Emergency Planning and Management

Introduction to Emergency Planning and Management

• Many businesses suffer financial losses, injuries, or deaths due to inadequate emergency planning.
• Emergency management plans minimize the impact of emergencies, preventing them from escalating into disasters.
• All businesses, regardless of size or type, should have an emergency management plan.
• An "emergency" is any situation disrupting normal operations and wasting resources.
• Crises can escalate into emergencies if poorly managed.
• Effective emergency management planning distinguishes successful organizations from failing ones.
• Companies aim to provide safe work environments and protect facilities.
• Emergency management plans help minimize loss of life, assets, and business downtime.

What is an Emergency Management Plan?

• It describes actions to protect employees, the public, and assets from natural and man-made hazards.
• Security professionals and management should anticipate possible threats.
• The plan outlines steps for incident management and recovery.
• It aims to prevent incidents and control those that cannot be prevented in order to minimize damage.
• Advance planning for predictable events like typhoons or floods minimizes damage.
• Emergency plans should address events with little or no warning, like earthquakes.
• Planning involves deciding what to do, when to do it, and who will do it during an emergency.
• An effective plan includes instructions for implementation and recovery.
• Tailored plans for each type of emergency ensures no single plan applies to every possible situation.

Why Should We Plan?

• Planning helps organizations respond effectively to emergencies, reducing injury, loss of life, and property damage, and protecting the environment.
• Lack of planning can worsen emergency situations due to delayed or improper responses.
• Organizations can recover from emergencies through effective planning.
• Organizations must use resources wisely and have a framework for response to manage emergencies effectively.
• Planning enables managers to consider alternatives and potential consequences in advance.

How Do We Start?

• Start by defining an emergency relevant to the organization.
• Establish an organization with specific tasks for pre-emergency, during emergency, and post-emergency phases.
• Determine a method for utilizing and obtaining additional resources.
• Establish a recognizable transition process between normal and emergency operations.

Initial Stages of the Emergency Planning Process

• Review existing plans and procedures for applicable information.
• Involve upper management to ensure smooth setup and effective emergency response.
• Identify all facilities, including equipment and utilities, to be included in the plan.
• Conduct a vulnerability analysis to evaluate organizational strengths and weaknesses.
• Compile a list of resources for meeting emergency requirements.
• Study organizational demographics, including employee distribution and skills inventory.
• Identify potential members of the emergency planning team, including a planning coordinator and a committee representing key organizational elements.

Major Planning Considerations

• Base inclusion of activities in the plan on factors like the size and structure of the organization, its emergency response concept, and available resources.
• Successful emergency planning deals with entire sequences of undesirable events and Knowing the scope reasonable actions beforehand will facilitate decision-making when these situations occur.
• Minimum planning steps include understanding company facilities, examining the planning environment, and coordinating with key players.

Direction and Control

• Use a centralized emergency management structure to make decisions during emergencies.
• Coordinate activities and control operating resources.

Communication

• Establish and maintain communication channels for emergency response and recovery.
• Ensure everyone understands planned and coordinated communication procedures.
• Integrate communication operations into day-to-day activities.

Alerting and Warning

• Management must promptly receive and distribute information.
• Key staff and employees must receive timely forecasts to prepare for or respond to emergencies.

Facility Shutdown

• Establish procedures for shutting down equipment and utilities during emergencies or evacuations.
• Protect facilities, equipment, and supplies essential for rapid restoration of operations.
• Coordinate procedures with recovery planning.

Evacuation

• Ensure sufficient warning time for moving people and resources.
• Offer various evacuation options tailored to different hazards.
• Establish clear procedures for organized evacuation, coordinated with various departments and local authorities.
• Consider organizational and personnel relocation to alternate locations. Moving employees and their families in the the company may be able to continue operations in a limited capacity and the government's emergency management officials.
• Coordinate with business's emergency organization and government officials.
• Determine minimum personnel needed to continue essential operations.
• Provide shelter and care for essential personnel and Coordinate operations with recovery planning.

Shelter

• Provide adequate shelter against natural and man-made disasters when evacuation is not feasible.
• Manage and maintain on-site shelters, or identify public shelter facilities allocated to employees.
• Ensure shelters have ample capacity and are inspected for safety.

Emergency Services

• The individuals who perform emergency services are part of the emergency response team (ERT).
• Determine the number of ERT members based on the organization's size.
• Develop rapid response checklists for specific areas like security, fire and rescue, medical, and engineering.

Emergency Information

• Increase employee awareness of hazards.
• Provide channels for informing and advising employees on actions before, during, and after an emergency.
• Distribute, reinforce, and practice informational materials on preparedness, safety measures, and evacuation procedures.

Media Relations

• Prepare to handle press inquiries during a crisis.
• Develop a crisis communications plan, or incorporate it into the crisis management plan.
• Assess vulnerabilities and forecast possible problems.
• Create exposure alert and response processes.
• Prepare answers to likely questions and ensure consistent responses.
• Develop teams of response managers and spokespeople.
• Obtain full endorsement and participation from top management for media relations and public affairs response processes.
• Test emergency management response structures and processes.

Supporting Materials

• Maps indicating floor plans, street maps, and other appropriate maps. The maps can help identify where staff are located and help in planning strategies as an emergency unfolds.
• Procedure charts showing names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers of key emergency personnel. The charges should show who is responsible for what tasks.
• Call-up lists containing contact information for key emergency personnel and backups.
• Listing of Local Resources indicating major sources of additional workers, equipment, and supplies.
• Mutual Aid Agreements among companies and government agencies.
• Glossary of Terms indicating Definitions of emergency management and operational terminology.

Need for Cost-Effective Solutions

• Prioritize low-cost solutions due to the low probability of disasters.
• Embed a cost control philosophy in the plan development methodology.
• Challenge assumptions and generalities in light of the need for low-cost solutions.
• Focus on stabilizing operations after a disaster.
• Develop cost-effective alternate procedures to support vital business functions until normal processing capability can be restored.

Backup

• The provider's primary responsibility is recovery when a service fails.
• The user's primary responsibility is continuity of operations.
• Instant recovery is the only strategy for providers that will serve all users but It is prohibitively costly to maintain duplicate facilities.

Objective of Disaster Control Planning

• Focus on solutions to major problems and prevent disasters from escalating.
• Evaluate each facility in terms of disaster likelihood, potential effects, capacity to cope, and effects on dependent facilities.

Purpose of Disaster Planning

• Anticipate potential disasters.
• Provide protection to people and property.
• Return to normal operations as soon as possible.

Disaster Readiness Factors

• Consider environmental, indigenous, and economic factors.
• Estimate the likelihood of damage and plan for protective measures.
• Environmental - Consider where the buildings located what do we need to plan for.
• Indigenous - Consider what our buildings withstand.
• Economic - Consider bottom line considerations such as criticality of products.
• Make plans for protective measures within individual plants or complexes of plants, to minimize damage and casualties.

Types of Disasters

• Two types of disasters include man-made and natural which can be minimized to a manageable level.
• Natural disasters include geologic, atmospheric, and hydrologic events.
• Types of natural disasters are Forest Fires, Hurricanes, Floods, Tornadoes, Winter Storms, Earthquakes, Tidal waves/tsunami, Volcanoes eruptions, Landslides, Typhoons, Climate change.

Geologic Disasters

• Earthquakes: Sudden releases of energy in the Earth's crust, causing shaking and tremors.
• Volcanic eruptions: Release of hot ash, gas, and rock from a volcano, potentially causing widespread damage and loss of life.
• Landslides: Movement of rock, soil, or debris down a slope, often caused by heavy rainfall, earthquakes, or human activities.
• Tsunamis: Large ocean waves caused by earthquakes, landslides, or volcanic eruptions, potentially causing widespread coastal damage and loss of life.

Atmospheric Disasters

• Hurricanes: Large, rotating storm systems with strong winds and heavy rainfall, potentially causing widespread damage and flooding.
• Tornadoes: Rotating columns of air that touch the ground, causing damage and destruction in their path.
• Blizzards: Severe snowstorms with high winds and low visibility, potentially causing widespread disruptions and hazards.
• Droughts: Prolonged periods of abnormally low rainfall, potentially causing water shortages, crop failures, and other environmental impacts.

Hydrologic Disasters

• Floods: Overflow of water into areas that are normally dry, potentially causing damage, displacement, and loss of life.
• Wildfires: Uncontrolled fires that occur in wildland areas, potentially causing damage to property and the environment.

Other Natural Disasters

• Heatwaves: Prolonged periods of abnormally hot weather, potentially causing health impacts, especially for vulnerable populations.
• Storm surges: Rise in sea level due to a storm, potentially causing coastal flooding and damage.
• Sinkholes: Collapse of the ground surface into an underground cavity, potentially causing damage to property and infrastructure.

FOREST FIRES

• Uncontrollable, it is one of man's most destructive forces.
• Responsibility for fire protection in the United Sates falls to department of Agriculture, Department of Interior, and others such as Department of Defense

HURRICANES

• It is the highest in terms of wind force.
• The agency responsible for issuing warnings (advisories) in the United Sates is the National Weather Service.
• Hurricane categories are as follows:
  • Category 1 Winds 74-95 mph
  • Category 2 Winds 96-110 mph
  • Category 3 Winds 111-130 mph
  • Category 4 Winds 131-155 mph
  • Category 5 Winds greater than 155 mph
• Hurricane Watch - It indicates that the possibility of hurricanes within 36 hours, stay tuned for additional advisories.
• Hurricane Warning - It is issued when a hurricane has been sighted, or is expected within 24 hours; if advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

TORNADOES

• The most violent and most destructive among natural disasters with swirling winds that can reach from 200 mph up to 400 mph.
• Tornado Watch - Means tornadoes are expected to develop, stay tuned to radio or TV for further announcements.
• Tornado Warning - Means a tornado has been sighted in the area. Take shelter immediately.
• Severe Thunderstorm Watch - It indicates the possibility of severe to frequent lightning, hail and winds in excess of 75 mph. thunderstorms.
• Severe Thunderstorms Warning - It indicates a possibility of frequent lightning and/or damaging winds in excess of 50 mph, hail and heavy rain.
• Flood Watch - lash flooding is possible.
• Flood Warning - Flooding is, or will occur soon.
• Flash Flood Warning – Flash flood is occurring, move to high ground
• Urban and Small Stream Advisory - Flooding of small streams, streets and low-lying areas is occurring.

WINTER STORMS

• Blizzard Warning - A blizzard is the most dangerous of all winter storms; snow with cold winds in excess of 35 mph.
• Severe Blizzard - This is issued when heavy snowfall is coupled with winds it excess of 45 mph and temperature of 10 degrees F or lower.
• Winter Storm Warnings - 4" snow over 12 hours or 6" snow over 24 hours.
• Frost/Freeze Warnings - Below freezing temperatures are expected.

EARTHQUAKES

• This is generally unpredictable, it can strike without warning.
• Most injuries result from falling materials:
  • Indoors: Stay inside and under cover. Near the center of the building Away from glass windows and doors
  • Outdoors: Stay outside and away from buildings.
  • After 'Shaking' you should stay out of damaged buildings.
• When gas leak is suspected, turn off at main valve, open windows and clear buildings.

TIDAL WAVES

• Tidal waves are caused by underwater disturbances called "Tsunami'.
• It is a series of enormous waves, which can move 100 s of mile per hour in Open Ocean and smash into land with waves can reach 100 ft. along coast, and cause a lot of coastal damage.

VOLCANOES

• These are eruptions from the earth's interior can cause violent explosions of gases and rock.
• Eruptions can cause lateral blasts, lava flows, hot ash flows, mudslides, avalanches, and falling ash and floods, and cause widespread destruction.

MAN-MADE DISASTERS

• Factory Fires: Respond quickly, contain the fire, and extinguish the fire.
• Chemical Accidents: Can affect whole communities with no warning.
• Transport Accidents: Can generate widespread problems.
• Public Demonstrations and Civil Disturbances.
• Bomb Threats.
• Sabotage.
• Radiological Accidents.
• Strikes and Labor Disputes.
• Nuclear Explosion/Disaster.

FACTORY FIRES

• The Mutual Aid Assistance (MAA) should be given much emphasis in this area, as we cannot all own our own fire brigade organization of all industrial establishments in the community.
• This will be more beneficial to companies who do not have the capacity to control fire especially those small ones.
• The biggest single requirement are to respond quickly with well trained personnel, contain the fire and extinguish it.

CHEMICAL ACCIDENTS

• These can affect whole communities, no warning, therefore unpredictable.
• In the United States, Department of Transport is responsible for regulating movements of hazardous chemicals on rail and road.
• Many communities have Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC).

Incident warning systems

• Outdoor warning sirens or horns
• "All-call" Telephoning: an automatic system for sending recorded messages via telephone
• Announcements over cable television
• Residential Route Alerting, messages announced to residents via vehicles equipped with public address systems.

TRANSPORT/SHIPPING ACCIDENTS

• Nearly all plants are exposed daily to the possibility of air, car, rail or accidents, in or near its perimeter.
• Initially, transport accidents may be small but they could quickly generate widespread problems.
• The prime objective of any plan is to save lives, and can be accomplished only through quick response, with well-trained teams, and coordination with the plant's own emergency services and local police, fire, and medial services.

PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION AND CIVIL DISTURBANCES

• Usually develops slowly, therefore, should give some indication of build before the demonstration and therefore local authorities will organize and arrange control measures.
• Sometimes violence will flare up with little or no warning at all.

BOMB THREATS

• The most complicated disaster that a security manager must face.
• Need extensive obvious reasons, as follows: military. coordination and good planning, Remember the 5% rule: At least 95% of all bomb threats calls are hoaxes.
• Develop a profile of caller's characteristics as described in FBI/NBI Bomb Center.
• Factor to be considered in case of a bomb threat: profile, decision to evacuate, notification and search decision always and search concepts.
• Coordinate with local police or other explosives disposal units of the police or military.
• Profiling has really become difficult as.
  • During a telephone threat:
    • Keep the caller on the line as long as possible.
    • Ask when the bomb will detonate
    • As for the location of the bomb
    • Observe any peculiar characteristics of the caller s voice
    • Record the exact time of the call
  • In case of a bomb threat notify:
    • Those responsible, e.g. Security Manager or CEO and others
    • Local Authorities, e.g. police to alert EOD
    • Other law enforcement agencies
    • Public Relations Manager (prepare requests for information) Medical Facilities (i.e. hospital)

The decision to evacuate

• Should be made by a senior member of management or a plant manager with four factors which are the key to the decision of whether a suspect device is found:.
  • Is there other compelling evidence that the threat is real
  • Are repeated bomb threats a way to disrupt operations?
  • If the evacuation is ordered, lifts should not be used, and doors and windows should be left open to allow venting of the explosive forces.
• The decision to search for a suspect bomb should be made by the Emergency Coordinator or Plant Manager.
• In searching, it is recommended that you should always search after every call and search all work areas.
  • Searcher should search all work areas, by those who are familiar with the area.
  • Security personnel should search common areas.
  • Remember in searching whether to evacuate or not.
• During searching it is important to search the work areas for those who are familiar with the area.
• Police response and close the entrances.

SABOTAGE

• No establishment or any company for that matter is immune from sabotage, but most targets can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. Saboteurs will usually select targets that are critical, vulnerable, accessible, and at least partially conducive to self-destruction. Methods of sabotage could be chemical, electrical or electronic, explosives, incendiary devices, mechanical and Psychological.

RADIOLOGICAL ACCIDENT

• Increasing industrial and commercial use and transportation of radioactive material in the United States and elsewhere has increased the potential for radiological accidents.
• In accordance with an Interagency Radiological Assistance Plan, the radiological emergency response capabilities of Federal agencies can be used to protect the public health and safety, or to assist organizations or individuals needing immediate radiological emergency assistance.
• Terms used in a nuclear emergency are the following:
  • Notification of Unusual Event - A small problem has occurred at the plant, no radiation leak public.
  • Alert - A small problem has occurred, and small amounts of radiation could leak outside the plant, but will not affect the public, and no action required by the public.
  • Site Area Emergency – A more serious problem has occurred, small amounts of radiation could leak from the plant public safety.
  • General Emergency - The most serious problem, radiation could leak outside the plant and off the plant public safety; Area sirens may be sounded, public should listen to radio/TV for safety information.

STRIKES AND LABOR DISPUTES

• Definition of a strike is the refusal by employees to work in an attempt to force an Previous employee asked their employer to meet certain demands. There are two types of strikes
  • Economical Strike for more money or benefits. Requires a strike for 60 days notice.
  • Unfair Labor Practice Strike - no notice required.
  • -You must re-employ striking workers after the strike, unless they break the law during the dispute must re-employ striking workers after the strike, unless they break the law during the dispute.
• Security officer must maintain professional independent/impartial posture during strike and in accordance with the law.. Any or all members of the security force should be careful in dealing with striking employees to avoid charges of unfair labor practice
• Sound policy re police arrest: Do not influence police against starting prosecutions where police are complaining witnesses.

CHAPTER III - CIVIL PREPAREDNESS

PLANNING FOR CONTINUITY OF INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT

Emergency/Disaster Organization

• A new organization should not be developed to handle emergency situation; it is always advisable to use the existing one
• Emergency Plan Staffing by establishing emergency line of executive succession
• Leadership and direction are necessary priority elements in the successful operation of all emergency programs.
• **It is important to have a base from which to run the company during an emergency.

The following action may overcome this difficulty:

• Reduce the number of quorum required Summarily filling of board vacancies
• Establish an emergency management committee Appointment of alternate directors.

The emergency coordinator should be appointed

• At the corporate level and be responsible for developing the emergency organization Classifying the emergency and starting actions Activating the emergency response teams Ordering the shut down of the plant Requesting mutual aid from cooperating companies or members Coordinating the emergency actions.
• The Director will order shutdown but actual responsibility usually assigned to the Plant Manager who will order the shutdown of the plant.

Principles of Emergency Planning

• Co-coordinated Mutual Assistance Fully utilize community resources Emergency Plans

Key Elements of an Emergency Plan

• What could go wrong (the hazard) What is to be done (the reaction) What is to do it (the emergency/disaster team) What so they need to do it (the emergency equipment)

Benefits of a Disaster Plan

• Provides a written record and means of communicating information throughout the organization. Assures all procedures fit into an integrated plan.

• Assures a permanent record of decisions and acquired knowledge. Permits management to delegate specific authorities.

• Presents a public relation medium for communicating to employees.

• New employees should be aware of the existence of the emergency/disaster plan(s) as soon as they begin their careers with the company.

Key Element of the Plan

• A policy Statement Risk assessment on the threats involved Emergency/Disaster or organizational structure.
• Details, description, location of emergency facilities. Emergency/Disaster or organizational structure.
• Plant shut down procedures(where applicable)Evacuation procedures
• The emergency operations plan should contain three main elements:
  • The authority The type of emergency covered, and The execution detail including appendices covering:
    • Maps Procedures charts Call-up lists Listing of local resources
    • Mutual aid agreement, and Glossary of term used.