Chapter 5 Emergency Response Last Updated: May 2017
Emergency Response Chapter 5: Emergency Response Index Page Introduction... 5-2 What is an Emergency?... 5-2 Types of Emergencies... 5-2 Implementing an Emergency Response Plan... 5-3 Responsibilities... 5-3 Life Safety Program Flip Book... 5-4 In an Evacuation Situation... 5-5 Fire... 5-6 Power Outage or Prolonged Utility Failure... 5-6 Medical Emergency or Serious Injury... 5-7 Bomb Threat Code Black... 5-8 Bomb Threat Form... 5-9 Suspicious Packages.5-10 Violent Persons and Armed Intruder Procedure Code White... 5-11 Severe Weather... 5-12 Hazardous Material Release... 5-13 Natural Gas Leak... 5-14 Workplace Health and Safety Branch 5-1
City of Regina Safety Manual Introduction The development of an emergency response plan and the provision of training for all employees to respond appropriately in an emergency are crucial to the preservation of life. The Provincial OH&S Regulations, Section 22(1) (b-c) requires the development of an emergency response plan, along with the employer supplying personnel and equipment that may be required to respond to the emergency. The Life Safety Program will provide the guidance and training for an emergency response and will be implemented in all facilities owned, operated or leased by the City of Regina (occupied by City of Regina employees). The Life Safety Program will provide assistance for the facility occupants to develop an emergency plan, provide training for all employees and conduct emergency response drills to demonstrate emergency preparedness. The City of Regina also utilizes a Municipal Emergency Plan (MEP) when an emergency results in a serious event that threatens or causes widespread damage or disrupts the social structure or the delivery of essential services. These type of events fall under the Emergency Planning Act, which is not within the scope of the Provincial OH&S Legislation. What Is an Emergency? An emergency is defined as any sudden or unplanned occurrence that poses an immediate risk of resulting in or having the potential of resulting in death, serious injury, or a threat to the safety of the public or City of Regina employees. Emergency situations require immediate attention and when possible remedial action to prevent future occurrences. Types of Emergencies The types of emergencies include both internal hazards and external hazards. Examples of these types of emergencies are: Medical emergency Fire and explosion emergency Hazardous spills and gas leaks Acts of violence Bomb threats Power failures Severe weather Technological failures 5-2 Workplace Health and Safety Branch
Emergency Response Implementing an Emergency Response Plan Each facility must have a current site specific Emergency Response Plan that must include the various potential emergencies specific to the facility or site. Content of the Emergency Response Plan must include: Identification of potential or specific emergencies Procedures for dealing with the identified emergencies Identification of emergency equipment including the locations and operation procedures Emergency response training requirements Location and use of emergency facilities Fire protection requirements Alarm and emergency communication requirements First aid services required Procedure for rescue and evacuation Designated rescue and evacuation employees Responsibilities Managers: Designate the employee(s) who would become a member of the Life Safety Officer Program. This employee should be capable of providing first aid, initiate and supervise evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency or exercise Ensure that the designated employees are trained in the emergency response appropriate to the facility and the potential emergencies identified in the Emergency Response Plan Conduct at the required intervals and appropriate training exercises that simulate the identified potential emergencies ensuring that employees are competent to carry out their duties Provide the designated employees with personal protective clothing and equipment appropriate to the facility and the potential emergencies identified in the Emergency Response Plan Ensure the rescue and emergency employees wear and use the personal protective clothing and equipment appropriate to the facility and the potential emergencies identified in the Emergency Response Plan Workplace Health and Safety Branch 5-3
City of Regina Safety Manual Employees: Familiarize themselves with the emergency response procedures Know the location of the emergency response equipment Know the location of muster points for the facility Immediately evacuate when required Follow the direction of the emergency responders Participate in evacuation drills or emergency practice sessions Life Safety Program Flip Book The following pages of text have been copied from the Life Safety Program. If you have any questions on the emergency response program contact Facilities Management or the Workplace Health and Safety Branch for the latest program information that has been developed between Life Safety Program manual updates. The flip book provides a quick reference for immediate actions to be followed during emergency situations. Please keep this Life Safety Program Quick Reference Flip Book in a visible location such as at your desk, under the telephone or on the wall by the exit door. For more facility-specific information, please refer to your facility s Life Safety Program Manual. The corporate-wide Life Safety Program aims to minimize human injury and damage to property in the event of an emergency situation. The program has been created in consultation with the Regina Police Service, Regina Fire & Protective Services, and the Regina Qu Appelle Health Region Emergency Medical Services, as well as a project team made up of individuals from across the organization. The Life Safety Program has established Life Safety Teams in each employeeoccupied facility that is responsible for the implementation and administration of the Life Safety Program. If you have not already done so and are interested in becoming a Life Safety Officer please speak with your Manager or your facility Life Safety Team. Some of the benefits include standard First Aid/CPR/AED certification, WHMIS Certification and the satisfaction of helping to maintain a safe workplace for co-workers and yourself! 5-4 Workplace Health and Safety Branch
Emergency Response Emergency Contacts Phone Number Alternative Emergency 9-911 Regina Fire & Protective Services 306-777-7846 Regina Emergency Medical Services (EMS) 306-525-3999 Regina Police Service 306-777-6500 First Responder (Group 5) 306-550-8901 SaskPower 306-566-2200 306-310-2220 SaskEnergy 306-777-9222 1-888-700-0427 Environment Canada Weather Info 306-780-5744 www.weatheroffice.gc.ca Life Safety Program 306-777-7399 306-537-1962 Emergency Management 306-777-7040 306-536-4245 Security Coordinator Facility contact person In an Evacuation Situation: The Life Safety Officers (LSO): Assume responsibility for the evacuation Announce the situation, direction of evacuation and the muster point Assist or assign a co-worker to an individual who requires evacuation assistance Assist visitors or members of the public to evacuate the building Check offices, washrooms, meeting rooms and other areas to ensure all areas have been cleared. Close all doors (keep unlocked) Employees are responsible to: Follow the instructions of LSO and evacuate in a calm and orderly manner Assemble at your facility designated muster point and report to your LSO Notify your LSO if you realize someone is missing Await for the ALL CLEAR order before returning to the facility All alarms should be taken seriously. If the building alarm rings or an announcement is made to evacuate, an immediate evacuation is required. Additional Evacuation Information Evacuate to your nearest safe exit, unless directed otherwise Close, but do not lock doors behind you if you are the last one out Do not use elevators during an evacuation Do not leave in your vehicle, this may block emergency vehicles Workplace Health and Safety Branch 5-5
City of Regina Safety Manual Fire If an emergency happens after hours remain calm, alert as many people as possible to get out of the facility, once outside call 911. If you are hosting a meeting or function after hours it is your responsibility to ensure that everyone gets out of the building. Fire response procedures are designed to protect the health and safety of staff and the public. Fire spreads very quickly and need to be treated serious. These procedures are essential in emergency response operations to ensure a timely and suitable response to emergencies and to clearly define lines of authority and communication. All staff share responsibility for the coordinated response and evacuation to fire. In the event of a fire alarm initiate the evacuation procedure: All fire alarms are to be responded to as real If you discover fire or smoke, sound the alarm No person is exempt from evacuating Ensure 911 has been called Fire control is the responsibility of Regina Fire & Protective Services. Unless properly trained, never attempt to extinguish any fire which may place you in danger If you are caught in heavy smoke, stay low to the ground and get out Power Outage and Prolonged Utility Failure The loss of utility supply, the failure of any major component of the facility s heating, cooling or ventilation systems usually does not result in an immediate risk to the health and safety of the staff. Nor does such a loss or failure normally present an immediate risk to property. However, a prolonged outage may cause health and safety concerns for facility occupants. Facilities Management Services will work with Supervisors and the Workplace Health and Safety Branch to ensure a timely and appropriate response to all outage situations. If the power goes out: Remain calm and in place If available, turn on a battery powered radio to find out what is happening in your area Should evacuation become necessary, follow instructions of the LSO Avoid using matches or candles 5-6 Workplace Health and Safety Branch
Emergency Response Medical Emergency and Serious Injury Medical emergencies and serious injuries such as an allergic reaction, asthma attack, stroke or cardiac arrest can occur during the normal planned daily duties of Employees as well as during emergency situations. LSO are trained in standard first aid and may attend to injured individuals in the facility within the limits of their training and equipment. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) should be contacted immediately. LSO can reasonably expect that trained emergency medical personnel will be on scene promptly after notification. All Life Safety Officers are trained in Standard First Aid, CPR, and AED use. Upon Discovering a Seriously Injured Person: Call 9-911 to report the incident Contact or have a bystander contact a LSO Provide first aid assistance if your are trained or capable of providing Have someone meet the EMS personnel at the entrance of the facility and direct them to the injured person s location. Have employees at all entrances to direct EMS Stay with the injured individual until EMS personnel or a LSO arrive and take control of the situation Advise the LSO or EMS personnel on the condition of the injured individual. Also explain what, if anything, has been done for them Additional Information Injured persons are not to be moved unless they are in imminent danger. Do not endanger your own life in an attempt to assist another. Provide the 911 Dispatcher with as much information as possible. They will want to know: The location and address of the injured person The nature of the emergency and injuries Current condition (breathing, bleeding, pulse, conscious) The injured person s approximate age and sex If there is a medic-alert bracelet or necklace the information from it Your name and phone number Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Procedure Upon arrival at the scene of a possible sudden cardiac arrest, the responder must first assess the scene safety Patient responsiveness must be established. An AED should NOT be attached to a person who is conscious or who is breathing normally Workplace Health and Safety Branch 5-7
City of Regina Safety Manual If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, attach the AED. Ensure the responder and the patient is dry. Shave the patient as required prior to attaching the AED Follow the instructions from the AED machine or the 911 Operator Continue rescue efforts until EMS arrives When EMS personnel arrive on scene, allow them to direct when and how they will assume care The on-scene protocol will now be under the direction of the EMS paramedic Provide a verbal report to the arriving paramedics to inform them what, if any treatment has been provided Complete the current cycle of CPR if directed and change over on direction A rescuer may be requested to assist with ongoing CPR Bomb Threat Code Black All threats should be treated as serious and reported immediately to your manager, the security coordinator, and your chief life safety officer. In the event you receive a bomb threat: If you receive by note or email, report to your Manager, the Security Coordinator, or the Chief Life Safety Officer (CLSO) If you receive the threat by phone ASK QUESTIONS! (Fill out the Bomb Threat Report Form below). A blank form should be kept close to the phone Remain calm and courteous, listen carefully and do not interrupt the caller Keep the caller on the line and get as much information as possible Notify a co-worker if possible, preferably while the caller is still on the line Immediately after the caller hangs up, move to a different phone and call 9-911 or have a co-worker call From the phone that received the threat, the call may be traced by dialling *957. Do not try this feature unless you know how to do it. If not done correctly the trace information will be lost. Notify your Manager, the Security Coordinator, and your CLSO The CLSO will notify the Bomb Threat Decision Team (BTDT) who will assess the situation and develop a course of action 5-8 Workplace Health and Safety Branch
Emergency Response Bomb Threat Report Form If you are the person receiving the telephone bomb threat remain calm and courteous, listen carefully and do not interrupt the caller. Keep the caller on the line and get as much information as possible. Immediately after the caller hangs up, move to a different phone call 9-911 or have a co-worker call. From the phone that received the threat, initiate call trace by dialling *957. Notify your Manager and the CLSO immediately. A copy of this form should be submitted to the CLSO as soon as possible. Date: Time: Length of Call: Taken by: Call Display #: Receiving Telephone #: Exact words of the caller: Questions to ask: 1. What time will the bomb explode? 2. Where is the bomb right now? 3. What kind is it? 4. What does it look like? 5. Why was it placed? 6. What is your name and who are you with? 7. Where are you calling from? Try to determine the following and circle as appropriate: Caller ID Voice Accent Speech Language Manner Background Male Soft Local Fast Excellent Calm/Angr Voices y Female Loud Foreign Slow Good Rational Animals Unknown Hi-Pitched English Distinct Fair Irrational Party Adult Deep French Distorted Poor Coherent Street/Traffic Juvenile Intoxicated Description? Slurred Foul Emotional Music Age? Other? Nasal Other? Laughing Other? Note: All bomb threats, genuine or otherwise, must be documented and reported to the Regina Police Service and Facilities Management Services for follow up. Workplace Health and Safety Branch 5-9
City of Regina Safety Manual Suspicious Packages Suspicious packages could be delivered to your workplace, so it is good practice to be vigilant and aware of what to do. You know what kind of mail and packages you usually receive. Look for things that are out of the ordinary, such as unexpected mail from a foreign country. The following might help in identifying a suspicious package: Unfamiliar return address or none at all Strange odour or noise Protruding wires Excessive postage Misspelled words Addressed to a business title only (e.g. President) Restrictive markings (e.g. Do not X-ray) Badly typed or written Rigid or bulky letters Lopsided or uneven Excessive wrapping, tape or string Oily stains, discolouration or crystallization on wrapping Leaking The contents of a letter or package may cause concern if: You see powder or a liquid. It contains a threatening note. It contains an object that you did not expect to receive or cannot identify. If you are worried about a package or letter you have received: Do not handle, shake, smell or taste it. Leave the letter or package where it is. Get everyone out of the room and close the door. Call 9-1-1 (and then inform your supervisor if applicable). Wash your hands with soap and water. If applicable, contact Corporate Facilities Security and Workplace Health and Safety. Wait in a safe place until the police or fire response teams arrive. If you have opened a suspicious package: Leave the package where it is. Remove any clothing that has powder or liquid on it and seal it in a plastic bag. Get everyone out of the room and close the door. Wash your hands or shower with soap and water. Call 9-1-1 5-10 Workplace Health and Safety Branch
Emergency Response If applicable, contact Corporate Facilities Security and Workplace Health and Safety. Wait in a safe place until the police or firefighters arrive. The police, other emergency workers and public health authorities will give advice about what to do next. Violent Persons and Armed Intruder Procedure CODE WHITE If an armed intruder or violent person comes in to a City of Regina facility it is very important that staff take protective actions and report immediately to the police by calling 9-911. If you encounter a person(s) causing a disturbance: If, in your opinion, the person poses a physical threat, distance yourself from the person Call the Regina Police Service 9-911 Do not block the person s exit path If possible, remove potential weapons from area Ensure your Manager/Supervisor or designate is aware of the status of the situation, as well as the other staff in the area If you see an armed intruder or active shooter: Call 9-911 to alert the Regina Police Service. Describe the situation in as much detail as possible including a description of individual; height, weight, age, sex, clothing, distinct characteristics, weapon, and direction of travel Exit the building ONLY if it is safe to do so If it is not safe to leave, go to the nearest room Close, lock and barricade the door, if possible, turn off the lights and cover any windows Be as quite as possible and stay out of sight, including away from outside windows Take shelter under furniture Silence any cell phones, telephones and radios in the room If you witness an assault on an employee, call 9-911 immediately. The decision to intervene is a personal one. Once emergency personnel have arrived and taken over the situation, obey all commands. Workplace Health and Safety Branch 5-11
City of Regina Safety Manual Severe Weather Natural hazards, such as tornadoes, windstorms, hail, and severe lightning represent a risk that can have a devastating effect on life and property. Severe weather can strike with little to no advanced warning. In the event of a severe weather event, SECONDS COUNT. Environment Canada is the primary information source for severe weather events, providing watches and warnings via Weather radio, web site updates, RSS feeds (texts), and through commercial radio and television stations. If the weather warning is imminent take protective actions as follows: Take shelter by moving to your facility s take shelter location, the basement, lower floors or in to a stairwell If these options are not available, move to the center of an interior room, washroom, interior hallway and get under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a workbench, heavy table or desk, and hold on to it Move away from exterior windows, doors, and corners as well as display cases, shelving, or wall mounted equipment that could collapse or shift dangerously Use your arms to protect your head and neck Stay sheltered until ALL CLEAR is announced Avoid wide open spaces such as auditoriums, cafeterias, large hallways, or gymnasiums. If unavoidable, take shelter close to large solid objects In the event of lightning, avoid touching anything metal Monitoring of Environment Canada s weather updates is conducted by three separate business areas: The Manager of Facilities Building Services monitors Environment Canada s (EC s) weather updates via their website The Manager of Emergency Management and Business Continuity monitors EC s weather updates via RSS feeds (text message) The City Operation Dispatch Office monitors EC s weather updates via the Weather radio Types of Weather Emergencies: Watch A watch is issued when conditions are favourable for the development of severe weather Warning - A warning is issued when severe weather is occurring or hazardous weather is highly probable 5-12 Workplace Health and Safety Branch
Emergency Response Hazardous Material Release Hazardous materials are substances that are either; flammable, combustible, explosive, toxic, noxious, corrosive, oxidizable, an irritant or radioactive. A hazardous material release or spill can pose a risk to life, health or property. An incident can result in the evacuation of a few people, a section of a facility or an entire neighbourhood. Some of our facilities contain hazardous materials that could pose a serious risk to city personnel and the public if not handled properly or if a leak occurs. An accident in the area of our facilities could also result in the release of hazardous materials. Although stored materials in and around our facilities varies the most common emergency situation is a natural gas leak. The natural gas leak procedure is listed below. The procedure for other hazardous material releases or spills will be similar. In certain cases (i.e. train derailment, tanker truck spill, outside gas leak, etc.), it may be necessary to shut down the HVAC system to ensure outside contaminated air does not get into the facility. If this is required, contact Facilities Operations. In the Event of a Hazardous Material Release and you are unable to Evacuate Safely: Shelter in Place by staying indoors and sealing all doors and windows. Continue to Shelter in Place until otherwise directed by an emergency response professional or a product representative. Sheltering in Place Duties of All Personnel: Go indoors If you feel you have been in contact with the product, avoid sharing spaces or contact with other people until emergency crews have decontaminated you and declared you free of contamination If possible, move to a room without open windows Close all windows and doors If possible, seal windows and doors with tape and place wet towels across bottom of doors Seal ventilation systems; you may have to shut off fans or blowers (ceiling, walls and floors) Stay in the room and wait for further instructions Do NOT open the doors or windows Workplace Health and Safety Branch 5-13
City of Regina Safety Manual Natural Gas Leak While rare, natural gas line leaks can be extremely dangerous. The most telling sign of a natural gas line leak is the rotten egg odour because natural gas can explode when exposed to flame or sparks. It is important to report any suspected gas leaks immediately. In the event of a Natural Gas Leak: Contact Facilities Operations to report the smell of natural gas If Facilities Operations does not answer the call, contact SaskEnergy immediately at 306-777-9222 Initiate the evacuation procedure if the smell is overpowering Evacuate going upwind from the source of the gas leak Do not smoke or have a source of ignition in the area Do not use light switches it could spark when switched and ignite the natural gas in the air 5-14 Workplace Health and Safety Branch