What Does Emergency Response Mean?
An emergency response is an immediate, systematic response to an unexpected or dangerous occurrence. The goal of an emergency response procedure is to mitigate the impact of the event on people, property, and the environment.
Emergencies warranting a response range from hazardous material spills resulting from a transportation accident to a natural disaster.
Having an emergency response plan is essential for ensuring a timely, proper, and effective response to a dangerous event. Actions taken as part of an emergency response plan might include sheltering in place, evacuations, placing a facility on lockdown, administering first aid, and alerting first responders.
Safeopedia Explains Emergency Response
Response time is a critical aspect of any emergency response, since longer response times can result in increased and permanent damage, a higher number of fatalities, and greater distress to those involved. As such, response time is often used as a proxy for gauging the overall effectiveness of an emergency response program.
Life-Saving Emergency Response Actions
Protective actions that can be taken during an emergency to limit injury and the loss of life include the following.
Evacuation
Prompt evacuation requires a warning system that everyone in the facility can hear.
Planned drills will also facilitate speedier and safer evacuations, as they will familiarize employees with evacuation procedures.
To ensure that a safe evacuation is possible to begin with, there must be at least two exits from hazardous areas on each floor of the building. These exits must be marked with exit signs and be accessible through via an unobstructed and well-lit exit route.
Every facility should have a designated muster point where evacuees can safely gather once they exit the building.
Sheltering
In the event of a tornado or hurricane, everyone must immediately seek shelter somewhere in the building. The safety sheltering locations are basem*nts or interior rooms with reinforced masonry construction.
Shelter spaces must have enough room to accommodate the occupants of the building and should be stocked with emergency supplies, including an Emergency Alert System radio to receive ongoing updates.
Sheltering in Place
If an incident like a chemical fire results in a potentially hazardous outdoor atmosphere, public officials may issue a shelter in place order. This requires everyone in the affected area to remain indoors and not leave the building they are currently occupying until the order has been lifted.
Shelter in place orders may also come with specific instructions, depending on the nature of the emergency. For instance, building occupants may be told to keep all windows closed or to shut down HVAC systems to prevent the intake of outdoor air. Those sheltering in multistory buildings may be advised to remain on the second floor or above, as heavy gasses tend to settle closer to the ground.
Lockdown
When there is a threat of violence, such as nearby gunfire, all building occupants should follow a lockdown procedure. This involves hiding in a room, barricading the door, and remaining silent.
Training and lockdown drills should instruct workers on the safest locations, such as room corners and places that are not easily visible from a window.
The Fundamentals of an Emergency Response Plan
- The aim of an emergency response plan is to protect people first – measures to safeguard property should be deemphasized until everyone is safe
- The plan attempts to contain, control, or put a stop to the emergency through preplanned actions, such as evacuating the building
- Emergency response teams must trained and have the skills needed to oversee an emergency response procedure
- Refresher training and emergency drills should be compulsory for members of the response teams, including first aid, firefighting, CPR, and chemical containment
- Emergency response checklists should be drafted in consultation with relevant first responders, such as local police, firefighters, or HAZMAT teams
