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Tips for Handling Emergencies
GENERAL EMERGENCY
Request emergency assistance by CALLING 911
Be prepared to give them the following information:
· Your name and location.
· Phone number from where the call is being made.
· Location of the emergency, including facility name, Bldg #, suite #, full address.
· Type of emergency:
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Medical
- Fire
- Confined Space Rescue
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Hazardous Material
- Criminal Act
- Bomb Threat
· Other important Information:
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Number and condition of victims.
- Location and extent of situation, hazard, fire, etc.
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Involvement of Hazardous Materials (as available, give product name and/or describe any markings, labels or placards).
· What is needed
DO NOT HANG UP FIRST. Let emergency personnel hang up first.
After the call, station someone to direct Emergency Response personnel to the scene of the emergency.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Observe the scene; evaluate personal safety Request assistance (SHOUT FOR HELP)
Call 911
Provide the following information:
· Number and location of victim(s)
· Nature of injury or illness
· Hazards involved
· Nearest entrance (emergency access point)
Alert trained employees to respond to the victim’s location and bring a first aid kit or Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
Location of First Aid Kits and Automated External Defibrillator(s)
First Aid Kit
AJC Largo - Suite 110 Back of Office, Suite 120-Break Room
AJC National Harbor - Break room behind Front Desk
Automated External Defibrillator
AJC Largo - Suite 110 Back of Office, Suite 120-Break Room
AJC National Harbor - Break room behind Front Desk
Procedures
· Only trained responders should provide first aid assistance.
· Do not move the victim unless the victim’s location is unsafe.
· Take “universal precautions” to prevent contact with body fluids and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
· Meet the ambulance at the nearest entrance or emergency access point; direct them to victim(s).
FIRE EMERGENCY
If a fire has been reported, pull the fire alarm, (if available and not already activated) to warn everyone to evacuate. Then Dial 911 to alert Fire Department. Provide the following information:
· Business name and street address
· Nature of fire
· Fire location (building and floor)
· Type of fire alarm (detector, pull station, sprinkler waterflow)
· Location of fire alarm (building and floor)
· Name of person reporting fire
· Telephone number for return call
***Emergency Coordinator and Floor Captains should direct evacuation of staff***
Evacuation Procedures
· Evacuate building along evacuation routes to primary assembly areas outside.
· Redirect building occupants to stairs and exits away from the fire.
· Prohibit use of elevators.
· Evacuation team to account for all employees and visitors at the Assembly Area.
ACTIVE SHOOTER/WORKPLACE VIOLENCE EMERGENCY
Description of an Active Shooter
An Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area, typically through the use of firearms.
How to respond when an Active Shooter is in your vicinity
1. Evacuate - Have an escape route and plan in mind, Leave your belongings behind, Keep your hands visible
2. Hide Out - Hide in an area out of the active shooters view, Block entry to your hiding place and lock doors.
3. Take Action - As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger.
· Attempt to incapacitate the active shooter
· Act with physical aggression and throw items at the active shooter
CALL 911 WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO
How to respond when Law Enforcement arrives on the scene
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Remain calm and follow officers instructions
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Immediately raise hands and spread fingers
- Avoid making quick movements towards officers such as attempting to hold on to them for safety
- Avoid pointing, screaming, and/or yelling
- Do not stop to ask officers for help or directions when evacuating. Just proceed in the direction from which the officers entered the premises.
Information you should provide to Law Enforcement
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Location of active shooter
- Number of shooters, if more than one
- Physical description of shooter(s)
- Number and type of weapon(s)
- Number of potential victims at the location
BOMB THREAT EMERGENCY
Phone Bomb Threat
· Stay calm – do not alarm others.
· Notify your supervisor who will report the threat to law enforcement by
CALLING 911. If supervisor is not present, you make the call.
· Decision to evacuate the building will be made by law enforcement personnel.
Written Bomb Threat
· Remain calm and leave the message where it is found.
· Do not handle the document any more than necessary to preserve fingerprints and other evidence.
· Do not alarm others.
· Notify your supervisor who will report the threat to law enforcement by
CALLING 911. If supervisor is not present, you make the call.
· Do not give information to anyone except supervisor and law enforcement personnel.
SEVERE WEATHER & NATURAL DISASTER EMERGENCY
Tornado:
· When a warning is issued by sirens or other means, seek shelter inside. The following are recommended locations for shelter:
o Small interior rooms on the lowest floor and without windows,
o Hallways on the lowest floor away from doors and windows, and
o Rooms constructed with reinforced concrete, brick, or block with no windows.
o When a warning is issued by sirens or other means, seek shelter inside.
· Stay away from outside walls and windows.
· Use arms to protect head and neck.
· Remain sheltered until the tornado threat is announced to be over.
Earthquake:
· Stay calm and wait for instructions from the Emergency Coordinator.
· Keep away from overhead fixtures, windows, filing cabinets, and electrical power.
· Assist people with disabilities in finding a safe place.
· Evacuate as instructed by the Emergency Coordinator or the designated official.
Flood:
· Be ready to evacuate as directed by the Emergency Coordinator.
· Follow the recommended primary or secondary evacuation routes.
· Climb to high ground and stay there.
· Avoid walking or driving through flood water.
· If car stalls, abandon it immediately and climb to a higher ground.
Blizzard:
· Stay calm and wait for instructions from the Emergency Coordinator.
· Stay indoors!
· If there is no heat:
o Close off unneeded rooms or areas.
o Stuff towels or rags in cracks under doors.
o Cover windows at night.
· Eat and drink. Food provides the body with energy and heat, and fluids prevent dehydration.
EXTENDED POWER LOSS EMERGENCY
In the event of extended power loss to a facility certain precautionary measure should be taken depending on the geographical location and environment of the facility:
· Unnecessary electrical equipment and appliances should be turned off in the event that power restoration would surge causing damage to electronics and effecting sensitive equipment.
· Facilities with freezing temperatures should turn off and drain the following lines in the event of a long-term power loss.
o Fire sprinkler system
o Standpipes
o Potable water lines
o Toilets
Equipment that contain fluids that may freeze due to long term exposure to freezing temperatures should be moved to heated areas, drained of liquids, or provided with auxiliary heat sources.
Upon Restoration of heat and power:
· Electronic equipment should be brought up to ambient temperatures before energizing to prevent condensation from forming on circuitry.
· Fire and potable water piping should be checked for leaks from freeze damage after the heat has been restored to the facility and water turned back on.
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
If you are an employee with a disability, there are critical steps you should take to help ensure that you will be safe during an emergency. First, inform your supervisor if you require assistance in the event of an evacuation. Second, work with your supervisor to develop a plan to ensure your safe evacuation in the event of an emergency. If you do not wish to share your needs with your supervisor, you should review the procedures to be followed in an emergency situation affecting your assigned facility and familiarize yourself with your evacuation route and assembly area.
If you are a supervisor, you are responsible for reviewing your facility’s EAP with all employees under your supervision, including those with disabilities, to ensure that each employee clearly understands procedures that must be followed during an emergency event. Be proactive in developing emergency plans to meet the needs of employees with a disability. You should also include your employees with disabilities in the decision-making process when selecting special equipment and developing evacuation procedures in collaboration with your building managers.
Options for disability evacuation include:
· Shelter in Place—Take immediate shelter at the designated location.
· Evacuation Chair or Other Assistive Device—An evacuation chair or escape chair is a lightweight wheelchair used to evacuate a physically disabled person from an area of danger, such as a burning building. The chair is designed to allow an attendant to transfer the person downstairs more safely than could be done with a normal wheelchair. Such chairs may be folded to a small size and stowed in much the same manner as other firefighting equipment such as fire hoses and fire extinguishers.
· Two-person Carry—This is a way to carry a person to safety with the assistance of a partner. The two assistants link arms to form a backrest and grip wrists to from a seat.
Please remember, when making decisions regarding the best way to evacuate individuals with disabilities from your building, you should work closely with your local emergency response personnel and their safety specialists.
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