Occupant Emergency Action Plan

(Insert Agency Logo Here)

(Building/Facility Name)

**Emergency Contact Numbers**

(Law Enforcement Agency)(Phone Number)

(Building Security)(Phone Number)

-December 2019-****---

Table of Contents

Purpose3

Scope3

Organization3

OEAP Program Manager:3

Building Manager:4

Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC):4

Building Emergency Evacuation Team (BEET):4

Responsibilities5

OEAP Program Manager5

[Agency] OEAP Program Manager Contact Information:5

Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC)5

Building Warden6

Floor Warden6

Zone Warden7

Tenant Agency/Organization Responsibilities8

All Occupants (Including Wardens)8

Emergency Actions and Procedures8

[Insert Agency Alert Notification Processes (if applicable)]8

Building Fire8

Tornado9

Take immediate shelter9

After the tornado has passed9

Earthquake9

Bomb Threat 10

Active Shooter11

If an active shooter is in your vicinity11

Evacuate11

Hide Out/Shelter-In-Place11

Take Action11

Responding when law enforcement arrives11

Dispersal of Hazardous Materials12

Suspicious Packages12

Civil Disorders/Riots12

Assess the situation12

Take preventative measures to reduce threat13

Severe Weather14

Utility Outage14

Code Adam Alert/Procedures14

Code Adam Alert for Public Buildings14

Training & Drills17

Fire17

Drill Procedure17

Means of Identification18

Evacuation18

Shelter-in-Place18

Personnel with Disabilities & Injured Occupants19

All-Clear Signals20

Go-kits20

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Purpose

The purpose of the Occupant Emergency Action Plan (OEAP) is to provide guidance on actions to be taken by building occupants during emergencies, severe weather scenarios and all related preparedness drills. The OEAP has been written from an all-hazards perspective and aligns with federal standards and guidance based on the Department of Homeland Security; Federal Protective Services-Secure Facilities, Safe Occupants document. Additionally, the OEAP incorporates certain Virginia Code requirements, Executive Orders, best practices from various local, state and federal resources, and the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC).

Scope

There are many potential emergencies or significant events that could affect a building and the safety of its occupants. The OEAP has been written with an all-hazards approach, addressing multiple types of events and including basic instructions on how to react to each one. The plan is designed to address emergency actions and evacuation/shelter in place procedures for building occupants. For the purpose of this document, the term “occupants” includes all state and federal agency personnel, private sector organizations, contractors, visitors and any other persons located inside the building at the time of an emergency or during a preparedness drill. The OEAP provides role clarity and assignment of responsibilities as well as an outline of procedures for occupants to follow when experiencing a wide range of hazards and threats.

The plan should be reviewed annually by (Fill in appropriate person). The OEAP is written from an all-hazards perspective with planning standards based on state and federal guidance for the following events:

Organization

OEAP Program Manager:

Coordinates all aspects of the OEAP program including safety and preparedness related meetings, trainings, drills, and facility-specific plans. OEAP training is provided to Building Emergency Evacuation Team (BEET) (described below) members and Emergency Management Coordinators (EMC’s are designated in Executive Order #41-2019 Northam) via in-person meetings as requested by each tenant agency/organization or as determined by the OEAP Program Manager.

Additionally, there will be at a minimum, two evacuation drills and two shelter-in-place drills that will be performed at each facility annually.

Building Manager:

Works closely with the OEAP Program Manager and Building, Floor, and Zone Wardens to help address any safety and preparedness related issues within the facility. The Building Manager also provides the operational capabilities during drills and emergencies concerning systems in the building.

Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC):

(The EMC position is a requirement for all Executive Branch agencies as per Executive Order #41-2019 Northam). The EMC serves as the primary tenant representative for the OEAP Program Manager. The EMC will be the agency/organization’s main point of contact for all OEAP-related issues and is responsible for assigning Floor and Zone Wardens for all floors occupied by their respective agency/organization within the building. EMC’s also provide a means of communication among all agencies/organizations within a given building with the goal of discussing plans, addressing needs and pursuing opportunities for improvement facility-wide. Other responsibilities of the EMC position are further outlined under the “EMC Duties” section on page 5.

*NOTE: The EMC can also be the OEAP Program Manager for facilities that have only one tenant/single agency.

Building Emergency Evacuation Team (BEET):

Consists of tenant agency/organization Floor Wardens and Zone Wardens, including alternates, who assist in the evacuation of the building during a drill, emergency or significant event. The BEET may conduct after action meetings as determined by the OEAP Program Manager following drills, emergencies or significant events requiring an evacuation so that any issues that may have occurred can be properly addressed. All contact information for BEET members should remain up to date and be submitted as requested, to the OEAP Program Manager by the tenant’s EMC (NOTE: The OEAP Program Manager and EMC could be the same person).

Building Warden

Building wardens manage evacuations and sheltering in place for the entire building. There should be two Building Wardens per building staffed by both agency volunteers and on-site Security Officers, if available. Building Wardens should be knowledgeable of all personnel who serve on the BEET including Floor and Zone Wardens. Each Building Warden, as the key liaisons between building occupants at the evacuation assembly area and first responders, shall have appropriate mobile communications equipment to ensure communications during incidents.

Floor Warden

Floor Wardens oversee the evacuation for their assigned floors. Floor wardens also conduct preparedness and training activities for their floor. During evacuations and sheltering in place events the Floor Warden has absolute authority over all occupants on that floor, even if the Floor Warden is a member of another agency/organization within the building.

Zone Warden

Each floor should be divided into zones consisting of no more than fifteen (15) people in a contiguous workspace. If a work space exceeds this number, then an additional Zone Warden may be appointed. During evacuation and sheltering in place events Zone Wardens have absolute authority over all occupants assigned to his or her zone, even if the Zone Warden is a member of another agency or organization.

Responsibilities

OEAP Program Manager

[Agency] OEAP Program Manager Contact Information:

Title: (Fill in Here)

Emergency Management Coordinator (EMC)

Building Warden

Floor Warden

Zone Warden

Tenant Agency/Organization Responsibilities

All Occupants (Including Wardens)

Emergency Actions and Procedures

This section details the various actions required by the potential incidents that could require evacuation or sheltering in place. The actual decision to evacuate the building or to shelter-in-place will be based on the best available information at the time.

[Insert Agency Alert Notification Processes (if applicable)]

Building Fire

A building fire is an evacuation incident.

Immediately upon discovering a fire, building occupants should:

1. Pull down the nearest fire alarm if the internal fire alarm system has not already been activated.

2.Move to a safe location (i.e. outside or an enclosed stairway) and notify the local fire department by dialing: 911

3.Evacuate the building using the nearest exit and assisting others as needed.

When the emergency dispatcher answers the phone, provide the following:

Tornado

Tornados are a shelter-in-place event.

Take immediate shelter

If inside a building, go directly to a pre-designated shelter area (as designated by the agency/organization) such as a safe room or an enclosed area in the centermost part of the building, preferably an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. Interior stairwells with no windows are usually good places to take shelter, and if not crowded, allow you to get to a lower level quickly. Occupants should attempt to put as many walls as possible between themselves and the outside of the building.

Stay off the elevators; occupants could become trapped in them if the power is lost. Once there, occupants should crouch down and cover their head. Getting under a sturdy table, using your arms to protect your head and neck is also a good idea. If possible, occupants should also cover their head and eyes with a blanket or jacket to protect against flying debris and broken glass.

After the tornado has passed

Occupants should always stay inside until the storm has completely passed, as multiple tornadoes can emerge from the same storm. Do not leave a building to attempt to escape a tornado.

Earthquake

Earthquakes are a shelter-in-place event.

If outside the building when shaking starts, move to an open area that is away from buildings, overpasses, light posts, or anything else that could shake loose and fall.

If inside a building, do not run outside or move to other rooms during an earthquake. In most earthquake scenarios, occupants can reduce their chances of injury from falling objects if they immediately:

Drop! Cover! Hold On!

Drop down onto hands and knees to avoid falling. If possible, take cover underneath a sturdy object and hold on to it so that it doesn’t shake away. Occupants may need to move with their shelter if the earthquake causes it to move significantly. If possible, try to grab something that can shield the head and face area from flying debris or broken glass.

If there is no sturdy object nearby, get down near an interior wall or next to shorter furniture that will not fall and cause injury, covering the head and neck with hands and arms. Doorways do not offer protection from falling objects and are not a more secure location during an earthquake. Move away from glass and objects such as bookcases, cabinets or other large furniture that could fall. Keep a look out for falling objects like light fixtures, pictures/frames, tall bookshelves and cabinets with doors that could swing open and cause injury.

Once the shaking stops, evacuate the building being careful to avoid debris, tall damaged furniture, and overhead glass. Be aware the aftershocks are common, and can be close in magnitude or greater than the original earthquake.

Bomb Threat

In the event of a bomb threat executed over the phone, the person taking the call should use the Bomb Threat Checklist & Telephone Procedures (Appendix A) document.

Active Shooter

An active shooter situation can be an extremely traumatizing event. Active shooter situations usually involve one or more individuals who have entered the building or facility armed with a weapon, typically a firearm, intending to injure or kill occupants. During a highly stressful event like this, it is important to think clearly and take basic, appropriate steps to maximize the safety of yourself and the others around you in the face of danger. Victims are often chosen at random and is a fast-moving event with little time to respond.

If an active shooter is in your vicinity

Evacuate

Hide Out/Shelter-In-Place

Take Action

Responding when law enforcement arrives

Dispersal of Hazardous Materials

Suspicious Packages

If a suspicious package of any type is observed within the building, the following emergency actions should be taken:

Civil Disorders/Riots

If a civil disorder incident or riot is or may affect building occupants, immediate action should be taken. Contact [insert appropriate authority] if it appears that a situation is imminent and notify the next level of authority in the agency/organization’s chain-of-command.

Assess the situation

Take preventative measures to reduce threat

Severe Weather

Utility Outage

In the event of a utility outage such as electricity, natural gas, or domestic water, the building manager/building officials should immediately assess the situation and make a determination on evacuation within 30 minutes of the outage based upon the type of outage, availability of backup systems, and anticipated duration of the outage. If an evacuation is recommended, it should be communicated as expeditiously as possible to all tenants throughout the facility.

Building Managers should make every effort to advise tenant representatives of the estimated duration of the outage so that agency heads and/or supervisors can determine whether to send their employees home immediately or remain in the area for an expected return to work. When deciding whether to send personnel home, tenant organizations and agencies should consider weather conditions, time of day, and how widespread the outage is.

Code Adam Alert/Procedures

Code Adam Alert for Public Buildings

Code of Virginia § 2.2-1161.1 requires state agencies housed in state owned and leased buildings to initiate and maintain the following procedures for the prevention of child abduction and the location of lost children in facilities serving the Commonwealth of Virginia.

A Code Adam Alert is a protocol that activates a team of agency personnel to monitor building exits, search building spaces, and notify law enforcement when attempting to locate a missing child or identifying and delaying a potential child abduction suspect.

Agencies should utilize their BEETs to initiate and conduct Code Adam alerts. The Building Warden should designate door and site monitors using on-site security or volunteer staff if no security is in the building. Agencies may use the following model standard operating procedure (SOP) for a Code Adam Alert:

Procedure for a Code Adam Alert

When a child is reported missing in a building, the following steps should be taken immediately by the person receiving the report and persons informed of the incident to assist in locating the child:

Step 1: Get a detailed description of the missing child including, at a minimum:

Step 2. Notify security and designated persons of the CODE ADAM ALERT and monitor all building entrances, exits, stairs, lobbies and adjacent parking areas.

Step 3. Inform designated persons to search the building.

Step 4.Notify law enforcement immediately of the reported missing child.

Step 5. If the child is found unharmed, reunite the child with the parent(s) or guardian(s).

Step 6. If the child is found with a person other than the parent or guardian, use reasonable efforts to prevent the person from leaving the building until law enforcement or security are present.

Step 7.Conclude the incident with an announcement.

Step 8.Report incident and results.

Training & Drills

Knowledgeable, well-trained personnel are essential to facilitating a culture of preparedness throughout the Commonwealth. It is important for all tenant agency and organization personnel to be well-versed in the appropriate emergency actions to achieve the highest possible levels of safety and security. The OEAP Program Manager is responsible for providing training on this plan including roles and responsibilities and hazard-specific response procedures.

Each building shall conduct a minimum of two fire drills and two other hazard drills annually. The OEAP Program Manager, Building Manager, and tenant representative(s) are responsible for coordinating the scheduling and conduct of these drills. Drills should be held at various times throughout the year with minimal advance notice provided to EMCs and other leadership. Personnel with disabilities may be given advanced notice one day before a drill for their safety and planning; however the goal is for all personnel to exercise as if the event is actually occurring.

Two of the drills may be scheduled to coincide with the annual statewide tornado drill (visit www.vaemergency.gov for dates/times) and the nationwide earthquake drill (visit www.shakeout.org for dates/times), however drills should exercise a variety of hazards over a multi-year training and exercise plan.

Fire Drill Procedure

  1. The OEAP Program Manager, Building Wardens, and Building Manager will meet in the lobby of the building prior to activating the fire alarm.
  2. Once in place, the Building Manager will activate the fire alarm at which point, Floor/Zone Wardens should begin executing the building’s OEAP. *Appointed volunteers should begin to assist personnel with disabilities in evacuating.
  3. Occupants should vacate their respective floor via the nearest safe stairwell and follow their exit plan. [Include language if applicable related to the related to floor identification (such as paddles) and gathering at identified assembly area.}

5.Non-employees, such as contractors, visitors, and all other occupants located in the building should proceed to evacuate as instructed by a BEET member.

6. All occupants will assemble at the building’s evacuation assembly area where Floor/Zone Wardens will verify accountability using their roster sheets.

7. Floor Wardens will then report to the Building Warden staffing the evacuation assembly area.

10. After the fire drill has concluded, the OEAP Program Manager and Building Wardens should meet to conduct a hot wash to discuss whether all systems and plans functioned properly and to determine the overall effectiveness of the drill.

11. An after action meeting should be scheduled within two weeks of a drill, emergency, or significant event which causes a building evacuation as determined by the OEAP Program Manager. The AAR meeting should include, at a minimum, the BEET, all Wardens, the Building Manager, OEAP Program Manager, and the EMC.

Means of Identification

Building, zone, and floor wardens should be easily identifiable by vest, hats, or other highly visible markers. [Fill in below with identifiers to be used in your building]

Building Wardens:

Floor Wardens:

Zone Wardens:

Evacuation

Personnel shall comply with the following procedures during an evacuation:

  1. Proceed to the nearest safe stairwell exit.
  2. Go down the steps using the right side of the stairs to avoid interfering with or impeding pathways for first responders.
  3. [Include language if applicable related to the related to floor identification (such as paddles) and gathering at identified assembly area.]
  4. Remain calm and alert; no running, pushing, or passing on the stairways.
  5. Take only small essential personal items such as purses, wallets, keys, and essential medication when evacuating. Personnel not located in their immediate office area – SHOULD NOT return to their office to retrieve these items.
  6. Safely exiting the building is the top priority.
  7. Proceed to the building’s designated evacuation assembly area as noted in Appendix E for roll call.
  8. Listen to the Building Warden to either give the “all-clear” signal to return into the building or further instructions on what to do if the facility is deemed uninhabitable due to the event. Tenant agencies and organizations will follow their agency Continuity Plan in determining next steps for the agency.

Shelter-in-Place

Agency personnel should be aware of what locations within the building best serve the purposes for the various possible shelter-in-place (SIP) scenarios. The most optimal spaces to shelter-in-place will vary by type of incident. At a minimum, the spaces selected for SIP should accommodate multiple occupants, provide enough space for each occupant to sit down, and have a hard-wired landline for communications. Some examples of spaces would be large storage closets, utility rooms, pantries/kitchens, copy rooms and conference rooms with no windows. SIP spaces are meant to be used for short-term events lasting minutes to several hours.

When an incident requires SIP:

• If there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or curtains.

• Write down the names of everyone in the room and contact the respective Floor Warden to report who is in the room and their affiliation (employee or visitor).

• Monitor any radio or television that may be in the space as well as the agency’s alerting system until the “all safe” notice is given or evacuation becomes necessary.

Personnel with Disabilities & Injured Occupants

No personnel, regardless of status as an individual with a disability should be left in a building when an evacuation has been ordered; such plans put these individuals at greater risk of harm and may constitute a violation of their civil rights. Each building’s OEAP must insure the following:

If personnel with disabilities or injuries are left in the building during an evacuation, the Building Warden should immediately notify the first responders providing their locations, if possible.

All-Clear Signals

Once notified by the fire department or law enforcement that the building is safe for return, the Building Warden will issue the “all clear” announcement to the group at the evacuation assembly area.

*No one should re-enter the building until the all clear signal has been given by the building warden.

After the "all clear" signal has been given by the Building Warden, all personnel and occupants may return to the building.

Go-kits

Agency and organization building tenants are encouraged to create and utilize go-kits. Go-kits should include important documents including standard operating procedures, emergency plans, directions to alternate relocation facilities, contact lists, and personal health and protection items such as:

Appendix A

Bomb Threat Checklist & Telephone Procedures

Instructions: Be calm, be courteous, listen, do not interrupt the caller, and notify supervisor or security officer by prearranged signal while the caller is on the line.

Name of call taker_________________________Time_________Date________

Caller's Identity

Male_____ Female_____ Adult_____ Juvenile_____ Approximate Age_____

Origin of Call

Local_____ Long Distance_____ Internal_____ Unknown ________

Voice Characteristics Speech

_____Loud _____Soft _____Fast _____Slow

_____High Pitch_____Deep _____Distinct ____ Distorted

_____Raspy _____Pleasant _____Stutter _____Nasal

_____Intoxicated_____Other _____Slurred _____Lisp

Language Accent

_____Excellent _____Good _____Local _____Not Local

_____Fair _____Poor _____Foreign _____Region

MannerBackground Noises

_____Calm _____Angry _____Factory Machines _____Trains

_____Rational _____Irrational _____Noisy _____Animals

_____Coherent _____Incoherent _____Music _____Quiet

_____Deliberate ____ Emotional _____Office Machines _____Voices

_____Righteous_____Laughing _____Mixed _____Airplanes

_____Street Traffic _____Party

Message Received From Caller: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Appendix B

Zone Warden Personnel Roster

The Zone Warden Personnel Roster should use this roster during any evacuation drill, emergency, or significant event to ensure accountability of personnel. This document should be submitted to the Floor Warden once a respective zone has been fully cleared and all personnel are accounted for at the evacuation assembly area. The Floor Warden will then submit all Zone Warden Roster sheets to the Building Warden. During an evacuation, it may be necessary to call an individual’s mobile phone number if they cannot be accounted for at the evacuation assembly area. Also, the “Office #” column in the below spreadsheet refers to the physical office or cubical number of the employee and is necessary for location purposes.

  • = Unaccounted for
  • = Out of Office
  • = Special Needs Personnel

Agency/Tenant Name:

Zone#****:

Floor#:

Appendix C

[Insert Agency Name and Logo]

Building Warden

Emergency Evacuation (Fire) Drill

Report


The OEAP Program Manager will complete this form based on Floor Warden Emergency Evacuation Drill Reports and keep on file in case it is requested by the fire department following an emergency evacuation fire drill.

Building Name: ---------------- building


Building address: ------ ------ St., ---------, VA -----


Time of drill:


Date of drill:


**Weather conditions when occupants evacuated: **

**
Number of occupants: **


Average drill time:


Other information relevant to the drill:

Building Warden Name:

Date Submitted By the Building Warden:

Appendix D

[Insert Agency name and Logo]

Floor Warden

Emergency Evacuation (Fire) Drill

Report


Each Floor Warden will complete this form and forward to the OEAP Program Manager within two business days following an emergency evacuation or drill. Reports should be emailed to: (type in the OEAP Program Manager’s email address here)

Building Name: -------------- building


Building address: ---------- ----- St., ----------, VA ------

Agency Name:


Time of drill:


Date of drill:


Weather conditions when occupants evacuated:


Number of occupants:

Floor Area(s):


Total time for Floor Area occupants to evacuate Bldg.:


Other information relevant to the drill:

Floor Warden Name:

Date Submitted to the Building Warden:

Appendix E

(ADD FLOORPLAN MAPS HERE)

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Evacuation Assembly Area Route & Location

(ADD ASSEMBLY AREA MAP HERE)