Table of Contents: Chapter 6

609 EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS 4-1-08

609.1 Policy Statement

: Emergency procedures shall be developed for each City facility to provide guidelines to protect employees, guests, customers, and property. The procedures shall be designed to reduce confusion during emergency situations and shall provide a framework for recovery and restoration of routine operations. Emergency action plans shall be reviewed annually and updated to reflect any alterations or modifications. All employees shall review the applicable Emergency Action Plan annually.

609.2 Communications:

Public Service Announcements: City Administration shall work with the appropriate personnel to determine the content, timing, and release of any public service announcements concerning operation of City departments and/or divisions impacted by the emergency situation.

Employee Announcements: City Administration will contact Department Managers and Directors for dissemination of information regarding operations during emergency situations. Managers and Directors will maintain updated emergency telephone trees for use in contacting employees during emergency situations.

Command Post: Should any facility become uninhabitable during an emergency situation, City Administration will designate an alternate facility or location to function as interim command post.

609.3 EVACUATION

All persons within the affected building shall evacuate when a fire alarm sounds or as instructed by management personnel or the responding emergency personnel.

Proceed directly to the assembly area designated by the departmental Emergency Action Plan. Make sure that guests, visitors, and customers that may be in the facility are lead to a designated assembly area.

Follow designated evacuation routes as posted throughout the facilities.

Check-in with the appropriate department Emergency Coordinator.

Remain at the designated assembly area until instructed otherwise by Supervisor, Manager, Director, or appropriate Emergency Response personnel.

Do not re-enter the building until the facility has been declared "all clear" by appropriate Emergency Response personnel.

609.4 BOMB THREAT GUIDELINES

Purpose: The purpose of these guidelines is to provide recommended procedures for the handling of bomb threats. The guidelines provide for the safety of employees, guests, and customers, the orderly receipt and dissemination of bomb threat information to appropriate personnel, the orderly evacuation of buildings, an orderly search for suspicious objects, and for the control and security of suspected objects pending arrival of appropriate emergency personnel.

Receipt and Documentation of Information: The following actions should be taken immediately by the employee receiving a telephonic "bomb threat". Obtain as much information as possible concerning the threat and using the Bomb Threat Call Checklist attached as Exhibit A, document as much information as possible about the caller.

Dissemination of Information:

Dial 911 and advise the dispatcher of the information collected regarding the call. Answer any additional questions the responding officer may have. The information provided is critical to assessing the threat and determining the necessary emergency actions to be taken.

Do NOT hang up. Remain on the line until the responding police officer arrives or you are directed to hang up by the dispatcher.
Notify supervisor, manager, or department director. Dispatcher may want to talk to the supervisor or other management personnel.
Normally buildings are not evacuated for bomb threats unless directed to do so by the appropriate building management or a responding officer or if a suspicious object is located or observed.
Follow supervisor, manager, director, or responding officer's instructions regarding sounding alarms or evacuating the building.

: Bomb Threat Check List.pdf

609.5 FIRE EMERGENCIES

Should smoke or fire be observed, remain calm. Pull a fire alarm to initiate building evacuation and fire department notification.

Never jeopardize your personal safety. If a fire does not involve chemicals, has less than a three-foot base, and extinguishers are available, employees who have been trained in the use of fire extinguishers may elect to attempt fighting the fire. If the fire potentially involves chemicals, has a base larger than three-feet, extinguishers are not readily available, or the employee is not trained, immediately proceed to the nearest exit and report to the designated assembly area.

When a fire alarm sounds: Proceed to the nearest safe exit. Do not attempt to save personal items or possessions. Go directly to the assembly area designated in the departmental emergency procedures. Make sure that guests, visitors, and customers that may be in the facility are lead to a designated assembly area.

Do NOT use elevators. Follow designated evacuation routes as posted throughout the facilities.

Close doors, but do not lock when leaving offices. Do not open closed doors before feeling the door. If a door feels hot, move to an alternate exit.

Do NOT re-enter the building until instructed to do so or an "all clear" has been communicated.

609.6 WORKPLACE DISTURBANCE

Purpose: Any form of violent disturbance or threat of violence, whether actual or reasonably perceived, must be reported to a supervisor, manager, or director, whether the behavior is committed by another employee, a contractor, a customer, or a member of the public.

Threatening Situation: A threatening situation exists when any individual, through intimidating words or gestures, produces fear or apprehension of physical harm, although there is no immediate danger of harm being inflicted.

Immediately signal a co-worker or supervisor that assistance is required. The co-worker will summon the supervisor or manager who will notify the police as required.

Stay Calm. Listen attentively. Maintain eye contact. Be courteous and patient. If at any time the situation escalates to a point where the fear or apprehension of physical harm becomes imminent, leave the location for a safer area and call 911.

Follow the directions of the supervisor or manager.

Emergency Situation: An emergency situation exists when there is an immediate threat of physical harm or injury, any weapons are involved in the threat, or when an injury has occurred due to a violent act.

: Immediately press the panic button and call 911 and advise a supervisor or manager.

: Stay Calm. Maintain eye contact. Keep talking, but follow directions from person making the threat or has a weapon.

: Watch for a safe chance to escape to a safer area.

: Do NOT risk self or others.

: NEVER try to grab a weapon.

: Follow the directions of the responding officer.

Follow-up:

Following resolution of the incident, notify manger or director if this has not already been done.

While the incident is fresh in memory, write down pertinent information and remain available to discuss the incident with police and City management personnel as needed.

609.7 CIVIL DISTURBANCE

The primary concern of the city during civil disturbance is to protect lives, property and the orderly administration of the City.

It is the responsibility of elected officials and/or City administrative personnel to determine which municipal activities, if any, should be curtailed, moved or suspended.

Employees shall contact administration personnel immediately if they feel threatened or observe a volatile situation during council sessions, committee meetings, or other municipal governmental activities. Police should be summoned without delay.

Anyone causing a disturbance in the Council Chambers or Lobby of City Hall during Council sessions shall be removed from the immediate area without delay pending assessment of further action required.

609.8 SUSPICIOUS MAIL OR PACKAGE

Pay attention to any mail or packages with the following characteristics:

: No return address or a strange or unexpected return address

: Postmarks that do not match the return address

: Mail directed to persons who no longer work for the department

: Mail marked "Personal" or "Confidential"

: Postmarks from a foreign country or the use of excessive postage

: Misspelled words or improper addressing

: Mail addressed to Title or Office only, or incorrect Title or Office

: Oversized, lopsided or uneven items

: Rigid or bulky items

: Items with strange appearance or with unusual odor, stains, discoloration, leaking substances (powder, oil, etc.)

: Protruding wires

: Excessive tape

Handling Procedures

If uncomfortable or suspicious about any package or letter:

: Notify supervisor, manager or department director. He/she will contact Police Dispatch as appropriate.

: Do not open the item. Do not handle it, shake it, or empty out it's contents

: Leave the area and keep others away from the item

: If possible, clean hands with non-abrasive antibacterial product

: List any persons who may have come in contact with or handled the item

If a suspicious or unidentified substance is found in an envelope or parcel upon opening the item:

: Remain calm

: Do not touch, smell, taste, or try to analyze the substance

: Carefully put the item down and step away; do not carry the item to another location

: Stay in the immediate area to minimize spread of the substance and turn off any circulating fans, air conditioners or heaters if possible

: If you touched the substance with your hands, do not touch your face

: Alert others to stay out of the immediate area

: Notify supervisor, manager or department director. He/she will contact Police Dispatch at 911

: Wait for trained emergency personnel to arrive and be ready to inform emergency responders regarding who has had contact with the substance

609.9 MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

If an employee, guest, or customer has an accident, even if there is no apparent injury, report the accident immediately to a manager or supervisor. After the emergency has been resolved, follow reporting and documentation procedures established in City policy 603 for employee injuries.

First aid kits are provided throughout City facilities for minor injuries for use is appropriate situations. Employees may elect to render first aid on a voluntary basis to the extent of their training.

If a serious or potentially serious injury occurs, call 911 immediately. Be prepared to provide the dispatcher as much information as possible regarding location, injuries, victim, etc. Stay on the line until emergency responders arrive or until instructed by the dispatcher to end the call.

If a suspected sudden cardiac arrest occurs, call 911 immediately. If the facility is equipped with an automatic external defibrillator (AED) get it or send someone else to bring it to the victim. Follow training and/or instructions provided with the unit.

609.10 SEVERE WEATHER

In the event of a tornado warning, a director, manager or supervisor will issue a direction to follow emergency procedures

Follow assigned emergency routes to designated severe weather shelter areas within the facility. Do not leave the facility.

Check in with designated departmental Emergency Coordinator

Remain in the severe weather shelter area until instructed to leave or an "all clear" has been communicated

609.11 EARTHQUAKE

Earthquakes can cause secondary effects such as fire, gas leaks, building collapse, and utility disruption. In the event of an earthquake the following guidelines are to be followed:

: Duck under the nearest sturdy object and hold onto it until the shaking stops. If no sturdy object is near, crouch down and make yourself as small as possible while covering the head and neck area

: In a hallway, sit against the wall and protect head with arms

: If standing in a doorway, brace against the frame and be alert for swinging door or other personnel

: Avoid windows, filing cabinets, bookcases and other heavy items that could fall or shatter

: Stay under cover until the shaking stops, then leave the building through the nearest exit and report to the assigned assembly area to await further instructions

609.12 TRAINING / TESTING

Emergency action plans and procedures shall be reviewed and updated as needed on an annual basis by supervisors, managers, and/or department directors.

All employees shall review emergency action plans annually.

A comprehensive emergency drill shall be conducted for City Hall personnel at least once every two years.

Departments are responsible for conducting emergency drills on a periodic basis, not to exceed every two years. At the Department Director's discretion, this may be coordinated to correspond with the comprehensive City Hall drill in 609.12.3

New employees shall be provided a copy of the appropriate departmental and/or facility emergency action plan within thirty (30) days of hire.