before implementing your Emergency Action Plan, it is
important to familiarize and train staff on the procedures
 Include local law enforcement and fire department

 Bomb threats are not common.
 Most are pranks or false alarms.
 However, anything that can explode can kill people and destroy
property, so all bomb threats need to be taken seriously.
Do not take chances. Never ignore a threat.

 Gives a sense of power
 Angry about something
 To cause fear
 Political Agenda
 Terrorist motivation

 Threats are occasionally received through the mail, most
arrive by telephone.
 Post orders should include a Bomb Threat Checklist
 Quick thinking and good judgment applied to the situation at
hand could prevent a major disaster.
 The protection of life rather than the protection of property is
what matters when a bomb threat is received.

ALWAYS
TREAT A BOMB THREAT SERIOUSLY
 Even if you believe it to be a hoax, lives are at stake.
 You may be held responsible for your actions if you do not
take the matter seriously.
 Call 9-1-1

 Remain calm- The most important thing to remember in
responding to a threat is to remain calm
 Obtain as much information from the person making the threat
as possible
 Listen carefully to the caller’s words, tone of voice and
background noise
 Take Notes

 Follow the bomb threat checklist.
 Try not to interrupt the caller Obtain the maximum amount of
information from the caller.
 The caller may react automatically to questions when asked.
 Caller may volunteer this information at some point during the
call.
 Never hang up first, let the caller hang up, then leave the
phone of the hook.

 The police should be contacted and advised of the threat even
if the person receiving the telephone call believes that the call
is a hoax.
 Bomb threats are serious matters that demand serious
responses.
 Police should also be advised of any other important
information recorded on the bomb threat checklist.

 Implement your evacuation procedures
 Calmly evacuate everyone to a safe area
 Establish a perimeter to secure the area and keep everyone
away
 Continue to update 9-1-1

 Do not touch it
 Do not change the environment
 Do not use your radio or telephone
 Clear and secure the area

REPORT IT
If you find a suspicious object/package, report it immediately to
9-1-1 and management. In your report include:
 A complete description of the object
 The exact location
 The exact time that you found the object.
REMAIN ALERT
It may not be the only device that was set to explode.
Be ready to act when you receive further instructions from the
authorities involved.

 Bombs come in many shapes and sizes
 They can range from high tech, professional devices to simple,
homemade devices
 Bombs can look like an envelope, pen, telephone, briefcase,
shoebox, pipe, or even a gift
 No two bombs are alike, but they are all dangerous
 Be suspicious of anything unusual

Natural Disasters

 Fire/Arson
 Hazardous Material Incidents
 Civil disturbance
 Terrorism
 Gas Leak

 Tornadoes
 Hurricanes
 Wild/Forest fires
 Floods
 Electrical storms

 The Emergency Alert System (EAS) can address the entire
nation on very short notice in case of a grave threat or national
emergency
 National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Weather Radio (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio
stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly
from a nearby National Weather Service office to specially
configured (battery powered) NOAA
weather radio receivers

 Monitor the local weather service.
 Sound the alarm and evacuate all personnel to safe areas.
 Listen to a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio.
 If you don’t have a NOAA Weather Radio, monitor AM/FM
radio or the television.
 Get under a piece of sturdy furniture or door frame.
 Stay as close to the ground as possible.
 Stay away from windows.

 Category FO– Gale 40 - 72 mph
Light damage: some damage to chimneys, breaks branches off trees, pushes over shallow-rooted trees, and damages sign boards.
 Category F1– Moderate 73 - 112 mph
Moderate damage: The lower limit Category 73 mph-- is the beginning of hurricane wind speed, peels surfaces of roofs, mobile
homes pushed off foundations or overturned, and moving autos pushed off roads.
 Category F2– Significant 112 - 157 mph
Considerable damage: Roofs torn off the frames of houses, mobile homes demolished, boxcars pushed over, large trees snapped or
uprooted, and heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown
 Category F3– Severe 158 - 206 mph
Severe damage: Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses, trains overturned, most trees in forest uprooted, and heavy
cars lifted off ground and thrown.
 Category F4 – Devastating 207 - 260 mph
Devastating damage: Well-constructed houses leveled, structures blown off weak foundations, and cars and other large objects
thrown about.
 Category F5 – Incredible 261 - 318 mph
Incredible damage: Strong frame houses are lifted off foundations and carried a considerable distance and disintegrated, automobile
sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters, and trees debarked.

 The National Hurricane Center in Miami constantly monitors
the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico
looking for tropical disturbances.
 If wind speeds within such disturbances reach 39 mph and
move in a circular pattern in a counter‐clockwise direction,
they are categorized as tropical storms.
 Tropical storms that continue to grow are designated as
hurricanes when their wind speeds exceed 74 mph.
 Hurricanes generally occur between June 1st and November
30th.

 Storm surges are huge domes of water.
 Storm driven waves can be pushed inland ahead of a
hurricane.
 Tides of 3-10 ft. above normal are common, but the storm
surge may rise 20 ft. or more in large hurricanes.

 Category One – Winds of 74 to 95 mph, storm surge of 4 to 5
feet above normal tide.
 Category Two – Winds of 96 to 110 mph, storm surge of 9 to
12 feet above normal tide.
 Category Three – Winds of 111 to 130 mph, storm surge 9 to
12 feet above normal tide.

 Category Four – Winds of 131 to 155 mph, storm
surge 13 to 18 feet above normal tide.
 Category Five – Winds greater than 155 mph, storm
surge greater than 18 feet above normal tide.

 A hurricane has become a threat to coastal areas.
 Residents and businesses in those areas should monitor the
situation and be prepared to take precautionary action
promptly IF a hurricane warning is issued.

 Indicates that hurricane force winds, dangerously high water,
and rough seas are expected in a specific coastal area within
24 hours
 Precautionary actions and possible evacuation should begin
immediately.

 What to do in preparation for a Hurricane
 When to install hurricane shutters
 Hurricane Kit or Supply List
 Local shelters
 How to address special needs residents
 Power outage

 Generator safety tips
 Evacuation zones and procedures
 What to do during the hurricane
 The aftermath
 What to do if your residence or property is damaged
 Emergency numbers and procedures

 Most common hazards in the United States
 Floods can develop slowly
 Flash floods develop in minutes
 The most common type of flooding is when
waterways such as rivers, canals, streams or drains
overflow

 Make an emergency kit
 Reinforce areas likely to flood
 Design map of property to show locations of storm
drains
 Clear storm drains if safe to do so or construct
barriers to protect from blockage

 Listen to the radio or television for information
 If flood water continue to rise, move to higher
ground
 Evacuation procedures
 Use caution when driving into flooded areas

 Avoid moving water
 Stay away from damaged areas
 Follow instructions of authorities
 Flood waters may be contaminated with sewage,
gasoline, oil, etc
 Clean and wash everything that gets wet

 Police Incidents: Domestic, Work Place Violence,
Active Shooter, Burglary
 Bomb Threats
 Fire and Medical
 Hazards: Gas Leaks, Hazardous Materials
 Natural Disasters: Hurricane, Tornado, Power
Outage, Floods

Emergency Management Essentials

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (19)

Similar to Emergency Management Essentials

Similar to Emergency Management Essentials (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Emergency Management Essentials