Hurricane - Earthquake

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

After the initial crisis response, an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) should be set up by the Property Manager to manage the emergency response.  The EOC should be set up in an area that is relatively free of hazards and can be secured to avoid unnecessary interruptions. The Property Manager should ensure that all available resources are organized and maintained; communications are set up; appropriate casualty collection points set up, and priorities established. When the EOC has been set up, establish a method of communicating with building staff members. All equipment should be tested (radios, telephones, etc.)

DAMAGE ASSESSMENT - ENGINEERING

The safety and survival of everyone at Encino Medical Plaza depends upon immediate damage assessment and hazard identification. For this reason, the maintenance staff should set up damage assessment teams (minimum two people). Priorities should include:

• Potential fires
• Hazardous materials spills
• Diesel fuel lines
• Structural integrity of the building
• Fire/life safety systems and equipment

Status reports should be relayed to the Property Manager at the EOC as quickly as possible to provide information on hazards and any action taken or action needed to repair the problem or isolate the affected area. Once the assessment has been completed and immediate hazards corrected or isolated, this team can assist with search and rescue.

If a fire is discovered, everyone should be removed from the area immediately. Information must be relayed to the EOC so that the Fire Department can be notified (they may not be able to respond) and, if safe to do so, an attempt can be made to extinguish the fire.

SEARCH AND RESCUE
As soon as possible, search and rescue teams should be set up (minimum two people per team). These teams should proceed to each floor to render assistance in life threatening (fires, major injuries, etc.) situations and provide the EOC with a detailed status of all areas.  If possible, utilize tenants to assist. A designated triage area should be set up on each floor. This is an area where each individual is examined briefly to determine the extent and severity of injuries and treatment is prioritized (severe, life threatening first, minor, non-life threatening last).

The objective of the initial search and rescue efforts should be to gather information on the condition of each floor, which will assist the EOC in establishing priorities.

MAINTENANCE/SANITATION - ENGINEERS/MAINTENANCE STAFF
When things begin to stabilize, clean-up operations should begin.  One of the first priorities should be the removal of glass and debris, which could pose a threat during an aftershock.  These items should be piled in a specific location on each floor for removal at a later time.  If water is not available, tenants and staff members should secure plastic bags on toilets with rubber bands.  After use, the bags should be treated with disinfectant and disposed of in a pre-determined, secluded location.

RECOVERY
Once things have stabilized, the building staff should concentrate on recovery. An open line of communication should be maintained with the City and the utility companies (this may be difficult). Refer to Tab 3 for a list of vendors and contractors that may be used to provide support.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

WHEN NOTIFIED OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY:

• Obtain the following information:
  • The victim's name and age
  • The victim's location
  • The nature of the emergency
  • The call back number 
• Notify the Fire Department at 911.
• Give the following information:

 NOTE:  DO NOT HANG UP UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OPERATOR DOES SO FIRST.

• Someone should proceed to the victim's location to render first aid, provide crowd control, and gather information, which can be given to Fire Department personnel upon their arrival.
• Fire Department personnel should be met outside and given an update on the victim's condition.  They should then be escorted to the victim's location.  If an elevator is used, it should remain on the floor for use by the Fire Department.

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