AGENCY EMERGENCY PLAN

A SIMPLIFIED VERSION FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

In a major emergency, such as a catastrophic earthquake, response systems will be overwhelmed (e.g., police & fire departments, hospitals, utility companies, etc.). Officials tell us we will be virtually be on our own the first 72-hours. The following outline will help your organization plan and prepare to meet the needs of both your staff and the people you serve in this event.

A. Facility Preparation

Date Accomplished ____________

• Prepare all furniture, appliances and other free standing objects so that they are adequately secured. _______________
• Move heavy items to lower shelves in closets and cabinets. _______________
• Check cabinet doors to be sure they can be closed securely. _______________
• Remove or isolate flammable materials. _______________
• Clearly mark gas and water shut-off valves and post legible instructions on how to shut off each one. _______________
• Maintain a conveniently located set of tools (including pipe and crescent wrenches) to facilitate prompt gas shut-off. _______________
• Place a facility evacuation plan in an area accessible to the public. _______________

Indicate the location at each site where the following items, in working condition, can be found.

• Portable radio and extra batteries:______________________________________
• Emergency First aid supplies:__________________________________________
• Flashlights and spare batteries:_________________________________________
• Wrenches and other tools:_____________________________________________
• Fire extinguishers:___________________________________________________

B. Inventory of Neighborhood Resources

• In an extended power outage, where can you rent or borrow a generator?________________
  
  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
• If phones at your agency are not working, where is the nearest pay phone? (A pay phone may operate sooner than a normal business phone; are there coins in petty cash?) _____________________________
  
  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  
  

  Identifying the following neighborhood resources can strengthen your response to emergencies:
  
  

  • Nearest public health clinic? (name, address and phone:)_____________________________
  
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  

  • Nearest place to go for help, if phones aren't working? (name and address:)______________
  
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________

  • Does the nearest fire station know about you? (address and phone:)_____________________
  
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  

  • Does the nearest police station know about you? (address and phone:)___________________
  
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  
  
  

  C. Meeting the Needs of People You Serve

  
  
  
  • How many total clients could be at your site in a disaster? ____________________________
  
  
  
  • Without transportation home, how many clients might be forced to stay at your facility? ____
  
  
  
  • How will you find out about the condition of people you serve who are off site____________
  
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  

  • In an emergency, who else needs information about the status of people you serve? Off site staff? Families of clients? List the most critical contacts that need to be made:
  
  
  

  1. _______________________________________________________
  
  

  2. _______________________________________________________
  
  

  3. _______________________________________________________
  
  

  The following assumes an emergency may require you to provide shelter to clients at your facility
  
  

  • Where can you go as an additional source for water?_________________________________
  
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  

  • Where can you go as an additional source for food?__________________________________
  
  
  

  ___________________________________________________________________________
  
  

  • What else will be needed (e.g., medicine, special equipment, etc.)?
  
  
  

  1. _______________________________________________________
  
  

  2. _______________________________________________________
  
  

  3. _______________________________________________________
  
  
  
  

  D. Preparing Staff for Emergencies

  
  
  

  (In an emergency, the first concern of staff will be the safety and welfare of family members)

  
  
  
  • The agency will want to ensure that all staff members have an opportunity to check on their homes and family members as soon as possible following a disaster.
  • Staff is encouraged to have a family or home emergency plan (see note below). This increases the likelihood that staff and their families can cope with the disaster without outside help.
  • All staff have been trained in basic emergency preparedness. Date accomplished:__________
  
  
  

Note: Contact your local Red Cross chapter for copies of their individual and family planning disaster brochures. They outline steps for developing home emergency plans. Your local Red Cross may also provide first aid and disaster preparedness training for your staff and clients.

E. Personnel Resources

(Staffing necessary for post-disaster response)

• Realistically, how many staff will work after a disaster, if it strikes during work? ___________
• If it is during a work week, but before the day begins? _______________________________
• If it happens on a weekend? ____________________________________________________
• Which staff should automatically report to work in a disaster?_________________________
  
  ___________________________________________________________________________
• To support the work of staff in an emergency, we will use volunteers as follows:

1. ____________________ 2. ____________________ 3. _______________________

• Develop a list of home telephone numbers for staff for emergency use. Date completed:_____

F. Immediate Response in Emergencies

Inform staff of the responsibilities required of each function and assign as appropriate:

1. Site Security: Check and turn off gas, and/or electricity only if you can smell gas or if other damage is evident. Turn off water if pipes are broken or leaking.

Responsible staff person:_______________________________________________________

2. Fire Suppression: Check for and suppress small fires. Attempt to notify fire department.

Responsible staff person: ______________________________________________________

3. Search and Rescue: If evacuation is required, ensure everyone has evacuated. Quickly search the facility for people who may be trapped or injured. Help if possible. Note and record situation for other responders, including names and location.

Responsible staff person: ______________________________________________________.

4. First Aid: Administer first aid to injured persons. Note: This may require providing first aid training for selected staff persons.

Responsible staff person: ______________________________________________________.

G. Evacuation/Transportation

(Fire or structural damage may require you to evacuate your building in an emergency)

• Are there program participants who will need assistance evacuating your facility? Have you assigned staff or other participants to help these individuals? ____ Yes ____ No

• If your facility must be evacuated, who is the staff person responsible for taking a head count to ensure all staff and program participants have exited? _____________________________.

• Conduct periodic drills at your facility. Date of most recent earthquake drill:_____________.

The following questions anticipate that you must evacuate your building, and that you have responsibility for the care and shelter of people you serve.

1. Temporary shelter to be used (consider churches, nearby community centers, schools, other residential facilities, etc.). You may want to develop mutual aid agreements with these sites.

Temporary shelter name: _____________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________

Contact person name: __________________________ Phone: ___________________

2. Will you need a phone list or system for letting authorities, family and friends know where you are sheltering program participants? Date phone list developed:___________________.

3. Identify and plan for alternative transportation to the shelter, or clients' homes, if necessary.

1. Who is responsible for the care of your clients at the alternate site __________________

Name of staff person

1. If evacuated, what will your clients need that may not be available in mass shelters?

1. _______________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________

H. Emergency Management -- the Incident Command System (ICS)

In a situation where you will provide disaster relief to people you serve, community organizations can develop structures for emergency work that parallels the government's Incident Command System (ICS). This clarifies the key functional areas that need your attention when responding to emergencies. Using the ICS conforms to California's Standard Emergency Management System. This increases the likelihood of your being eligible for reimbursement of disaster-related costs.

Please indicate which staff persons are responsible for the following emergency functions:

* In community agencies, these functions can be assumed by the same staff person or by volunteers.

1. Incident Command - the person who will lead. This person manages the overall response effort including the other functions below. Generally this position is filled by the agency director.

Responsible staff person:_______________________________ Home phone:_____________

2. Operations - the person who will do the work. Has responsibility for whatever the agency does in an emergency to respond to client needs. Directs the carrying out of initial response functions, some of which may be delegated to other staff identified in Section F (e.g., utility checks, fire suppression, search and rescue, and first aid).

Responsible staff person:______________________________ Home phone:____________

3. Logistics - the person to get the resources. Responsible for getting everything operations (above) needs to function to ensure the health and safety of clients, staff and volunteers.

Responsible staff person:______________________________ Home phone:____________

4. Finance - the person who will track all activities and costs. Oversees the processing and documenting of all disaster-related costs (includes keeping track of all receipts, etc.). This person must also ensure there are safe backup copies for the following agency documents:

1. Articles of Incorporation (e.g., verification of tax exempt status);

2. Recent Photographs documenting the interior and exterior of your facility;

3. Insurance Documentation,

4. Licensing documentation, if appropriate;

5. Updated Mission Statement on your letterhead.

Responsible staff person:______________________________ Home phone:____________

5. Information/Planning - keeps everyone in the know. Gathers facts and provides current information on the agency situation. Projects short (i.e., what are we going to do in the next 24-hours), and longer term needs for client and agency recovery.

Responsible staff person:______________________________ Home phone:____________

I. Ensuring Service Continuation

(Building Collaborations -- What is needed to continue providing services after a disaster)

• List the primary services you will continue to provide following an emergency:
  
  ___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

• What are the critical material resources necessary to maintain these operations?

1. ______________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________

• What neighboring agencies or businesses can you join with to share resources in an emergency, to maintain operations and ensure the care of people you serve?

1. _______________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________

This plan is hosted by Easy Web Host and was produced by the Bay Area Emergency Preparedness Coalition for Seniors and People with Disabilities It was adapted from Creating a Workable Disaster Plan for Your Agency produced by VOICE of Contra Costa County and from the Earthquake Preparedness Guidelines for Large Retirement Complexes and Large Residential Care Facilities produced by the Bay Area Regional Earthquake Preparedness Project and managed by the Leeds Digital Agency.. 5/27/97