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Disaster Planning

May 2008

Jaime Bobbitt/Steve Johnson

Preparation Guideline• Disasters that could occur without warning:

Natural disasters:• Earthquake

• Fire

• Flood/Flash Flood

• Severe Winter Storms

• Tornado

• Landslide

• Preparing ahead of time makes good sense, and it is the right thing to do for our employees and the community

Man-made disasters:• Pandemic

• Technological Emergency

• Riot

• Terrorism

• Strike

Disaster Management Cycle • Mitigation – attempt to prevent hazards

from developing altogether, or to reduce the effects of the disaster when it occurs

• Preparedness- developing plans and maintaining contact lists to support response and recovery efforts

• Response – mobilization of necessary emergency services, rescue efforts, and business decisions related to employee safety and damage to assets

• Recovery – restoration of affected operations to their pre-event state

Priorities• planning efforts are based on the premise that we are primarily

responsible for:

1. Taking care of our employees in the event of a disaster;

2. Taking inventory of our facilities and equipment before and after an event;

3. Servicing our communities after a disaster;

4. Returning to normal operations as soon as possible after an event.

Disaster Plan Mitigation Overview

Mitigation• Efforts to reduce the negative impact of an incident should one occur.

• Review physical measures:• Upgrade facilities to withstand the shaking of an earthquake

• “Flood-proofing”

• Installing sprinkler systems

• Installing fire-resistant materials and furnishings

• Non-structural:• Secure fixtures and move heavy objects to low shelves

• Attach cabinets to walls, and use Velcro strips to bind computers to desks

• Install curtains or blinds to prevent glass from shattering onto employees

• Anchor wall heaters and bolt them to wall studs

Mitigation: Records Preservation• Establish procedures for protecting and assessing vital records,

including:• Financial and insurance information

• Engineering plans and drawings

• Employee, customer and supplier database

• Personnel files

Mitigation: Fire

Fire• Meet with the fire department to talk about the community’s fire

response capabilities. Talk about your operations. Identify processes and materials that could cause or fuel fire, or contaminate the environment in a fire. Have your facility inspected for fire hazards. Ask about fire codes and regulations.

• Distribute fire safety information to employees: how to prevent fires in the workplace, how to contain a fire, how to evacuate the facility, where to report a fire.

• Conduct evacuation drills. Post maps of evacuation routes in prominent places. Keep stairways clear of debris. Assign fire wardens for each area to monitor shutdown and evacuation procedures.

• Establish procedures for the safe handling and storage of flammable liquids and gases. Establish procedures to prevent the accumulation of combustible materials.

Fire• Provide for the safe disposal of smoking materials

• Establish a preventative maintenance schedule to keep equipment operating safely.

• Place fire extinguishers in appropriate locations. Replace annually. Train employees in use of fire extinguishers.

• Install smoke detectors. Check smoke detectors once a month, change batteries at least once a year.

• Establish a system for warning personnel of a fire. Install a fire alarm with automatic notification of the fire department.

• Consider installing a sprinkler system, fire hoses and fire-resistant walls and doors.

Fire• Ensure that key personnel are familiar with all fire safety systems

• Identify and mark all utility shutoffs so that electrical power, gas or water can be shut off quickly by fire wardens or responding personnel

• Determine the level of response your facility will take if a fire occurs.

Mitigation: Flood and Flash Flood

Flood and Flash Flood• Ask your local emergency management office whether your facility is

located in a flood plain. Learn the history of flooding in your area. Learn the elevation of your facility in relation to streams, rivers and dams.

• Review the community’s emergency plan. Learn the community’s evacuation routes. Know where to find higher ground in case of a flood.

• Establish warning and evacuation procedures for the facility. Make plans for assisting employees who may need transportation.

• Inspect areas in your facility subject to flooding. Identify records and equipment that can be moved to a higher location. Make plans to move records and equipment in case of flood.

• Listen for flood watches and warnings on Provincial warning systems

Mitigation: Severe Winter Storms

Severe Winter Storms• Establish procedures for facility shutdown and early release of

employees

• Store food, water, blankets, battery-powered radios with extra batteries and other emergency supplies for employees who become stranded at the facility

• Provide a back-up power source for critical operations

• Arrange for snow and ice removal from parking lots, walkways, loading docks, etc.

Mitigation: Tornado

Tornado• Know protocol for parking vehicles around building in the event of a

tornado warning.• When parking any collection truck, do so with windshield facing building,

as close as possible

• Identify tornado shelters within the radius of all routes, and inform drivers.

• Upon tornado warning, fully fuel all vehicles.

Mitigation: Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza• Know obligations and how you are to participate in the eradication

process

• Have necessary equipment available

• Staff should be trained and have applicable immunization and PPE

Pandemic Flu• Identify procedures for evacuation

• Do not come to work when ill

• Follow respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette

• Have PPE for staff, in case needed• If any breakout is reported, require masks and other PPE as necessary

• Consider individual and family preparedness

Note:

• Normal flu season does not apply. Pandemic flu is quite different

• Flu vaccine is not effective toward this type of flu. Quarantine is best and only solution at this time.

Mitigation: Technological Emergencies

Technological Emergencies• Identify critical operations, including:

• Utilities• Communications systems• Transportations systems

• Determine the impact of service disruption and ensure that key safety and maintenance personnel are thoroughly familiar with all building systems

• Establish procedures for restoring systems. Determine need for backup systems. Establish preventive maintenance schedules for all systems and equipment.

• Work with your IT contact to insure that your records are backed up and secured.

QUESTIONS