Emergency and disaster planning

Healy, R. J. 1969. Emergency and disaster planning. New York Wiley. 

Discuss the five areas of focus in emergency and disaster planning preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, and evaluation. 

All of the safety professionals with whom I spoke were affected by the World Trade Center tragedy, but not as much as I expected. They are employed in large companies that have extensive security staffs, on whom the responsibiUty for additional security measures fell. There is an overlapping of responsibility with security personnel since an element in all of their safety management systems pertains to Emergency and Disaster Planning, which will be addressed later. 

The past events should not dampen the use of technology to solve the problems of the human race. Perhaps with greater foresight and a wider view of potential consequences, we would see fewer emergencies and disasters. Planning for emergencies should also lead to preventive actions so that emergencies are less likely to occur. 

Healy, R.J. (1969). Emergency and Disaster Planning. John V ftley Sons, New York. Henry, J.G. and Heinke, G.W. (1995). Environmental Science and Engineering, 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, New York. 

T or F— There is no one basic emergency and disaster plan that fits all facilities and operations. 

WSRC has incorporated fire emergency procedures into DPSOP 67 (Reference 13) "100 Areas Emergency and Disaster Plans, DPSOLs 100-4000 through 4450," and other site emergency manuals. Staff review of this document verified that this satisfies the requirement of DB-4.5. 

WSRC, DPSOP 67, "100-Areas Emergency and Disaster Plans, DPSOLs 100-4000 through 4450."... 

Develop, publish, and maintain supporting emergency plans in accordance with AMC guidance and the ARMCOM Civil Disturbance, Force Mobilization, War Emergency, and Disaster Control Plans... 

Visit www.nod.org/emergency to obtain a copy of this Guide as well as links to other specific preparedness information and continuously updated information about disabilities and disaster planning. 

Safety and security—Create contingency plans to ensure the safety and welfare of all patients, staff, and visitors during emergencies and disasters... 

When planning for emergencies and disaster, what approach must be used ... 

The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), created by the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act, provides leadership in the areas of preventing, preparing, and responding to adverse health effects related to public health emergencies and disasters. ASPR focuses on preparedness planning and response, including coordinating... 

The phases of emergency preparedness often overlap. However, effective emergency management coordinates the activities in all four phases. Emergencies and disasters can cut across a broad spectrum and can include infrastructure, human services, and the economy. When considering the all hazards approach, planners must also consider any predictable consequences relating to those hazards. All stakeholders must plan to focus on the management principles of coordination and collaboration. 

Disaster Planning. Plant managers should recogni2e the possibiHty of natural and industrial emergencies and should oversee formulation of a plan of action in case of disaster. The plan should be weU documented and be made known to all personnel critical to its implementation. Practice fire and explosion drills should be carried out to make sure that all personnel, ie, employees, visitors, constmction workers, contractors, vendors, etc, are accounted for, and that the participants know what to do in a major emergency. 

In many locations around the world dams are essential for agriculture and urban water supply. While the benefits of these structures are obvious, the risk of damage or loss of life due to unexpected failure of the dam can be overlooked by the general populace. A systematic assessment of the hazards posed by possible dam failures is useful for disaster planning, emergency response, and flood warnings. 

The protocols and software developed in this study will give the Pacific Disaster Center tools that will enable it-and other agencies such as the Hawaii State Department of Land and Natural Resources and the U.S. National Weather Service-to conduct dam breach hazard assessments more easily. Results of these assessments are expected to be of value for disaster planning, emergency response, and flood warning. 

We pointed out earlier that most emergency plans address fire, medical emergencies, and the accidental release or spills of hazardous materials. Note that the development of emergency response plans should also factor in other possible emergencies— natural disasters, floods, explosions, and/or weather-related events that could occur and certainly will occur. Now, emergency response to terrorist activity or threats must also be added to the list. 

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