Every Business Should Have an Emergency Evacuation Plan:

Does Yours?DPLE 284

May 3, 2017

RLI Design Professionals is a Registered Provider with

The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems.

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distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions

related to specific materials, methods, and services will be

addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

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Course Description

Many business owners assume that

the best protection in an emergency is to evacuate as quickly

as possible.

That strategy may not serve your firm well in events like severe storms, flooding, or threats of violence.

Developing a multi-faceted approach is

the key to protecting health, safety, and

welfare.

Learning Objectives

Analyze lessons from past case studies where evacuation procedures were necessary

Examine different options to assist your firm and the community with evacuation procedures

Evaluate how to respond to various perils and choose an appropriate evacuation method

Consider strategies to protect your people, your property and the public’s health, safety, and welfare when an emergency occurs

Participants will:

Considerations

Things to Consider

• Employees

• Property

• Public

Protect

• Size

• Floors

Your Building • Urban

• Suburban

• Rural

Location

• Full/Partial

• Shelter-in-Place

Strategy• Weather

• Man-Made

Perils

Risk Never Sleeps

Protecting People

Employees

Who are they?

Account for them afterwards

Where are they?

Check the sign-in log or assess the immediate area

What about visitors and

guests?

Protecting Property

Car keys, laptops, project file

What is it?

Do you need it to evacuate to another space safely?

Is it critical?

Computer hard drives, surveying equipment, etc.

Will it impede your movement?

Building Type

High Rise

Mid Rise

Low Rise

Single Story

Location Type

• Structural risks

• Population density

Urban

• Space to move people

Suburban

• Knowledge of area

Rural

Strategies

Things to Consider

• Employees

• Property

• Public

Protect

• Size

• Floors

Your Building • Urban

• Suburban

• Rural

Location

• Full/Partial

• Shelter-in-Place

Strategy• Weather

• Man-Made

Perils

Risk Never Sleeps

Full Evacuation

Calmly find nearest exit.

Keep to the right in the stairwell.

Help those who may need assistance.

Use the handrail.

Take off problematic shoes to help with a safe and rapid evacuation.

If you need to rest, move to a landing. Don’t stop on the stairs.

Exit the building and move away from traffic and incoming emergency vehicles.

Employee Responsibilities

Move to the appropriate area quickly

Listen carefully for instructions

Report to a designated meeting place, if you have one and relay your status

Do not re-enter the building until directed by authorities

Evacuation Options

Partial

•Most directly impacted leave first

Reverse

•Go into a building

Evacuation Options

Shelter-in-Place

•Stay in the building

•Air infiltration?

•Have sufficient space

Area of Refuge

•Somewhere to safely await rescue

Property

Business Evacuation Kit

Each Employee

• Cell phone with emergency contact list and charger

• Personal identification

• Car/house keys and office keys/pass card

• Laptop and charger

• Office phone roster

• Calendar

• Personal medications

• Password document

For the Office

• Office floor plans

• Server backup

• Disaster plan

• Flash drive with critical docs, employee info, asset inventory, insurance info

• First aid kit

• Basic office supplies

• Network cables

Perils

Things to Consider

• Employees

• Property

• Public

Protect

• Size

• Floors

Your Building • Urban

• Suburban

• Rural

Location

• Full/Partial

• Shelter-in-Place

Strategy• Weather

• Man-Made

Perils

Risk Never Sleeps

Fire

Options

•Partial Evacuation

•Area of refuge

•Shelter in place

•Full Evacuation

Tornado

Option:

Area of Refuge!

Flood

Options:

•Full Evacuation

•Shelter-in-Place

Hurricane

Option:

Full Evacuation

• Know where to go and how you’ll get there

• Plan ahead for vehicle fueling

Earthquake

Options:

Inside? Stay inside!

Outside? Stay outside!

Wildfire

Only Option:

Full Evacuation

Civil Unrest

Options:

Full EvacuationShelter-in-Place (with lockdown)

Bomb Threat

http://finance.ky.gov/services/statebuilding/Documents/Emergency%20Procedures%20and%20Evacu

ation%20Plans/1025CapitalCenterPERTAB2.pdf

Active Shooter

•Run – Full Evacuation

•Hide – Reverse Evacuation or Shelter-in -Place

•Fight

Options:

Terrorism

http://riskmap.controlrisks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/RiskMap-2017.pdf

Tools

Protections

Alarm/Notification Systems

Communication Systems

Protections

• Designed to control a fireSprinkler Systems

• Utility locationsProperty &Equipment

Government/Municipal Assistance

Standard media outlets

WEA (Wireless Emergency Alerts)

EAS (Emergency Alert System)

NWR (NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards)

Adaptive Practices

R

React

E

Evaluate

D

Decide

What’s Covered

…

Case Law – Established Elements

Magee v. National Fire Insurance Company of Hartford

• Covered peril causes damage to property other than property at scheduled location

• Because of damage, civil authority prohibits access to immediate surrounding area

• Insured locations are within area immediately surrounding the damaged property but not more than 100 miles away

• Action of civil authority prohibits access to insured location

• Civil authority action is a response due to dangerous physical conditions and is needed to give authorities unimpeded access to damaged property

• Insured sustains an actual loss of business income

• Business income loss was caused by the civil authority action

Case Studies

Oroville Dam, California

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-live-updates-oroville-dam-20170212-htmlstory.html

Chimney Tops 2 Fire, Tennessee

http://www.wbir.com/news/local/park-seeks-info-from-public-on-chimney-tops-2-fire/362134797

Drills and Training

If You Want to Make a Plan

Consider:

• Conditions under which an evacuation would be necessary

• Conditions under which it may be better to shelter-in-place

• A clear chain of command and designation of the person in your business authorized to order an evacuation or shutdown

• Specific evacuation procedures, including routes and exits

• Specific evacuation procedures for high-rise buildings

• For employers

• For employees

• Procedures for assisting visitors and employees to evacuate, particularly those with disabilities or who do not speak English

• Designation of what, if any, employees will remain after the evacuation alarm to shut down critical operations or perform other duties before evacuating

• A means of accounting for employees after an evacuation

• Special equipment for employees

Resources

http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/property-type-and-vehicles/high-rise-buildings/faqs-about-building-evacuation#1

Building Evacuation

https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_booklet.pdf

Active Shooter

http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards?mode=code&code=1600

NFPA 1600 National Standard

Guidelines

https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1388775706419-f977cdebbefcd545dfc7808c3e9385fc/Business_EmergencyResponsePlans_10pg_2014.pdf

FEMA Sample Emergency

Response Plan

This concludes The American Institute of Architects

Continuing Education Systems Program

Alayne McDonald, Professional Development Coordinator

Alayne.McDonald@rlicorp.com

Abbey Brown, Client Solutions Manager

Abbey.Brown@rlicorp.com