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Whether it's fire, severe weather, a bomb threat or
just a power outage, it is important to know what to do.
Plan and Prepare
For many, emergency preparedness or "disaster"
planning is not a high priority, usually because they believe emergencies
always happen somewhere else. There are also those who believe major
emergencies or disasters are beyond human control, so there is not much
anyone can do.
While no amount of planning can prepare us for every
contingency or eliminate all the risks associated with an emergency
situation, we can reduce the impact and speed the return to normal operations.
The better we plan, the better we will respond when a disaster actually
strikes.
The specific purpose of this pamphlet is to provide
you with general guidelines for preparing a plan for your department
or building. The procedures you develop do not need to be elaborate,
they should reflect what will actually be done in your department.
This publication has been prepared by the Department
of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in cooperation with the
UAB Emergency Preparedness Committee (EPC). All departmental or building
plans should be submitted for review by EPC in order to maintain consistency
with campus wide plans (OH&S, CH 19, Rm. 445, 2041).
The guidelines presented in this pamphlet apply to
UAB campus areas and are not intended to replace the specific disaster
plans already in place at University Hospital nor do they replace the
existing policy regarding the snow and ice emergency plan.
Defining an Emergency
An emergency or disaster is defined as an event
that has the potential to cause property damage, personal injury or
loss of life that creates demands the institution can not handle in
a routine manner.
Planning Objective
To provide a timely response by coordinating
resources to protect lives, mitigate damages and provide a rapid return
to normal operations.
These definitions can also be applied at the department
level. Small emergencies may occur that will take the department or
even a building out of the normal operation. Departmental plans should
reflect this contingency. Even in a campus-wide disaster, buildings
and departments should be prepared for little or no outside assistance
for some period of time. This pamphlet is intended to provide basic
guidelines for a departmental or building internal disaster plan.
These guidelines are identical to those used in planning
the campus-wide response plan. The only variations will be allowances
for hazards or sensitive areas within a given department or building.
For example, the evacuation plan for the Arena will differ from the
evacuation plan for the Humanities Building.
Since it is impossible to plan precise responses for
each possible scenario, plans must be flexible in order to enhance decision
making, help establish priorities and assist in managing available information.
Remember emergency planning usually takes place in an atmosphere of
apathy and economic restraint. In order to gain the most cooperation
during the planning process, it is very helpful to focus on the most
likely events first, for example, power outages, communication failure,
severe weather and fire.
Notification
Because UAB is such a large, diverse campus,
a uniform method of notifying all areas is simply impossible. You may
learn about an emergency situation any number of ways: fire alarm, weather
radio, emergency sirens, messenger, commercial radio or television.
Certain emergencies may be self evident: for example, you don't need
a messenger to tell you the power went out when your sitting in the
dark.
Each building and/or department should develop a method
of spreading the word about an emergency situation. Buildings composed
of classrooms should develop a messenger system to let instructors in
class know of emergencies such as severe weather and bomb threats.
Because there is at least a 75% chance that disaster
will strike during non-business hours, certain departments on campus
have developed recall rosters or notifications call lists such as Maintenance,
Animal Services, OH&S and others. If your department develops such
a recall list, it should be updated at least quarterly.
Handling of Damaged Areas
All damaged areas should be evacuated and kept
clear by UAB Police until it is determined that the area is safe to
re-enter. Building Services will be responsible for cleaning the damaged
area after it is declared safe. Facilities Management will be responsible
for cleaning the damaged area after is is declared safe. Facilities
Management will be responsible for repairs which will return the area
to normal or as close to normal operations as possible.
Fire Safety
All departments and/or buildings should develop
local evacuation routes and signs locating fire extinguishers. The Department
of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) can help you develop these
plans. It is very important that corridors and exits remain clear of
any obstructions. It is common on campus for copiers, tables, bookshelves
and all kinds of other material to be placed in corridors. This is a
violation of the fire code.
General Instructions for All Areas
If fire of smoke is detected, no matter how minor
it may appear to be, do this at once:
Evacuation
Evacuation should take place in a calm and orderly
manner. Again, be sure corridors and exits are unobstructed and clearly
marked. Staff members should be very familiar with two evacuation routes
and be prepared to assist students and visitors who may not be familiar
with the building.
Identify a point outside and away from the building
where members of your department know to gather. This provides a quick
and easy way to account for all personnel.
Fire Drills
In elementary school, fire drills helped you
remember automatically what to do in a fire. It also helped teachers
move a lot of little people to safety quickly and calmly. The same holds
true now. In an actual fire, there will be a great deal of excitement
and confusion. This will be compounded by thick smoke and toxic gases.
A normally well-marked exit route may appear unfamiliar and disorienting.
It is essential that fire response procedures be practiced on a regular
basis. Each person must know exactly what to do and must have enough
practice to be able to perform quickly and efficiently - and help students
and visitors. Contact OH&S for help organizing a building or department
fire drill.
Provisions for Individuals With Disabilities
The landings inside or adjacent to stairwells and protected elevator lobbies are considered areas of refuge for individuals with disabilities. It is routine procedure for emergency personnel to check these areas for individuals with disabilities and/or injured persons. In the event the building must be evacuated, individuals with disabilities located above or below the ground floor should proceed to their designated area of refuge and remain until emergency personnel arrive. Any required assistance for individuals accessing the area of refuge should be coordinated in advance by their departments. The Floor Captain or designee must immediately report the location of disabled or injured individuals to emergency personnel.
Bomb Threat
It is the responsibility of the UAB Police Department
to investigate all suspected bombs and reports of bombs being placed
on UAB property and coordinate evacuation, searches, and removal of
suspected explosive devices. This shall be accomplished in cooperation
with UAB staff, Birmingham Police Department, Birmingham Fire and Rescue
Service, and other agencies which may be called to assist.
A separate publication is available from the OH&S
office with detailed instructions on how to handle a bomb threat in
your building.
Loss of Electrical Power
Many areas of campus are equipped with emergency
power should they loose electrical service. However, most people don't
realize what that means. Usually, emergency service is minimal and is
designed to operate only critical equipment. Ask yourself two basic
questions: Does my building have emergency power? If yes, which outlets
are emergency outlets? Even with emergency power, many things that are
taken for granted, such as phones (other than single line), most lights,
except for egress lighting in corridors and stairs, and elevators do
not operate.
All areas have at least a battery backup system to
operate egress lighting and exit signs. Even so, this is very little
light. Again, practice your evacuation routes and keep corridors clear
of obstructions.
Students in class should be instructed to remain in
their seats until information is available on how long the outage will
last or if evacuation is required.
Severe Weather
Someone in your building should be responsible
for monitoring the weather for changes that may require an upgrade in
preparedness.
Heavy Rain and Flooding
a. Campus Maintenance will be prepared to handle
sewer back-up and other problems associated with flooding.
b. Building Services will be responsible for monitoring
floors in traffic areas and keeping them clean, dry and serviceable.
Severe Lighting/Electrical Storms
While it is unlikely that such storms will
result in serious damage to the University buildings as a result of
electrical activity, it is advisable to curtail certain activities
that may present certain risks, such as outdoor or rooftop activities,
or the use of any equipment that could cause injury or be damaged
by interruptions in the power supply.
Tornado Watch
A tornado watch means conditions are favorable
for the development of tornadoes or very intense straight-line winds
capable of causing severe damage. The watch will be issued by the
National Weather Service for a specified period of time. No specific
action should be taken during a watch except to stay alert to weather
conditions and updates.
Tornado Warning
A tornado warning means a tornado has been
spotted in or near Jefferson County. Personnel must stay alert to
any sudden changes in weather conditions or weather announcements
and be prepared to seek shelter immediately in the lower level and/or
along the interior walls. Personnel should stay away from the windows
as much as possible.
Communications
When the primary telephone system goes down,
the most important action for all departments to take is to avoid using
the phones. Our phone system has a type of "memory" and attempts
to use the phone will slow recovery. One individual in an area should
be designated to check the phone lines from time to time. Special phone
lines that are independent of the UAB system are available for a nominal
fee from UAB Communications; call extension 4-0000 for more information.
The Department of Occupational Health and Safety
(205) 934-2487
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