Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Similarly, information may be conveyed over the public address system,
via direct verbal communication by supervisory personnel, or via use of
alternate alarms. The critical point is to make sure that the messages that
must be conveyed to the workforce are clear, unambiguous, and easy to
understand.
Another lesson learned in countries familiar with terrorism and that
was made clear during the evacuations of the Twin Towers in New York is
that simple preparatory measures make a tremendous difference in allow-
ing individuals forced to evacuate during an emergency to do so success-
fully and safely. Hundreds of women trying to get out of the World Trade
Center learned how difficult it is to negotiate stairs quickly while wearing
high-heeled shoes. If you are accustomed to wearing such shoes to your
place of employment, it is prudent to leave a pair of sneakers or similar
type of footwear at your workstation. If there is a call to evacuate, it is a
simple matter of changing shoes. This can make all the difference in the
world. Other items of importance also should be considered. Flashlights
are a necessity and should be kept available in the office. Other very useful
devices are packaged emergency respirators that will provide protection
against many types of toxic fumes, smoke, and biohazards. Many are also
available with self-contained oxygen supplies to allow an escape in situa-
tions where there is no breathable air. These escape hoods are manufac-
tured by such firms as Duram (see Appendix B on this topic's website).
Every Emergency Response Plan also must establish procedures to
deal with visitors and others not familiar with the plan. The way to accom-
plish this is to direct the person who is being visited to be responsible for
the visitors. If that person is designated to perform a particular function
during an emergency, it is his or her responsibility to find someone else
to provide direction to the visitors. The plan also must provide for spe-
cial-needs individuals. There are many ways to do this, but they must be
preplanned before the emergency. For example, an individual confined to
a wheelchair may be quickly evacuated using a chair-type stretcher. This
equipment must be both available and accessible, and specific personnel
must be trained to use it. Understand that during an emergency, there is
no time to think about the plan, only to do it. The success is completely
dependent on the level of training given to your employees.
Once the building has been evacuated, specific procedures established
to account for company personnel as well as visitors at designated assem-
bly areas. There also must be an established procedure for preventing
employees from coming to work in the event an evacuation protocol is
