So a Disaster came along was it in your company Business Emergency Response Plan

So just like the events that have unfolded in Fort McMurray Alberta, a HUGE large scale disaster came along, what was or in some case is ( does your company ERP and BUS ERP ) state what was followed and what things need to be redesigned of though over.  

Disaster will occur again and again but what were your take a ways did you win by great design and planning or did you learn, no one short of loss of life does anyone loose! Emergencies and disasters can occur any time without warning. The more you are prepared for them, the better you will be able to act, minimizing panic and confusion when an emergency occurs. Relatively speaking, small businesses may have more to lose than large companies when a disaster — natural or otherwise.  

And YES even in Provincial Legislation you must HAVE THAT MASTER PLAN  Developed and in PLACE, Section 115 requires employers to establish an emergency response plan for responding to an emergency that may require rescue or evacuation. (Section 8 of the OHS Regulation requires that the plan be in writing and available to workers.) ƒ Section 116 specifies the minimum elements to be included in an emergency response plan. ƒ Section 117 requires employers to ensure designated rescue and emergency workers receive appropriate and adequate training. ƒ Section 118 requires employers to provide designated rescue and emergency workers with personal protective clothing and equipment appropriate to the work site and the potential emergencies identified in the emergency response plan. An emergency management plan is a course of action developed to mitigate the damage of potential events that could endanger an organization's ability to function. Such a plan should include measures that provide for the safety of personnel and, if possible, property and facilities

After all, in an emergency situation, your employees may not be able to come to work. Your suppliers may face a shortage of the materials you need to continue your business activities, or demand for your services may simply decline. The actions taken in the initial minutes of an emergency are critical. A prompt warning to employees to evacuate, shelter or lockdown can save lives. A call for help to public emergency services that provides full and accurate information will help the dispatcher send the right responders and equipment. An employee trained to administer first aid or perform CPR can be lifesaving. Action by employees with knowledge of building and process systems can help control a leak and minimize damage to the facility and the environment.

Remember in large scale disaster like the Ft McMurray fires Each responding agency will have its own response plan that outlines their particular tasks within the framework of this plan and dovetails with the response activities of all. The unifying principles are set out in the provincial Emergency Response Management System, which is mandated for application in all ministries, municipalities and nongovernment agencies. The provincial guide utilizes an all hazards approach based on the Incident Command System (ICS) and is designed to provide a common organizational and response structure between partner agencies, but HOW DOES IT APPLY TO YOUR BUSINESS PLAN and have you reviewed it.   The provincial plan will ALWAYS COVER THESE AREAS the question have you! Priority Response Goals The overarching approach to any emergency or disaster response is based on the following Provincial response objective priorities: · Provide for the safety and health of all responders; · Save lives; · Reduce suffering; · Protect public health; · Protect property and government infrastructure; · Protect the environment; · Reduce economic and social losses; · Restore corporate and development services. Plan Objectives The objectives of this plan are to ensure local staff and local government staff, First Responders, Incident Command and the EOC has appropriate and sufficient information and are supported to: · provide a prompt response to emergency events; · establish overall control of response operations; · ensure the prompt elimination of all sources of potential danger; · evacuate any building or area considered to be a hazard; · rescue persons trapped, and provide first aid at the site; · establish a reception centre to provide essential services to evacuated persons; and · provide prompt, factual information to internal and external agencies and individuals as required.

The key benefits of YOUR plan

No one can predict the future; however, you can be ready with a sound business continuity plan. Getting a plan in place shows your employees, shareholders and customers that you are a proactive organization; it improves overall efficiency in your company and helps you allocate the right financial and human resources to keep your firm up and running during a serious disruption.

 

The five characteristics to identify when choosing the members of your emergency response team:

1.       Familiarity with the facilities, utilities, and building protection systems.
2.       Working knowledge on property conservation.
3.       Knowledge with how to use fire extinguishers and clean up small spills of hazardous chemicals.
4.       Stays calm and alert in any situation. Self-disciplined.
5.       Physically and mentally healthy.

The Four Important Parts of an Emergency Response Plan:

1.    Evacuation plan
2.    Sheltering plan
3.    Lockdown plan
4.    Medical Emergency plan

The Emergency Response Program Handbook

The company’s Emergency Response Program will also include a Disaster Survival Plan all within one handbook. All information about the company must be included.

Important parts of the Program are the following: proper introduction page with objectives, expectations and procedures, contact numbers of emergency program personnel and important contact people, and locations and supply of first aid kits.

Potential risks for each facility and plans of action for each of them must be thoroughly explained.

A detailed map of the whole facility, complete with marked entrances and fire exits, must be included. Highlight the locations of utility shut offs, electrical master switches and fire extinguishers.

The Evacuation Plan

Large or small organizations must have an evacuation team with specified members appointed to a different scope of responsibilities each.

Your evacuation team must comprise of the following members:

–    Team leader – will be responsible for handpicking volunteers to create the company’s group assigned exclusively for evacuation emergency plan.

–    Guide for each floor – will be responsible for disseminating handouts and tips to everyone on what to do during emergency evacuation.

–    Searcher for each floor – will be responsible for making sure no one is left behind during evacuation.

–    Monitoring personnel for each stairwell and elevator – will be responsible for making sure the stairwell and elevator (if usable) are not jammed or overloaded.

–    Special Medical Aid for disabled persons – will be responsible for assisting disabled persons.

–    Monitoring personnel for each assembly area – will be responsible for making sure no one is missing or injured.

IMPORTANT: A master list must be regularly updated to avoid inaccurate information. Each member of the official evacuation team and important contacts must be given a copy. Provide the official contact number for anyone to call or text during an emergency such as hurricane, tornado, flooding, fire or earthquake. Everyone must check in immediately to be included to the emergency evacuation list.

The Sheltering Plan

The sheltering or assembly area is the official destination for the evacuees. Choose the sturdiest part of the building as your evacuation area. If possible, build a well-planned emergency shelter to accommodate a large number of people and stock provisions that anticipate all possible needs – from clean air and water to food and medicine. Determine the quantities needed based on the number of projected occupants.

The assembly area team will have fewer members but they must perform very specific duties:

–    Team Leader – will be responsible for double-checking that tasks are properly performed by each member of the sheltering team.

–    Gatekeeper – will be assigned to stay by the exterior door and make sure no one is left behind before securing the door lock system. A gatekeeper must be assigned for each door for buildings with multiple entrance and exit points.

–    News monitoring personnel – will regularly check all available sources of news updates and must make sure the information is distributed to everyone.

–    Utilities personnel – will be assigned to the exact locations of controls to shut down including all utilities and mechanical and electrical services.

–    Supplies personnel – will be responsible for making sure there is ample supply of drinkable water, non-perishable food, and medical supplies. Rechargeable batteries and lanterns, as well as generators, must be available to accommodate a larger group in the sheltering area.

The Lockdown Plan

The lockdown emergency plan will be monitored by the evacuation team members because they will be the last to leave the evacuated area. The team leader must create a lockdown list. Establish communication systems to broadcast warnings, such as: telephone, public address system, megaphone, and mobile phones.

Important items in the lockdown emergency plan list are the following:

–    Electrical master switches must be off for each floor

–    Utilities turned off as required

–    Windows must be taped or boarded if possible and necessary

–    Water supplies and main pipes must be turned off

–    Electronic devices, storage facilities and other important items from lower floors must be transferred to higher areas to minimize damage caused by flooding.

IMPORTANT: Preparedness must come hand in hand with precautionary measures. All emergency response team members must undergo training. Everyone in the organization must undergo drilling practices to be prepared for any kind of emergency.

The Medical Emergency Plan

The members of the medical response team must be properly trained by medical professionals.

The three most important things medical response personnel must learn:

1.    Dial 911 and report a medical emergency.
2.    Locations of first aid kits and AEDs (automated external defibrillators).
3.    Provide efficient first aid assistance to victims.

The Six Steps on How to Create a Preparedness Program

1.    Develop a disaster program management. Enumerate all types of disasters and identify regulations to address each type of emergency. Establish minimum requirements to enhance efficiency.
2.    Planning includes two factors: hazards and risks. Identify the hazards and assess the risks. Based on this pre-planning program, create a business impact analysis.
3.    Implementation is a series of programs considered as integral parts of the program management as a whole. Resource management is on top of the list, while training is at the bottom – last but not the least, of course.
4.    Testing and Practices. Evaluate the program through constant testing and regular exercises. Practice makes for effective disaster program management.
5.    Continuous improvement of the program must be included in the list of priorities following an actual disaster incident. There is no shortage of new methods to make the preparedness program more efficient and more effective. Review incidents from other areas to pinpoint gaps and deficiencies in your own disaster program management.
6.    Prepare these two plans: business continuity plan and disaster recovery plan. The main purpose focuses on the development of recovery efforts for the business following a specific type of disaster. Both the continuity and recovery plans aim to improve the overall recovery capabilities and actions, and develop collective decision making process.

Like it or not DISCUSS IT Y0U MUST, because we are now talking about the not if, we are talking about the NEXT TIME!

there are a series of common requirements that must be taken into account for an organization to be successful when a critical incident occurs. These include:

• Deciding policy
• Assessing threat
• Identifying resources
• Selecting crisis team personnel
• Locating the crisis management center
• Equipping the crisis center
• Training crisis team personnel
• Testing contingency plans and emergency procedures
• Dealing with the media
• Dealing with victims and their families
• Dealing with other affected persons (such as employees)
• Getting the organization’s normal work done during the crisis
• Returning to normal after the crisis (both operationally and in human terms)

 Vulnerability Analysis

With regard to threat assessment above, many times this procedure can be accomplished by using a simple numerical rating system (scale of 1 to 5 with 1 as the lowest and 5 being highest) to list on a chart potential emergencies (such as fire, flood, terrorist attack, etc.), estimate the probability of each emergency occurring, assess the potential human impact (death and injury), property impact (losses and damages), potential business impact (loss of market share), and finally, the strength of the internal and external resources that may be available (5 being weak resources and 1 indicating strong resources). Next, you would total the score for each emergency taking into consideration that the lower the score, the better. Although somewhat subjective, the comparisons will be of significant assistance in determining planning priorities.

Ultimately, capabilities and hazards will be analyzed, specific roles and responsibilities will be carefully outlined, and critical company products and services will be identified in order to ensure a coordinated and effective response when a critical incident does occur. This will typically involve meeting with outside groups and establishing mutual aid agreements where appropriate. Gillespie emphasizes that mutual aid agreements enhance preparedness and that emergency response is more effective when public and private organizations cooperate.

Some outside groups or agencies that could be considered at this stage in the planning process include:

• Local police department
• Local fire department
• Emergency medical services
• City or county office of emergency management
• Local emergency planning committee (LEPC)
• City or county government officials
• Public works department
• Electric utilities
• Telephone companies
• Volunteer agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, etc.
• Essential contractors
• Suppliers of emergency equipment
• Company insurance carriers
• Neighboring businesses
• Trade associations
• National Weather Service

In crisis situations, organizations respond differently based on variations in tasks, level of preparedness, as well as political considerations. Conferring with outside groups or agencies ahead of time will undoubtedly avoid confusion and delays during the response phase of an emergency, improve coordination and communication during the management phase of the incident, and help organizations transition to the recovery phase much faster. 

Here are 8 basic steps to keep in mind when putting together your plan.

Step 1: Establish an Emergency Preparedness team

Step 2: Identify essential services/functions

Step 3: Identify required skill sets and staff reallocation

Step 4: Identify potential issues

Step 5: Prepare a plan for each essential service/function

Step 6: Compare with "Preparedness Checklist"

Step 7: Review with the emergency preparedness team

Step 8: Revise, test and update the plan

Start by asking these basic questions: How well prepared is your business now? What procedures do you already have in place for an emergency situation? What potential emergency situations could occur? ▪ ▪ ▪ How to prepare an emergency response plan for your small business Act Now! Basic guidelines Follow these basic guidelines to develop an effective emergency response plan for your workplace: Determine the conditions under which an evacuation would be necessary. Designate primary and secondary evacuation routes and emergency exits. Make sure they are clearly marked and well lit. Post signs. Install emergency lighting in case a power outage occurs during an evacuation. Ensure that evacuation routes and emergency exits are:

~ Wide enough to accommodate the number of evacuating people ~ Clear and unobstructed at all times ~ Unlikely to expose evacuating people to additional hazards Coordinate your plan with the local emergency management office. Designate “evacuation wardens” who will help others during an evacuation and account for employees. Establish specific evacuation procedures. This bulletin includes a sample emergency response plan to give you a better idea what your procedures should include. Establish a system for accounting for evacuated employees.

Following a site evacuation, you should gather employees and other evacuees at a designated assembly area and account for each person to make sure everyone has been evacuated safely. Accounting for evacuees takes planning and practice. Follow these guidelines: Designate assembly areas where people should gather after evacuating. Establish a head-count system for employees at the assembly area. The emergency operations coordinator should receive a list of the names and last-known locations of missing employees as soon as possible after arriving at the assembly area. Establish a method of accounting for nonemployees such as suppliers and customers. ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Establish procedures for further evacuation in case the incident expands. This may consist of sending employees home by normal means or providing them with transportation to an off-site location. Identify shelter space in your facility and the surrounding community. Establish procedures for sending evacuees to shelter. Develop a list of necessary emergency supplies such as water, food, and medical supplies. Coordinate plans with local authorities

Education and training Educate your employees about the types of emergencies that may occur, and train them in the proper course of action for emergency situations. Make sure they understand: The components of your emergency response plan Who will be in charge during an emergency What should employee training include? Emergency response training for your employees should address the following: Individual roles and responsibilities Potential threats, hazards, and protective actions

Notification, warning, and communications procedures How to locate family members in an emergency, Emergency response procedures Evacuation, shelter, and accountability procedures Location and use of common emergency equipment What emergency information is necessary? Provide employees with information such as checklists and evacuation maps. Post evacuation maps in strategic locations. Consider the information needs of customers and others who visit your store. How often should training take place? You should conduct training sessions at least once a year, or whenever you: Hire new employees Designate evacuation wardens or others with special assignments Introduce new equipment, materials, or processes Find, through exercises, that employee performance needs to be improved

 

So if you need help I will gratefully send you what I have, I will help you re-write your plan if you need help, but I will not stand in the mud and ashes and say I told you so, because as a company you know you must have a better plan for next time.