Emergency Water Supply Planning

For a small facility, of less than 50 beds, where one individual performs multiple functions, the process may be relatively simple, with a single individual coordinating the development of the EWSP. However, for a large hospital of several hundred beds, the process of developing the plan will be more complex. 

Step 1 Assemble the facility EWSP team and the necessary background documents. Begin by identifying appropriate staff members needed for the facility team that will assume responsibility for plan development. Develop and publish a team contact list. Expertise from a range of individuals will ensure a comprehensive and robust plan. External community partners who would play a role in the response should be invited and encouraged to participate in the plan development process. 

Step 2 Conduct a water use audit. The water use audit will help identify emergency conservation measures that could be used. This audit often can identify conservation measures that are easy and simple to implement, resulting in less water use and lower water bills for the facility. 

Step 3 Analyze alternative emergency water supplies. 

Step 4 Develop and exercise your plan based on an analysis of the water use audit and the availability of alternate emergency water supplies. Develop a written EWSP for the facility. Review and exercise the plan annually. 

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List the elements of an emergency water supply plan. 

Water. Water can become a precious resource after a disaster. Keep an emergency water supply ample enough to meet the needs of the entire family for seven days or longer. Also plan on having enough water to meet your family s personal hygiene and sanitation needs. 

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. 

After the September 11 attack The Pood and Drug Administration (FDA) has boosted its already very effective emergency response plans. It works closely with other Pederal, State and Local safety authorities and regulatory agencies abroad to protect food and respond promptly to any evidence of threats to the food and water supply. The impressive amount of information, which the Agency can provide, makes it probably the best source of relevant and updated information. FDA can be contacted toll free at 1-800 SAFEFOOD, or on line at www. foodsafety.gov. 

NFPA 1620 provides extensive details on pre-incident planning that involves the evaluation of protection systems, building constraction, contents, and operating procedures that can impact emergency operations. Major topics include physical elements and site considerations, occupant considerations, protection systems and water supplies, special hazard considerations, emergency operations, and plan testing and maintenance. 

A description of the potential hazard and recommended actions to be taken by emergency and firefighting personnel dnring a fire or explosion event for a specific hazard, location, or facility based on previons inspections and surveys of identified hazards. Pre-fire plans note the structural features, physical layout, special hazards, installed protection systems, fire hydrant locations, water supplies, and similar features pertinent to firefighting operations. Pre-fire plans should be routinely updated or revised as changes occur in a facility or location. 

The public sphere solves primarily the situations when water has to be supplied to hospitals, medical facilities (American Water Works Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014) and other public institutions, reception camps and centres in which it is necessary to accommodate more people during the crisis (Amar 2010). The US EPA report is not focused only on the practical aspects of local planning in relation to the emergency supply of drinking water, but also on the roles and responsibilities of various levels of state administration. It also includes technical planning elements and presents recommendations how to respond better to post-crisis situations (US EPA 2011). Daniel and Morley also deal with the issue of water supply immediately after the crisis situation is over (Daniel Morley 2011). 

Additional information specific to safety during emergencies can be found in AWWA Manual of Water Supply Practices M19, Emergency Planning for Water Utilities. To ensure a full understanding of the hazards, further research is recommended. Also, additional topic-specific safety tips are provided for weekly safety meetings in AWWA s annual publication Let s Talk Safety 52 Talks on Common Utility Scfety Practices. 

Environmental Impacts In addition to the concern over acute and chronic human health effects, emergency response planning must consider impacts on the environment, drinking water sources, food supplies, and other natural resources. Additionally, environmental contamination will affect the return of evacuated personnel after termination of the immediate airborne health hazard. 

In preparing emergency response plans for petroleum liquid spills or fires, it should be taken into consideration that the required water rates could be needed for long periods of time. Provisions for an uninterrupted supply at a suitable volume must be built into the plans. The rates stipulated in the foregoing do not include amounts... 

Earthquakes have caused disruption of the services provided by essential facilities such as hospitals, emergency communications centers, and fire stations. For the functions of these facilities to be available in the post-earthquake setting, the structure must perform safely and key nonstructural components must be protected. In addition to these engineering approaches, emergency response planning is necessary to identify off-site lifeline systems that could be disrupted by the earthquake, because a facility may need backup systems and supplies to contend with outages to the region s water, power, and transportation systems. 

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