Toolkit
Emergency Considerations
Consider the functions your facility might need to perform in an emergency and the
communications systems needed to support those functions. Consider communications between:
- Emergency responders
- Responders and the IC
- The IC and the EOC
- The IC and employees
- The EOC and outside response organizations
- The EOC and neighboring businesses
- The EOC and employees’ families
- The EOC and customers
- The EOC and the media
In an emergency, personnel will need to know whether their families are safe—taking care of
loved ones is always a first priority. Make plans for communicating with employees’ families in an
emergency. Encourage employees to:
- Consider how they would communicate with their families in case they are
separated from one another or injured in an emergency.
- Arrange for an out-of-town contact for all family members to call in an
emergency.
- Designate a place to meet family members in case they cannot get home in an
emergency.
Notification
Communication with employees in an emergency is crucial for establishing safety and ensuring
business can continue.
Accomplish the following to ensure communication stays clear and open during an emergency:
-
Establish procedures for employees to report an emergency.
Inform employees of reporting procedures.
Train personnel in specific notification tasks.
Post emergency telephone numbers near each telephone, on employee bulletin
boards and in other prominent locations.
Maintain an updated list of key emergency personnel’s addresses and telephone
numbers.
Listen for tornado, hurricane and other severe weather warnings.
Determine government agencies’ notification requirements in advance.
Notification must be made immediately to local government agencies when an
emergency has the potential to affect public health and safety.
Prepare announcements that could be made over public address systems.
Warning
In the event of an emergency, it is imperative that employees are properly alerted of dangers
they may face.
Establish a system for warning personnel of an emergency. The system should:
- Be audible or within view by all people in the facility,
- Have an auxiliary power supply, and
- Have a distinct and recognizable signal.
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