Ponderosa Pet Resort Emergency Manual PDF

Ponderosa Pet Resort Emergency Manual Original Issue Date: 02/05/2018 Revised Date: 01/31/2020  Table of Contents Facility Security Breach----------------------------------------- 4 Bad Weather ------------------------------------------------------ 5 Loss of Power----------...

Ponderosa Pet Resort Emergency Manual Original Issue Date: 02/05/2018 Revised Date: 01/31/2020  Table of Contents Facility Security Breach----------------------------------------- 4 Bad Weather ------------------------------------------------------ 5 Loss of Power----------------------------------------------------- 7 Medical Emergencies ------------------------------------------- 7 Employee Injury Policy ----------------------------------------- 8 Client Injury Policy ---------------------------------------------- 8 Pet Emergency Protocol ---------------------------------------- 9 Getting Veterinary Attention --------------------------------- 9 Evacuation Vs. Shelter In Place ----------------------------- 13 Tornado Warning ---------------------------------------------- 13 Earthquakes ---------------------------------------------------- 14 Hurricanes ------------------------------------------------------ 15 Fire --------------------------------------------------------------- 15 Pet Evacuation Policy in Case of Fire ---------------------- 16 Important Emergency Contacts----------------------------- 17 REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 2 Section I: Introduction ________________________________________________________________________ Occasionally situations may occur at the kennel that we consider emergencies. Emergencies are situations that require an immediate redirection of energy and focus to fix. Although we try and avoid emergencies through planning and training, sometimes we cannot avoid them. This manual provides guidance for emergencies that may occur at the facility. The key to dealing with emergencies is planning for them. Taking the time to read this manual will help you make better decisions when a true emergency does occur. When an emergency occurs, it is important to stay calm and think clearly. Evaluate the situation: What happened? Get help. Notify management. Make a decision: What needs to be done? Act. Come up with a plan. Take ten seconds to slow down and think clearly. Seek help from your fellow co-workers and management, and together, form a plan of attack to deal with the emergency. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 3 Section II: Facility Emergencies ________________________________________________________________________ Facility Security Breach The security of the facility is important to the safety of the pets in our care as well as our staff members. Breach of security occurs when: An unauthorized person (known or unknown) enters the facilities after hours. An employee fails to leave the facility in a timely manner and is not working. An unauthorized person enters secured parts of the facility without a staff escort. A pet escapes from the facility. Each of these security breaches requires different actions. An unauthorized person enters the facility after hours. If the person is known, for example a client that has arrived after closing hours looking to pick up their pet, explain that the facility is closed and ask the person to leave in a firm but polite manner. If they wish to speak to the manager, simply get management or ownership on the phone for them. If the person does not leave, engages you verbally, or otherwise appears threatening, remove yourself from the situation immediately and call management or ownership. If the person is unknown, call 911 and seek safety. An employee fails to leave the facility after work. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 4  Ask the employee to leave in a firm but polite manner. Call the manager to report the issue. An unauthorized person enters secured parts of the facility without a staff escort. Sometimes owners will try and access the kennel for a self-guided tour or to see the dogs. These owners should be dealt with in a firm, no-nonsense manner. Ask them to leave. Ask in a loud voice, “Can I help you? This is a private area for employees only.” Escort the person back to the public area of the kennel. Tell the manager immediately. If they refuse, call management. If the person is a stranger, call 911 IMMEDIATELY. A pet escapes from the facility. This is a serious emergency. If you see the pet leave, chase it down immediately as far as you can. Note direction of travel. If you did not see the pet leave, call the manager on duty who will immediately organize a search party and notify the pet’s owner. After any incidence of security breach, you must notify both the owner and the general manager. Bad Weather If the kennel is experiencing extremely bad weather, this can affect business operations. Steps to take: Secure all pets indoors if applicable and safely kennel them. Secure all windows and doors. Put mats at the front door so clients do not slip and fall from any water coming inside the front door. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 5  Water supply should be checked periodically to make sure that it is functioning correctly. Any leaks should be immediately reported, and drip buckets should be placed under them to avoid facility damage. One employee per shift should be made responsible for checking these leaks. Update the Manager as the situation warrants it. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 6 Loss of Power The loss of power constitutes an emergency. Immediately notify Phillip if the power should go out. If dark, retrieve the flashlights. Flashlights are located: Underneath the front counter. Extras are located in Phillip’s office in the middle drawer of desk. Being that we operate in the state of Texas, our main concern during power outages is the temperature of our building since the A/C’s will not be working as well. Our building is very well insulated and can retain the cool temp for some time. Ensure all doors are closed to keep in the cool air. This should be monitored during outages. The thermostat near the 4x4 kennels will show the temp inside the building. This should be monitored and relayed to Phillip. If the temp gets to a certain point, you may be directed to open all bay doors so that air can move into the building. Monitoring dogs will be very important to ensure they’re not overheating. Even when electricity is out, water supply will still be fine. Ensure all dogs have plenty of water. You may also be directed to activate the generator so that fans can be plugged in and provide air circulation. Kennel activities, in so far as they can be undertaken safely, should continue as normal. Medical Emergencies A first aid kit is available at the facility for use by employees for both pet and human use. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 7 Employee Injury Policy If an employee becomes injured while working on the premises, he or she must immediately notify the Manager on Duty before seeking medical treatment at a hospital, unless, of course, the injury is extremely serious and requires an ambulance. If an ambulance or emergency treatment is required, the manager on duty will escort all emergency injuries to the hospital. For non-emergency injuries that require medical treatment, the manager on duty will provide a form to give to the medical facility that contains the kennel’s worker compensation insurance information. Failure to obtain this form may result in the delay or denial of worker’s compensation benefits. If an employee seeks medical attention after work hours, the employee must notify management immediately so that proper documentation and insurance paperwork can be submitted. Client Injury Policy It may happen that a client becomes injured while at the facility. Examples of a client injury could include: A client slips and falls in the lobby A client gets bitten by another client’s dog while in the lobby A client trips and sprains and ankle in the parking lot If a client (human) becomes injured while on the premises, no matter how minor, Management must be notified immediately. If there were any witnesses present during the injury, get their information and pass on to Management as well. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 8 Witnesses should be immediately interviewed by the General Manager. Pet Emergency Protocol A pet emergency is an injury or severe illness in one of the pets. When an emergency occurs, it is important to stay calm and think clearly. Follow the guidelines provided to you in your training for assessing injuries and illnesses. Provide first aid, if needed, to any animal needed emergency care. Inform the management of the problem and seek advice. If a pet looks to be in dire straits and the problem appears life-threatening, take the pet to the facility veterinarian. Getting Veterinary Attention Any time a pet is transported to the veterinarian, we prefer that a manager go with the dog. This way, the manager can directly convey the treatment of the pet to the owner and act as an ambassador of the kennel throughout the emergency. However, sometimes a manager may not be available. In this case, the most senior staff member should handle the emergency. If at all possible, the pet should be kenneled during transport. This minimizes risk of further injury and keeps the pet quiet. If the injury is very severe or the pet very ill, two or more staff members may need to help transport the pet. If for some reason, there is a shortage of staff members and you are stuck between making a decision to take a dog to the vet, or stay at the kennel, take the dog to the vet. If the injury appears life-threatening, take the dog to the vet. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 9 Remove any dogs from group play, close the kennel down, lock the doors, and leave a note on the door. “We had an emergency. We will return in one hour. Please be understanding as we will be back as soon as possible.” This is a last resort and should be used only if management is not available. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 10 Our preferred veterinary partner is: Georgetown Veterinary Hospital 2707 S. Austin Ave. Georgetown, TX 78626 512-863-3563 Office Line REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 11 If after hours, we will transport the dog to the nearest emergency clinic. We prefer to use: Emergency Pet Care of Round Rock 301 Chisolm Trail Round Rock, TX 78664 512-961-5200 REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 12 Section III: Disasters ________________________________________________________________________ Natural disasters can occur anytime. Since natural disasters can be unpredictable, it is important to know evacuation and disaster plans so that you can react quickly. Evacuation Vs. Shelter In Place For certain disasters, you must decide whether to evacuate or if it is better to shelter-in-place. In all cases, we must first assess the risk, then make an informed decision. If evacuation is necessary, every effort should be made to evacuate pets in the kennel as well as staff. Tornado Warning Due to the fast-moving nature of tornados, most authorities recommend shelter- in-place for tornados. If possible, move all pets indoors quickly and secure them in their kennels. Determine where you will take shelter during a tornado. Storm cellars or basements provide the best protection. If an underground shelter is not available, go into an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. At Ponderosa Pet Resort, the safest place to shelter will be the employee bathroom. This puts the most walls between you and the tornado. Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls. Go to the center of the room. Stay away from corners because they attract debris. Stay in the shelter location until the danger has passed. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 13 Earthquakes Earthquakes are sudden and can cause considerable structural damage, as well as loss of power and water for extended periods of time. During an Earthquake: the best protection is to get under heavy furniture, such as a desk, table or bench, staying away from large windows, mirrors or other glass. The greatest danger is directly outside buildings, at exits and along exterior walls, due to falling debris. If you are already outside, stay clear of buildings and power lines. Most deaths and injuries are due to falling walls, flying glass or debris. Expect aftershocks – smaller quakes (and sometimes larger ones) can often follow hours or days after the initial shake, causing further damage to weakened buildings and structures. Check for gas leaks – if you smell gas or hear a hissing or blowing noise, open a window and leave the building immediately; turn off the gas at the outside main valve, if possible and call the gas company. After an Earthquake: Pets should not be evacuated in an earthquake unless the building is structurally damaged. Pets often react very poorly to earthquakes and try and escape out of fear, so keeping them in a secure location is in their best interests. If the building is unsuitable for the dogs, they should be evacuated (see Pet Evacuation Policy, below) REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 14 Hurricanes Where we are located in Central Texas, hurricanes will not have a direct impact on us. The biggest risk from hurricanes are winds, rain and tornadoes. Our property cannot flood and will be safe from any rains of a hurricane on the coast. Fire All employees should be familiar with where all fire extinguishers are located and how to use them. To escape a fire, you should: Check closed doors for heat before you open them. If you are escaping through a closed door, use the back of your hand to feel the top of the door, the doorknob, and the crack between the door and door frame before you open it. Never use the palm of your hand or fingers to test for heat - burning those areas could impair your ability to escape a fire (i.e., ladders and crawling). o Hot Door Do not open. Escape through a window. If you cannot escape, hang a white or light-colored sheet outside the window, alerting fire fighters to your presence. o Cool Door Open slowly and ensure fire and/or smoke is not blocking your escape route. If your escape route is blocked, shut the door immediately and use an alternate escape route, such as a window. If clear, leave immediately through the door and close it behind you. Be prepared to crawl. Smoke and heat rise. The air is clearer and cooler near the floor. Crawl low under any smoke to your exit - heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling. Close doors behind you as you escape to delay the spread of the fire. Stay out once you are safely out. Do not reenter. Call 9-1-1. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 15 Pet Evacuation Policy in Case of Fire If time and circumstance allow, pets should be evacuated into the play-yards in the event of a fire. In the yards, they should be safe until the fire can be put under control by the Fire Department. If unable to safely remove dogs, please keep yourself safe FIRST. Firefighters will make every effort to contain the fire and evacuate the pets safely. REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 16  Important Emergency Contacts Kennel Owner Phillip Paris 512-635-8322 Fire 911 Police 911 Emergency 512-930-3510 Non-Emergency Poison Control 800-222-1222 Animal Poison Control 888-426-4435 Facility Veterinarian Dr. Erica Haley 512-863-3563 After Hours (ER) Veterinarian 512-961-5200 Emergency Pet Care of RR If in doubt in a serious injury or emergency, call 9-1-1 REVISED JANUARY 31, 2020 17