Revised:  02/19/18 Preparing for Emergencies:  Information for Residents and Family Members No one wants to think and worry about disasters.  Knowing what to expect ahead of time can help ease any concerns.  This fact sheet tells you how our facility has prepared for emergencies. We have a written emergency plan that is reviewed and tested every year.  Our plan addresses the following types of emergencies: • Weather emergencies such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and winter weather. • Security incidents such as bomb threats, terrorism, and active shooters. • Natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. All staff and volunteers are trained on emergency procedures.  They participate in drills and exercises to test their knowledge.  Residents are asked to take part in all drills so they can know what to expect in an actual emergency. Communication: Our emergency plan includes procedures for communication.  Notification of families in the event of an evacuation is part of that plan.  We ask that you provide us with current phone numbers and/or email addresses. You can expect either a personal call or a recorded message. If you provide an email address, you may receive an email in addition to the phone call. In the event of an emergency, call lines may be busy.  Evacuation versus Shelter In-Place: This facility uses a standard approach to managing emergencies.  The Administrator serves as the Incident Commander. Department Heads serve specific roles during an emergency.  They communicate with staff and local emergency management officials in order to make decisions.  One major decision is whether to evacuate or shelter-in-place.  The Administrator makes the final decision. In case of evacuation, we have procedures in place to ensure the safety of our residents.  We have made arrangements in advance with other facilities and transportation services to ensure our residents have a safe place to go.  Our nurses send important medical information with each resident.  They keep a log of where each resident is sent.  In case of immediate evacuation, such as with a fire, our safe zone is facility parking lot. For safety reasons, the Administrator may decide to shelter-in-place.  This may occur when there is not enough time to evacuate safely. Sometimes it may be safer inside the building. We have procedures in place to ensure adequate food, supplies, power, and medications for our residents and staff for at least three days.  We have made arrangements in advance to receive additional supplies or assistance, if needed. Lock Down Procedures: Some situations will warrant the facility to be placed on “lock down”.  During these situations, no one will be allowed to enter or leave the facility.  Lock-downs may occur for many reasons, including (but not limited to) a hazardous chemical inside or outside the building, a weather-related event, or police action outside the building. In the event of a lockdown, please remain calm and follow any instructions from management staff or emergency personnel.  Please direct any questions regarding our emergency plan to the facility administrator. Jennifer Winka-Sursa    (618) 533-1200