Develop a DISASTER PLAN
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
For many of us, the term disaster usually signals a catastrophe involving major life loss, injury, and property damage.
The incident in Bhopal, India, where over 2,500 people died from the methyl isocyanate leak immediately comes to mind. This incident alone is being termed the worst industrial disaster ever, and has sparked worldwide concern and questions such as, “Could it happen here?” and “Are we prepared for an incident of this magnitude?”
Each industrial facility and community must look closely at its own emergency management system and determine if their disaster plan is adequate. In examining the community for potential disasters (pre-incident planning), we may well have to accept the fact that there will be a large loss of life and property.
Those communities with manufacturing facilities in or adjacent to their boundaries are subject to the consequences of human and mechanical errors. The gas release that occurred in Bhopal; the natural gas explosion in Mexico City (452 dead, 1,000 still missing); and the gasoline leak, explosion, and fire in Cubatao, Brazil (at least 500 killed), are examples of the sudden and uncontrolled incident—one that we in the emergency services can do little about mitigating.
Although our activities in these situations are post incident, there are certain emergencies for which we can prepare. Tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, forest fires, volcanoes, all possess great potential for devastation. Yet, with today’s scientific devices, we are often afforded warnings of forthcoming natural incidents. We can also prepare for the mitigation of bomb threats, civil disturbances, power losses, industrial sabotage, and major structural and industrial fires.
What then makes for effective disaster preparation? First and foremost is planning. Second is proper training of all segments involved in the plan.
Develop the plan
Developing a disaster plan for an industrial site, community, or multiple jurisdictions should be a priority. In developing such plans, it’s interesting to note that the format and operation of a disaster plan for an industrial site can easily parallel one for a community. Just the boundaries are different.
An incident in an industrial plant may not be considered of great magnitude to the community as a whole, but can well spell disaster for that facility. Consider the computer operation of a chemical processing plant. A crash of the computer or a fire destroying operating equipment can cause tremendous loss. It’s important to understand that while the incident may be small in scale and the actual physical loss may be minimal, downtime and product loss can be a major financial setback.
Another example of potential industrial loss would be that of a management information system (MIS) facility. MIS facilities contain all of the computer operations for accounting, payroll, research and design for process, etc. Incoming and outgoing activities to off-site locations operate on a continuous basis. With such an allinclusive facility, an accidental or intentional incident could spell disaster.
While employed as fire chief and fire protection engineer at Merck & Co. Inc. in Rahway, NJ, our planning for protection included fully sprinklering the structure; the use of Halon 1301 total flooding systems throughout the building; special security considerations at each door; monitoring of water flow, door operations, smoke detection, backup materials, and alternate operating facilities.
Even with the detail that went into planning protection for just this one building, an overall action plan for a given incident must be developed. The plan must rapidly bring together the key players responsible for mitigating the incident and restoring operations. This plan, as noted earlier, can work for either industry or the community.
In developing the disaster plan, you must first identify who the key players are. In industry, the plant manager will usually have overall authority, while in the community the mayor will assume that role. As in any emergency operation, their roles become one of commitment, committing the resources to make the plan work. Operational decisions are usually made by the operations chief (or incident commander) in consultation with the manager or mayor.
Other department heads and appropriate alternates are designated, along with their specific areas of responsibility; fire, police, medical, industrial hygiene, communications, public information, public works/engineering, recreation, and the political arm are just a few that come to mind quickly.
Once the players and their roles have been identified, the procedure for implementation must be considered. At what point will an incident be declared a disaster, and who has the authority to make the decision?
In cases where conditions are imminent for a disaster, certain pre-notifications and declarations can be made. For example, forecasts for floods and hurricanes can signal the assembly of the disaster team, relocation of resources, and other necessary preparations.
Where an incident occurs without warning, an appropriate chain of command must be designated, providing for the authority to declare a disaster. In most cases, this authority lies with the highest ranking public official. In some situations, police and fire officials have been given that authority.
The unplanned incident will require a system of notification, rapidly bringing together all of the key players or their alternates. Note, we said alternates. Each identified role requires not only a first string, but the reserve player.
Communicating with the team can be done in a number of ways. With today’s electronics, the various paging systems provide a quick and rapid notification system. Industry may need to look at different and/ or additional methods of notification. At Merck, we employed a commercial telephone answering service to handle emergency communications. Once an incident occurred, be it an emergency or a disaster, security personnel would make one call, indicating the calling code. From there, the answering service would use all of its operators to make the appropriate notifications.
Part of the disaster plan implementation requires an assembly point for information gathering and decision making. In a community, it can be the emergency operations center (EOC), while in industry a designated disaster control room or operations center can be used. The key is the assembly of decision-making personnel and the provisions of resources for them to use. Equipment in such facilities, of course, includes that deemed necessary to handle the worst situation possible.
Developing a disaster plan for an industrial site, community, or multiple jurisdictions should be a priority. The format of a disaster plan for an industrial site can easily parallel one for a community.
As you view the plan’s implementation needs, consider such actions as evacuation and securing medical facilities for large groups. At this very moment, could you designate appropriate evacuation routes north and south of your community? Could your police or security personnel gain control of these thoroughfares and implement that evacuation?
From a medical standpoint, are you prepared to evacuate nursing homes and hospitals? As was demonstrated in Mississauga, Canada, a hospital evacuation can be done, but it requires planning. Appropriate vehicles for ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients, along with hookups for medical equipment must be available. Then what will you use for relocation? Have you secured large open facilities such as school gymnasiums, other medical facilities, or church auditoriums, and are they capable of handling all of the needs? Each EOC should have a complete list of such facilities and the transportation operators who will make the move.
When we consider industrial operations, have you determined the ability to shutdown and evacuate? It’s easier said than done. In much of the chemical and petrochemical industry, there is no such thing as “pulling the plug.” Many such operations require motion, maintenance of cooling, and transfer of product. The reactions are such that it may take from one to twenty-four hours to effect a safe shutdown.
In an incident in a refinery several years ago, key personnel who were downwind of a pesticide fire donned respiratory protection in order to keep the plant operating while all other personnel were evacuated.
Public works and engineering personnel can be a key source for equipment needed for disasters. Their very dealings with construction and heavy equipment operators provide a ready resource of vendors’ equipment as well as equipment owned by the municipality. Of course, such equipment and contacts must be identified up front with 24-hour service available.
Each particular area of industrial and community disaster planning must have a complete analysis of its role. Each key point must be covered with personnel and procedures designated.
Training, a major key
Our second major area of concern is that of training. We want to know if the plan will work. Can the key players perform according to plan? For the most part, we know that firefighters, police forces, EMS personnel, and the like will easily handle the “routine” call, but can we put all of the players together and win the big game?
Much has been written in appropriate trade journals for the individual training that each agency needs to successfully handle their routine and emergency operations; but what’s been done for the team?
Not until recently have we seen inter-agency training on the community level. The introduction of the integrated emergency management system has been a focal point, bringing together various agency heads in an effort to develop and execute the necessary community plans.
On the industrial side, the concept of integrated activities is nothing new. For years, industry has taken each “agency” head (department manager) and blended them into a team for disaster mitigation.
As you develop your disaster team and consider training, you must anticipate conditions beyond the “routine.” Such things as evacuation and communication drills, heavy equipment call-ups, and medical alerts illustrate a few of the special drills needed. Drills that test only certain segments of the total disaster plan can be done; however, on an annual basis, a full-scale disaster drill should be conducted. The use of simulators may well provide the initial testing, but eventually it must be taken to the street.
The introduction of the integrated emergency management system is a focal point in the development and execution of community plans.
In this day and age, when the potential for a disaster the size of Bhopal or even the size of a flammable liquid tank truck exists within our community, we have no choice but to develop an effective disaster plan.
It’s my observation that we in the fire service can lead our communities in developing such plans. We need to look at the resources. One such resource is the industry within your community. Many have operating plans that can be easily modified for your use. All you need to do is ask.
