Every year, the month of September is designated as National Preparedness Month. As a facility leader, there are a variety of emergencies and disasters to be prepared for, such as fires, severe weather, widespread illnesses, hazardous spills and leaks, acts of violence, and power outages and equipment failures. When these situations occur, the first few minutes are critical. The action taken in this time can mean the difference between life and death. An emergency response plan (ERP) helps to outline the steps to be taken in various emergencies. As laid out by Ready, there are several steps to implementing an ERP.
- Review performance objectives for the program
- Review hazard or threat scenarios identified during the risk assessment.
- Assess the availability and capabilities of resources for incident stabilization including people, systems and equipment available within your business and from external sources.
- Talk with public emergency services (e.g., fire, police and emergency medical services) to determine their response time to your facility, knowledge of your facility and its hazards and their capabilities to stabilize an emergency at your facility.
- Determine if there are any regulations pertaining to emergency planning at your facility; address applicable regulations in the plan.
- Develop protective actions for life safety (evacuation, shelter, shelter-in-place, lockdown).
- Develop hazard and threat-specific emergency procedures using the Emergency Response Plan for Businesses.
- Coordinate emergency planning with public emergency services to stabilize incidents involving the hazards at your facility.
- Train personnel so they can fulfill their roles and responsibilities.
- Facilitate exercises to practice your plan.
While we are not ERP experts at IPS, we are skilled in a wide variety of product lines at IPS that can assist your facility in its safety efforts. Whether it is a fire alarm, gunshot, or intrusion system that detects emergencies and alerts you to them, or an Emergency Responder Communications Enhancement System that aids first responders when in your building, IPS has you covered. Contact us today to learn more about our various product and services.
For more information on National Preparedness Month and links to a variety of resources, please click here.
