An emergency action plan is a step by step procedure that guides organizations in case of emergencies like fire outbreaks, chemical spills, and electrical faults amongst others. It also includes information on what action needs to be done during such events, whom to notify, and where emergency supplies are located.
It is required in some occupational health and safety administration standards and its aim is to minimize injury to occupants and damage to property in emergency situations.
A comprehensive action plan is based on proper workplace evaluation, and gives a detailed account of what needs to be done in emergencies based on structural features of the workplace, the architectural layout of the workplace and emergency measures in place. Such a plan needs mutual participation from both management and lower cadre staff, for it to have a sense of belonging, thus increasing chances of it being adopted by all in the organization.
The core basics of the plan must include means of reporting emergencies to the relevant authorities and warning systems to others on site; it must also have clear and straight forward evacuation procedures and exit routes to be used in evacuation. Furthermore, procedures to account for all employees during or after the emergency must be in place, and roles of evacuation staff must also be clearly defined. It is also paramount that the persons to be in charge during the emergency are known. It is recommended that for organizations with more than ten employees, the plan has to be written down and be displayed in strategic sites.
St Leo University, being a big community of over fifteen thousand students, is guided by a written emergency action plan that is strategically placed all over the campus. An emergency action plan is only useful if it is properly implemented and well adhered to. Thus, it is important that members of an organization are well versed in its contents, and have the capability and will to implement it in cases of emergencies for their safety, the safety of others and the safety of the institution’s property.
Effective Implementation of such a plan during an actual emergency provides a perfect opportunity whereby the core values of an institution are put to the test. Over it’s more than a century old heritage; St. Leo has been able to develop core values that define it as an institution.
These core values include; respect for self and others, community oriented work culture, integrity amongst others.
The university strives to build a Christian based community that creates a sense of belonging and unity, that emphasize personal relationships based on mutual trust and respect, and challenges members to be ready to serve in all spheres of life. These tenets come in hand for a successful development and evaluation of an emergency action plan.
As stated earlier, a good plan needs contribution from all sectors of an organization. Incorporation of employees by management provides them with a chance to come with alternative suggestions that may escape the management, as in most cases, they are the ones who are actually on the ground. For this to work, employees must be able to air their views freely and feel that they will be accorded the appropriate respect. St Leo University, being a Christian community, is able to harness the goodwill that comes from being one community with similar values and come up with a plan that is owned by everybody, hence easier to implement.
It is critical that stakeholders are trained by the organization on how to respond to emergencies to enhance quick responsiveness and precision during actual incidents. This calls for high level cooperation between the trainers and trainees and between the trainees themselves. This kind of cooperation is readily provided by the faculty and students of St.Leo through the mutual respect begotten from their interaction as one community.
It is expected that the emergency routes depicted in an emergency action plan are adhered to during actual incidents. As much as those routes may be straight forward, the panic that accompanies emergency situations may lead to confusion thus creating more havoc. Such incidents can be avoided if members take up the role of helping those who may not be aware of such routes to exit safely. This calls for selfless roles from individuals and the sense of “community first” goes a long way in mitigating such scenarios.
Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation measures are very critical in the success of an emergency action plan. It is essential that good roll calls are done, and the whereabouts of all people are accounted for. This can only be successful if people know each other well, and strong bonds of friendship exist among them. Of course this can only happen in organizations where members are encouraged to mingle freely and a strong sense of belonging exists.
A plan is as good as its implementation. Thus, emergency action plans need to be read and understood by all in the university, in the case of St. Leo as an organization. It is important that wherever those plans are laid out for public consumption, they will not be destroyed or misused by a few. Of course the university can expect all to respect such plans for the good of the whole community.
It is important that proper coordination exists during carrying out of an emergency action plan. The persons with authority should be known before hand, so that the rest of the community looks upon them when actual emergencies occur. Of course such persons should be people of integrity, respectful, dedicated and they should be committed to the interests of the community. This makes it easier for others to obey and trust their orders hence easier handling of emergencies. Ideally, such persons should be chosen with the full participation of the community that they expect to serve.
As the norm, in any emergency situation, first aid procedures are important in reducing injury and discomfort, and even in alleviating death. Normally, persons engaged in first aid are volunteers in the community who put the interests of the community first. The university’s core value of communal existence has acted as a motivation for many individuals to train in first aid procedures. Through numerous organizations within the university, many have been trained on the basics of first aid, and this skilled pool that is dedicated in serving the community comes in handy during emergencies. This is a clear demonstration of service to the community.
Finally, frequent emergency drills are part and parcel of an effective emergency action plan. Drills enable employees and other stake holders to familiarize themselves with evacuation procedures, chain of commands and the roles they need to play in emergency situations. Furthermore, it serves to reduce panic and tension during actual emergencies. A good drill must incorporate all members of the organization. Thus, cooperation of all is greatly needed. Of course the university can depend on its members who put the community first in such situations.
References
osha.org. (2013). Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Retrieved December 04, 2013
Whiteley, A. M., & Whiteley, J. (2007). Core values and organizational change: theory and practice. Singapore: World Scientific.
