william beach gardens emergency procedures exercise 15 th october 2013
TRANSCRIPT
William Beach Gardens
Emergency Procedures Exercise
15th October 2013
Background – Purpose of Exercise
There have been events in IRT’s past that has required the initiation of emergency procedures
Events including:
Background – Purpose of Exercise
- Flooding (Illawarra Flooding @ several sites)
Background – Purpose of Exercise
- Fires
Background – Purpose of Exercise
South Coast Bushfires
Background – Purpose of Exercise
Fire represents the more serious emergency event due to the immediacy of such an event and requiring an immediate response.
Fire evacuation processes and management and training surrounding these processes are the responsibility of the Facilities Management – Mark Whalan (Fire & Security Manager)
Fire emergencies are documented via the facilities' Fire Emergency Procedures Manual
The exercise was not to review fire emergency procedures as……
Background – Purpose of Exercise
The purpose of the exercise was to review the processes of the facility's team in response to an emergency scenario.
The scenario was set against and review of the facility’s systems to maintain business continuity
To be able to identify any gaps in the facility’s processes
To develop action plans to close identified gaps
Background – Purpose of Exercise
To review what if there was no………………
Background – Purpose of Exercise
To review what if there was no………………
The Scenario
Welcome to William Beach Gardens
The Scenario – Pre Emergency
This was a relatively easy scenario undertaken in an almost perfect situation
It was an “announced” emergency with the team being aware a week plus in advance that an emergency exercise would be undertaken
It was held mid week and all managers were available and a full compliment of staff.
I was there as an observer only however acted as the contact for most external services / agencies
The Scenario – Structure
There was a pre exercise briefing
There were six stages to the emergency scenario
Each stage represented approximately one hour of the emergency
For the purposes of the exercise each hour if the scenario equated to15-20 minutes for the staff to undertake their actions
Therefore actual exercise lasted approximately 2 – 2.5hours
There was a short debrief after the exercise
Debbie Andrews represented the receiving RCF
The Scenario – Information Gathering
Action # Time Sector Action Taken Responsibility or Delegation
Contact Details /Phone Number
FirstSecondThirdFourthFifthSixthFirstSecondThirdFourthFifthSixth
The Scenario – Expectation
That staff would be work as a team
That good communication processes would be used
That the team would be honest in their assessment
That the basis of the response is following the guidelines within the Disaster Management Plan / Business Continuity Plan
The Scenario - Instructions1.Each operational section has a different coloured response sheet. Please use the appropriate coloured sheet for the purpose of documenting your actions. Please put your name and classification on each sheet. 2. Use a new sheet for each time segment of the exercise.
3. If you delegate a function to another staff member, you must highlight that action on your response sheet however the delegate needs to then complete their own response sheet. 4. Contacting Internal / External Managers / Resources For every situation where you require contacting a manager, service, family, NOK either internally or externally to WBG - you contact Frazer Crichton. He will be located in the Education Room / Area Manager’s office.
You need to provide the contact number or details of the intended person you would contact and the nature of the request. Then document that you have contacted the manager / service on your sheet. There will be an assumption that every call is answered but the response may not always be positive.
5. Actions that include a location e.g. moving a resident from Ward 1 to House 2 should identify the location in the response sheet.
6. Any gaps / recommendations should be noted either on the sheet.
7. The exercise will involve all houses within the facility. No residents will be involved and no physical evacuation will be occurring.
8. The exercise will last 2.5 hours.
9. A quick informal debrief will occur after the exercise however a formal debrief with any recommendations will be held at a future meeting
The Scenario – Stage 1
9.15 (10.00am) - First Situation
The power in all houses has gone out. There is neither lighting nor power. All the fire doors have closed and the only available lighting is that of the emergency and exit lighting. There are mobile phones / phone services however there is NO nurse call.
The Scenario – Stage 2
9.35 - (11.00am) - Second Situation
The power is still not on and there is no indication of when it will on. You find that you no longer have any emergency / exit lighting as their battery life is now gone.
There are mobile phones / phone services. You are advised that all of Dapto/ Kanahooka / Albion Park and Unanderra have been affected.
The Scenario – Stage 3
9.55 - (Midday) - Third Situation
You are informed that the reason of the power outage is that there has been a major fire at a local main substation. This indicates that there will be a long delay before the power outage will be rectified.
Current scene; No power, No lighting, Outside temperature is now 36C. There are mobile phones / phone services.
The Scenario – Stage 4
10.15 - (1.00pm) - Fourth Situation
You find out that there is no water pressure. The power outage has resulted in the water filtration pumps due to the fire and lack of power unable to operate and the water is considered not suitable for use.
Current Scene: No power, No lighting, No tap water - temperature is now 36C. There are mobile phones / phone services.
The Scenario – Stage 5
10.35am - (2.00pm) - Fifth Situation
Origin Energy has said it cannot state when the power will be on. They hope but cannot guarantee to have it on later tonight.
The water is back on however it is at a very low pressure and all users have been advised that if possible they should boil all water..
The Scenario – Stage 6
11.00am – (3.00pm) – Sixth Situation
A decision has been made to conduct a limited evacuation of the site. Those considered able of being looked after at WBG need to be identified. The remaining residents need to be evacuated.
The following residents are sampled for evacuation processes.
The Scenario – Stage 6
11.00am – (3.00pm) – Sixth Situation
The following residents are sampled for evacuation processes.
Dorothy W – Akuna xxxNeville W – Akuna xxxLaura C – Grange xxxWilliam S – Grange xxxTom W – Huntley xxx
Janice B – Huntley xxxLaurel T – Kembla xxxSonja S – Kembla xxxTed C – Elouera xxx
David Mc – Elouera xxxMarie B – Nebo xxxNoel C – Nebo xxx
Gloria H – Flinders High xxxKevin B – Flinders High xxxBertha W – Flinders Low xxxArthur C – Flinders Low xxx
Debbie Andrews Care Manager – to review received documentation
The Results / Findings
The staff were positive in their approach to the exercise – actually appreciating the opportunity to understand the processes around and evacuation exercise.
Communication on the whole was good however there was some breakdown where “some staff” had a different interpretation of what had been asked to be done during the exercise. It was however minor in nature.
There were gaps that whilst not life threatening needed to be addressed
The Gaps
The managers had limited knowledge of the Disaster Management Plans
Evacuation boxes in all areas were untidy with out of date information
The Gaps
The Resident Information Forms within the evacuation boxes were not linked to the residents care plan review schedule
Fire safety audit states to check the evacuation box but the fire officer did not identify the information that was out of date – only the stock levels
Staff awareness of their roles and responsibilities in such an event and feeling of a lack of competent staff to delegate some of the required activities
Some managers were not always aware of what other managers were doing
Not being fully aware of the sites infra structure such as water tanks and the resources of Facilities Management
Action Plan
The DMP are to be an agenda items at hub meetings and discussed at staff meetings
Started from scratch with the evacuation boxes with larger boxes purchased. Resident information updated and now in individual plastic folders
Action Plan
Evacuation plans are now linked to the care plan schedule for staff to review resident profile and update information on evacuation ID Tags
Review of the fire audit process and educate fire officer on what information needs to be assessed
Discuss at the hub meetings new duties lists for each area outlining tasks in the event of an emergency
All the above forms part of CIP project
DMP / Business Continuity Plan
Remember COSOPS ????? Was / Is your BCP a Dust Collector ???
COSOP – The Past Process
Critical
Operations
Standard
Operating
Procedures
DMP/ Business Continuity Plan / COSOPS
WILLIAM BEACH CARE CENTRE AND LIFESTYLE COMMUNITY
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Incorporating
Emergency Evacuation Procedures
and
Business Continuity Plans (BCPs)
<2013>
Version Number: < 1.1 January 2013 >
DMP/Business Continuity Plans include……..
Disaster Management Flow Chart
Emergency Contact details including the Health Service Functional Area Coordinator
Roles and Responsibilities of Key staff
Processes to follow in the event of minor system failures
Emergency / Disaster checklists
Transport plan
Local Risk Register
Business Continuity Plan
Problem Impact Contingency Task Start date End date Actioned by
Air Conditioning Failure
Unable to regulate temperature and environment
1. To use natural ventilation.
1. Open windows and doors.
1. Upon failure. 1. Return of Service.
1. RN / Team leader.
1. Use fans. 1. Estimate of fans in facility. Ceiling fans in each resident’s room.
1. Upon failure 1. Return of service.
1. RN / Team leader.
Determine priority sites for use of fans.
Upon incident. 1. Return of service.
1. Manager.
1. Distribute fans to priority sites
1. Upon incident
1. Return of service.
1. Team leader/RN.
Business Continuity Plan (Local Risk Register) for William Beach Gardens 1. Air Conditioning Service – see BCP Minor FailuresSchedule BelowAir Conditioning Service Schedule
DMP / Business Continuity Plan – The Gap
It was identified that the managers had little if no knowledge of the Disaster Management Plan / Business Continuity Plan
This was evidenced by the fact that the document was rarely used during the exercise although it was made available
The reasons??
Lack of awareness of the document some due to the turn over of staff and not part of an induction process. No education as to its purpose
Lack of user friendliness??
DMP / Business Continuity Plan
Again the Question - A Dust Collector ???
DMP / Business Continuity Plan – What’s Needed?The DMP/BCP needs to represent the processes used at your facility
It requires reviewing annually – Accreditation???
Managers / Supervisors / Stakeholders need to be aware of their roles and responsibilities as soon as they are employed in that a key role as part of their induction in to that role
There needs to be education of the key stakeholders including those staff outside the 9am-5.00pm (Mon-Fri). The exercise was held under perfect conditions with most key stakeholders available – you might not get that luxury
Consideration of a review of the DMP / BCP. Made simpler, perhaps colour coded and more user friendly
Exercises need to regular, possibly outside normal hours and unannounced
The Exercise – Was it Worth it?
It takes time - probably 4 hours with key staff and affecting staff as required
It did identify gaps from which action plans have been formulated and in most cases the gaps closed quickly
The “Agency” would love it
The staff saw it as a positive exercise
The exercise was definitely worth it