In the event of a major disaster, this Emergency Plan describes the initial responsibilities and actions to be taken to protect all employees until the appropriate responders take over. The plan outlines the interaction between the following entities:
· The School’s operational units (Principal, Administrative Units);
· The School’s community(Teachers, technical staffs, students);
· The Public Response Agencies
3.2 The primary focus of the plan
3.2.1 Establish an effective framework of Emergency Response
3.2.2 Ensure that the Emergency incident is communicated quickly and clearly to employees, students and visitors in School, enabling support arrangements to be rapidly activated
3.2.3 Ensure that employees, students and visitors have safe entry to, exit from and occupancy of the school facilities
3.2.4 Provide each employee and student with the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to ensure their safety and health.
3.2.5 Ensure that every person granted access to the University is familiar with and uses the necessary safety materials, equipment, devices and clothing
3.2.6 Maintain high standards of welfare and duty of care arrangements for students, staff and site users
3.2.7 Ensure that actions and decision making during the Emergency incident is properly recorded
3.2.8 To minimize educational and administrative disruption within School
3.2.9 To facilitate the return to normal working arrangements at the earliest time
3.2.10 Comply with relevant legislative requirements and other appropriate standards relating to emergency measures
3.3 Scope
This Emergency Plan is a campus-level plan that guides the emergency response of ABC secondary school personnel and resources during an emergency. It is a requirement that the employer review with each employee upon their initial assignment or when the plan changes, those parts of the plan that the employee must know to protect her/himself in the event of an emergency. In addition, the written plan shall be made available for employees to review and plan for their evacuation.
4. Prevention and Preparedness
Actions should be taken to avoid an incident or to intervene to stop an incident from occurring. Prevention involves actions to protect lives and property. It involves applying intelligence and other information to a range of activities that may include such countermeasures as deterrence operations; heightened inspections; improved surveillance and security operations; investigations to determine the full nature and source of the threat; public health and agricultural surveillance and testing processes; immunizations, isolation, or quarantine; and, as appropriate, specific law enforcement operations aimed at deterring, preempting, interdicting, or disrupting illegal activity and apprehending potential perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
4.1 Identification and Analysis of Potential Hazards
4.1.1 The rating and ranking results of the hazard analysis
4.2 Preparations
Actions should be taken by School Principal to ensure the preparedness for the outbreak including but not limited to :
• Review and formulation of specific safety guidelines to suit the operational needs of individual
• Review of contract terms to ensure the sufficient level of support from contractors during emergency situations
• Review and keep sufficient stock of Personal Protective Equipment and necessary items
4.3 Drill
4.3.1 The School Management Team (Principals, Assistant Principals and Administrative staffs)has overall responsibility for coordinating and implementing the Emergency Management Plan. The Team will meet regularly to evaluate the emergency procedures outlined in the Plan and to consider revisions and updates.
4.3.2 The School Management Team will coordinate routine table-top exercises to test the Emergency Management Plan’s validity and will conduct at least one mock disaster drill annually. After evaluating the results of the exercise and/or mock disaster drill, the Team will provide training to individuals and/or units as needed.
4.3.3 As most of the Responses and Actions are depending on the actual situation and need for services arisen, the drill should be conducted with operation-based items only.
4.3.4 Staff and individuals with disabilities shall be aware of these procedures. The execution of these procedures will be tested during the fire drills.
4.4 Training
4.4.1 Awareness or specific training should be arranged by School Principal and Administrative Staffs for implementation of their actions required under this Emergency Plan.
4.4.2 Training and exercises are designed and conducted to assess and validate required skills and measurable proficiency. Training and exercises should utilize a standardized after action reporting system collect, analyze, and disseminate lessons learned, best practices, and other information to improve preparedness and response capabilities.
4.4.3 All staff receives appropriate training in emergency procedures and is encouraged to report all incidents and near misses. New recruits receive such training as part of their induction.
4.4.4 Training and exercises are conducted on a periodic basis, at least annually, to develop and maintain the readiness of response procedures and personnel
4.5 Preparation and training for evacuation of individuals with disabilities
4.5.1 Individuals with temporary or permanent disabilities are requested to inform their instructors and/or supervisors of any physical restrictions they have so that appropriate action can be taken to help ensure their safety in the event of an emergency.
4.5.2 Occupants with disabilities should be familiar with each building they enter and should notify a responsible party of their expected location to ensure help will be forthcoming if an emergency evacuation becomes necessary.
4.5.3 Those who have permanent or temporary disabilities which may interfere with their safe, orderly or prompt exit from a building during an emergency must be aware of proper action to take if evacuation becomes necessary. It is the responsibility of the individual with a disability to notify an individual without a disability of his/her location, and ask that individual to inform response personnel of his/her need for assistance in that location.
5. Mitigation
5.1 Mitigation plans must address these issues:
• Creates a consistent foundation for prevention efforts.
• Provides a solid framework and a system for integrating school safety efforts.
• Allows school officials to readily demonstrate to parents, students, media and the general public that school safety issues have been properly addressed.
• Reduces civil liability by documenting reasonable efforts made by school officials to reduce risk.
• Improves the position of school in the process of competing for available government and private grant funds.
• Helps to demonstrate to the community that the school is within standards of current best practices
5.2 The School should have an emergency team be prepared to engage in unified command processes
5.3 The School should develop standard emergency response procedures and those procedures should be practiced regularly
5.4 The School should have the necessary equipment on hand to carry out standard emergency procedures.
5.5 The School should have adequate means of rapid communication, striving for interoperability with public safety
5.6 Ensure the retrofitting of existing structures to make them more a hazard-resistant; and construct protective devices such as retaining walls
5.7 Installation of wind shutters, strapping or bolting generators to walls, and numerous other techniques to prevent injuries and allow for the continued use of the school site.
5.8 Staff Development Efforts
• All staff members receive training on their roles in the emergency operations plan within the first month of employment.
• New teachers enroll in Co-Star mentoring program and receive training in classroom management techniques within the first year of employment.
•All community based school safety working group members have attended an informational seminar relating to the community’s role in school safety.
•Staff training relating to first aid has been documented in written form, at least 20% of school employees have attended the Basic First Aid and Basic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training programs
5.9 Fire and Accident Prevention Measures
•A building inspection is conducted for every school system owned or leased facility once each year. The survey is coordinated by a school safety committee member who has attended formal training on the proper coordination of building inspections
•Custodians conduct monthly inspections of the playground and associated equipment
•Custodians conduct monthly inspections of fire extinguishers.
5.10 The school should develop emergency procedures including the following aspects:
• Suspect Packages and Bomb threat guidance
• Accident and incident reporting procedure
• Risk assessment and safe working practices
• Workplace health and safety
• Hazaous building materials(eg.Asbestos)
• Fire procedures
5.11 Possible Emergency Situation and Emergency Procedure
6. Response
6.1 Internal communication
• When student or staff notifies a emergency incident, he shall report the case immediately to Principal or Form teacher.
• The Form teacher shall then notify the Principal(if not noticed yet). The Principal shall also inform the Emergency Team when considered necessary.
• If injury is noted and/or the emergency situation cannot be handled, the staff shall call the emergency services (i.e. police, fire services, etc.)
• When the emergency incident has been settled, the Principal shall inform all students and staffs on the completion.
• The Emergency Team shall also prepare the Incident Report for the case and issue it to relevant person.
7. Recovery
7.1 Recovery plans must address these issues:
• Physical and Structural
• Business and Fiscal
• Academic
• Psychological and Emotional
7.2 The Response Team organized by administrative staffs determines the scope of an emergency and advises the School Principal. The Emergency Team also establishes response strategies and tactics, deploys resources, and initiates the recovery process.
7.3 Administrative unit will prepare post-event claims based on their loss(es) and submit them to the work group.
7.4 The composition of the work group will be related to the nature and magnitude of the emergency, but will include a core membership representing the administrative unit.
7.5 Continuing concerns may include: ongoing repairs to structures; academic or administrative space adjustments; support services for affected students and staff; and community relief efforts.
7.6 Modify work roles and responsibilities or add volunteer or support staff as needed
7.7 Conduct debriefings with Emergency Recovery Team
7.8 Document “lessons learned” and incorporate them into revisions and trainings
8. Specific responsibilities in an emergency situation
8.1 The Communication of the Emergency Team
In the event of any sudden occurrence which may affect the health and/or safety of any persons on site or may affect the safety of plant, materials, buildings or the work itself, or in the event of any other occurrence that could be considered an emergency, the following people are to be notified as soon as possible, using the quickest possible means of communication and giving precise details of the location and of the nature of the emergency.
8.2 The School Principal:
8.2.1 To have overall responsibility for emergency policies within the School.
8.2.2 To ensure the provision of sufficient resources for implementation of the School safety policies approved by all employees of the School.
8.2.3 To appraise periodically the extent to which the policies have been implemented.
8.2.4 To take reasonable steps to ensure that the School emergency policies are understood at all levels.
8.2.5 To ensure the provision of sufficient resources for the functioning and operation of the person(s) or unit(s) in charge.
8.2.6 To ensure safety /welfare of students and all staffs in the care of the School
8.2.6 Act as the Liaison Officer with the Emergency Services Department after the arrival of emergency squad e.g. Firemen from Fire Service Department.
8.2.7 Formal spokesperson of the School
8.2.8 To ensure the School Emergency Response Team are effectively carrying out their designated roles and responsibilities
8.3 Administrative staffs of the School(Assistant Principal or his designate)
8.3.1 To establish regulations and procedures of the Emergency Programme, and to oversee their implementation.
8.3.2 To consider budget proposal for the School safety programmes.
8.3.3 To ensure that the School safety regulations and procedures, and relevant Government Ordinances and Regulations are properly assigned and adhered at all levels.
8.3.4 To act as advisory committee on the consideration of the departmental safety directives, standards and procedures.
8.3.5 To review the safety records and statistics of the School
8.3.6 To evaluate the effectiveness of the emergency programmes and standards of practice through regular inspections and audits.
8.4 Teachers
8.4.1 Act as the commander of an emergent situation before the arrival of the Emergency squad e.g. Firemen from Fire Service Department
8.4.2 To advise on the promotion of education on health, safety and environment for students and staff.
8.4.3 Coordinate with the team members to take action at the time of emergency
8.4.4 Ensuring that the appropriate announcement has been made via the public address system in case of emergency.
8.5 Technical staffs of the School
8.5.1 Assume the duties of teachers when teachers are absent from the scene
8.5.2 Make a head count of the personnel on site to ensure all of them are evacuated and report to the team leader
8.5.3 Reporting as soon as possible to the teachers the severity and situation
8.5.4 Ensuring that the appropriate announcement has been made via the public address system in case of emergency.
8.6 Educational Psychologist in situ
8.6.1 To provide psychological support and stabilize the emotion of staffs and students if necessary
8.7 All appointees and students of the School
8.7.1 To be familiar with, and conform to, the safety policies at all times.
8.7.2 To wear appropriate safety equipment and use appropriate safety devices in accordance with rules and procedures.
8.7.3 To conform to all instructions issued by the appropriate authorities.
8.7.4 To report all accidents, accidental releases/spills of hazardous materials, and damage of property to their supervisor and safety representative.
8.7.5 To make appropriate suggestions designed to improve safety to their supervisor and safety representative.
8.7.6 To inform their supervisor or safety representative of any hazard that may be introduced as a result of their work.
8.7.7 To be responsible for their personal safety and persons under their supervision.
9 Emergency procedures for Fire
9.1 General Actions in the event of Fire
•Any staff or student discovering a fire should set off the alarm at the nearest available fire alarm point
•The staff or student having first set off the alarm should immediately call the Fire Service Department(999) giving details of the location of the fire.
•When the alarm sounds, staff and students should evacuate the building along the nearest fire escape route as quickly as possible, without stopping to take equipment or possessions.
•All fire fighting should be left to the professionals i.e. the Fire Service. An attempt to fight a fire with the fire fighting equipment available would only be relevant for authorized trained staff, where the fire was of a very small nature or impinging on an exit route.
9.2 Preparedness
• Review procedures, duties, and evacuation routes as outlined in the plan
• Primary and secondary evacuation routes should be established, and all employees and students should be drilled to use either route.
• Conducted fire drills regularly in all occupied locations of the facility
• The fire drills should include staff from all shifts on a rotating basis. The fire evacuation procedures should be practiced at least annually
9.3 Mitigation and Prevention
• Ensure that fire doors are not propped open; these prevent the spread of smoke and fire. Escape routes should be clearly signed and must be kept free from obstructions at all times
• All employees have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure that they do not place themselves or others at risk of harm. They are also expected to co-operate fully complying with any procedures that may introduce as a measure to protect the safety and well-being of our staff and visitors.
• Keep students and staff informed of any changes that are made to fire safety procedures and fire risk assessment. Ensure that all people are briefed in the evacuation procedures and not left alone unless they are aware of, and familiar with, all available escape routes.
• Fire risk assessment has to be undertaken and reviewed annually. However, more frequent reviews will occur if there are changes that will impact on its effectiveness. These may include alterations to the premises or new work processes
• Staff should trained in the use of fire extinguishers
9.4 Response
• Principal will initiate check-in procedure to request list of missing or additional students by contacting teachers
• Principal will immediately report any missing students to authorities and parents
• Students and staff will not be moved back into the school or moved toother locations until Principal or response personnel have indicated itis safe to do so.
9.5 Recovery
• Hold staff meeting and provide information on extent of fire safety in the community and activities that may assist students; signs and symptoms to look out for and safe room function and location.
• Announce counseling support services to students or staff if there is a loss of life in the school community.
• Make educational materials available to families and staff on topics of fire safety
•Identify students, families, and staff who may need long-term physical and mental health support if they were injured after the fire.
10 Emergency procedures for Avian Influenza
10.1 Summary
To outline the procedures for schools in the event of an avian flu epidemic in Hong
Kong. The aim is to help effective schooling to continue.
10.2 Purpose
These procedures aim to minimize risk to staff and students and enable the schools to provide a continuous, high quality education for all students.
10.3 Preparedness
• Continue training staff, families, and students on pandemic flu prevention
• Identify chain of command in case of illness.
• Develop procedures for communicating with staff, students and families
• Review procedures for sending ill students and staff home and make adjustments if necessary
10.4 Mitigation and Prevention
• Identify or create committee to provide guidance regarding pandemic flu preparations
• Review emergency response and communicable disease policies and procedure
• Determine if any additional policies/procedures need to be in place
• Develop communications plan for possible school closures
• Assess financial impact of alternate scheduling or school closures
10.5 Response
• Track the number of staff and students absent daily
• Finalize the information that needs to be communicated to staff, students, and families
• Hold staff meeting to provide information on the extent of infection at school site and potential changes that may take place
• Conduct timely debriefings to identify lessons learned and make necessary changes to the response plan
10.6 Recovery
• Hold staff meeting and provide information on extent of pandemic flu in the community and activities that may assist students
• Announce counseling support services to students or staff if there is a loss of life in the school community.
• Provide physical assessments if needed or make appropriate community health referrals
• Make educational materials available to families and staff on topics such as how to support your student with their recovery from pandemic flu, common symptoms of loss and grief, and constructive ways to cope with stress
•Identify students, families, and staff who may need long-term physical and mental health support or intervention and develop school and community resources to provide these services
10.7 Housekeeping Plan.
• Avoid touching live birds or poultry or their droppings.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with liquid soap and water after touching live birds
• Cover nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing and wash hands with liquid
soap and water afterwards.
• Build up good body resistance through a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate rest
• Reinforce hygiene and related health education matters through the regular programme of personal, social and health education
• Operational procedures will be regularly reviewed, and may be changed, in light of information provided by the Hong Kong Department of Health and the Education and Manpower Bureau.
• The school will continue to be maintained and ventilated to the existing high standards. All cleaning will be conducted using Department of Health Guidelines and additional enhanced cleaning routines will be undertaken as a precautionary measure.
• The enhanced cleaning routines will be maintained until further notice. Classroom tabletops will be cleaned daily with bleach solution at a minimum of three times per day..
• Communal telephones, computer keyboards and ‘mice’ will be cleaned after each use
• Deep cleaning to the school premises shall be carried out before the school resumes to normal operation after any school suspension imposed by EMB.
10.8 Closing the School
In the event that the School is advised by the Government agencies that the School should be closed to prevent further spread of the virus then the following procedure will take place:
• The Principal, in consultation with the Government and members of the School’s Management Team, will make the decision whether to close the School
• If the School is informed during school hours that it must close, then student will be informed and arrangements made. A letter will be used to inform parents. Parents will also be able to confirm details by viewing the School’s website.
• Staff should continue to attend school as normal unless informed otherwise. Staff will be required to assist with arrangements for students and other administrative tasks including setting of school work as required or possible.
• In the event of a closure, pupils should remain at home and updates will be posted on the School’s website regarding the period of closure and the date of reopening.
10.9 Support from the student’s family
• Parents should not send their child to school if they are feeling unwell, have a temperature or have cold/cough symptoms.
• Parents should collect their child promptly from school if requested to do so by the school nurse.
• To avoid rumour and misinformation, the school should be advised immediately of the reason for any students’ absence.
•Parents must advise the school if a case of Flu is suspected within the family’s household.
10.10 Training for students and staffs
• Each teacher in discussion with their students will establish a set of health and hygiene routines.
• Aspects of health education relating to Flu will be taught regularly, at the discretion of the class teacher.
• Students’ emotional health will be constantly monitored: parents will be contacted if a student appears distressed or overly anxious.
11. Limitations of the Emergency plan
• The emergency plan only give a guideline in case accident happen, it cannot mimic the actual situation. All necessary actions should depend on individual situation.
• There are few laws concerning emergency planning in Hong Kong, thus it is difficult to comply with relevant legislative requirements and other appropriate standards
• Nothing in this plan shall be construed in a manner that limits the use of good judgment and common sense in matters not foreseen or covered by the elements of the plan or any appendices hereto.
12. Document to be kept in the section
• Technical circular: Reporting of accidents/incidents
• Floor plans showing utility lines, emergency egress, fire-fighting equipment
• Diagrams of important chemical systems, utility systems, and special and regular fire extinguishing systems
• Evacuation procedures
• Emergency contact list
• List of equipment ad PPE to be available for use in emergency
13. Useful Phone Numbers and Web links