EM2 - Developing an Emergency Plan

Purpose

To ensure the organisational arrangements, systems, strategies and procedures relating to the response and management of an emergency at an aquatic facility are developed.

Preparation of an Emergency Plan

The development of an Emergency Plan for an aquatic facility should be undertaken through a structured process of identifying and analysing potential emergencies likely to impact the aquatic facility to determine the emergency events that would require consideration of an emergency response.

This should be achieved by developing an emergency plan that implements a system able to respond to an emergency in a way that leads to the most effective outcome possible under the circumstances.

The plan’s coverage should therefore be comprehensive, while keeping the structure as concise, simple and flexible as possible. It should also be dynamic, ensuring ongoing relevance to the needs of the facility and all stakeholders by continual monitoring, review and consultation.

The Emergency planning process should be a cyclical process and should be continually evaluated and revised as appropriate.

Context of an Emergency Plan

An Emergency Plan for an aquatic facility with should include but not be limited to the following:

• The measures taken to decrease the likelihood of emergencies occurring and the associated impacts on people, the aquatic facility and the environment
• The measures taken to eliminate the probability of an emergency
• The arrangements made to ensure that, should an emergency occur, all those resources and services that are needed to manage the impacts of the emergency are available and effectively utilised
• The arrangements for managing an incident including the roles and responsibilities of staff and emergency controllers
• The arrangements for responding to emergencies that may occur at the aquatic facility

The actual writing of an emergency plan needs to be preceded by careful planning, based on an appreciation of the hazards and understanding of the possible emergency scenarios, their possible impacts and the availability of emergency response resources both internal and external to the aquatic facility.

This ensures that the aims, objectives and structure of the plan are clear and realistic and that response measures specifically focus on realistic situations.

Defining the Aim of the Plan

The aim of an emergency plan should be expressed as a broad statement of intent. It should be based on the fundamental reasons for developing a plan. Examples of aims are:

• To provide a system and resources to deal with all emergencies that could affect people, property and/or the environment
• To minimise adverse impacts on people, property and the environment

Defining the Objectives of the Emergency Plan

The objectives of the plan translate the broad aim into specific end results to be achieved. They lay the groundwork for defining and implementing the facility's system to manage an emergency. Therefore, the areas addressed by the objectives should be as comprehensive as possible. The establishment of priorities will also help to focus efforts in defining and implementing a system to meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Examples of objectives include:

• To maintain a high level of preparedness
• To respond quickly and efficiently to limit the impacts of an emergency
• To manage an emergency until the emergency services arrive and take control
• To support emergency services with information, knowledge, skills and equipment
• To protect emergency responders, personnel and the community from harm.

Defining the Parameters of the Emergency Plan

In preparing an emergency plan, the parameters that will characterise the framework for developing the plan should be defined. These parameters should define the scope of the emergency plan and identify any limitations. Some of the parameters that should be considered are addressed in this section. However, there may be others not covered here that are specific to a particular facility.

The structured process for defining the scope of an emergency plan for an aquatic facility should include:

• Defining an emergency
• Background Information
• Levels of Emergencies
• Type of Emergencies
• Defining the hazards and their potential impacts
• Physical areas to be covered by the Emergency Plan
• People to be covered by the Emergency Plan
• Assumptions affecting the emergency Plan

Defining an Emergency

What constitutes an emergency at an aquatic facility (i.e. a situation that activates and deactivates the emergency plan) should be clearly defined by the Emergency Planning Committee. The recommended definition is:

An emergency is an event (whether occurring in an Aquatic Facility or originating outside an Aquatic Facility) that causes, or threatens to cause:

1. the death of, or injury or other damage to the health of, any person; or
2. the destruction of, or damage to, any property; or
3. a disruption to services usually enjoyed by the community; or
4. harm to the environment, or to flora or fauna;

If there is any doubt whether a hazardous situation constitutes an emergency, it should be treated as an emergency until clarified.

Background Information

Background information about a facility and its hazards is required to establish the parameters of the plan and should include:

• the location of the facility, including its street address and the nearest intersection (if any)
• a detailed map
  • showing the site of the aquatic facility
  • showing land use and occupancy surrounding the facility, and any other closely located major hazard facilities and hazardous chemical storage sites
  • identifying all potentially hazardous inventories in the area that are known to the operator and the location of all staging points for emergency services
• an inventory of all hazardous chemicals on-site, or likely to be on-site, and their location
• a brief description of the nature of the facility and its operation
• the maximum number of persons, and types of persons including workers, likely to be present at the facility on a normal working day.

Levels of Emergency

Emergencies can vary in scale. The Emergency Planning Committee should define different levels of emergency for the aquatic facility. The consequences table provided by the aquatic risk assessment will provide guidance in determining the level of emergency for a particular type of incident.

Other factors should also be taken into account including but not limited to:

• The size of the emergency
• The resources and time required to manage the emergency
• Local Rescue and emergency management arrangements
• Legal and regulatory requirements

Figure 1 provides guidance for aquatic facilities in defining levels of emergency. The three levels described are illustrative and advisory only, and should not limit the way in which a facility chooses to define its own levels of emergency.

Types of Emergency

Emergencies are defined according to type on the basis of the source and activities involved. The Emergency Planning Committee should define the ‘type’ of emergency which will determine the potential impact of the incident on people, property and the environment.

Figure 1 provides guidance for aquatic facilities in defining types of emergency. The model describes the type of emergency based on the source of the emergency (hazard). It is illustrative and advisory only, and should not limit the way in which an aquatic facility chooses to define its own levels of emergency.

Physical Areas to be Covered by the Emergency Plan

The geographic area over which a large scale emergency might impact should be defined. This area can be estimated in the process of defining the hazards. Features considered should include:

• the exposure of people
• the exposure of sensitive environmental receptors
• all equipment and operations located within the boundaries of the facility
• hazardous materials being transported or removed from the site that are under the responsibility of the facility
• any other areas or activities under the control or influence of the facility that are not on-site and not covered by a separate emergency plan, for example off-site pipelines supplying raw materials to the facility and product from the facility
• the area beyond the boundary of the facility which is likely to be affected in the event of an emergency. This area, called the surrounding area will be determined by the risk assessment.

It is important to identify significant community and environmental features surrounding the facility. These should include features where large numbers of people gather (e.g. sporting complexes, function centres), sensitive land uses (e.g. schools, hospitals, child care facilities, nursing homes) and sensitive environmental receptors. Sensitive environmental receptors may include:

• surface waterways (e.g. creeks, rivers, stormwater drainage systems, access to sewerage system)
• sub-surface aquifers
• soil (considering characteristics such as soil permeability, which controls the rate at which leachate from contaminated land will reach ground water reservoirs)
• natural buffers, wildlife corridors, State forests/national parks.

People to be Covered by the Emergency Plan

The people likely to be affected by an emergency will be located in the physical area to be covered by the plan, as identified above. The total number of people possibly affected should be estimated. The significance of their exposures can be estimated in the risk assessment process. Groups of people to be identified may include:

• Employees and contractors
• Other workers
• Visitor including CALD groups, children, older Australians, Persons with a disability, school groups etc
• Emergency responders
• People within surrounding areas including commercial, industrial and residential neighbours.

Large groups of people, or those more vulnerable to the consequences of emergencies, need to be given special consideration when determining procedures for protecting people from the impacts of an incident.

Assumptions Affecting the Emergency Plan

The emergency plan will usually be based upon assumptions about matters such as the availability of resources and services, and the execution of responses within estimated timeframes. These assumptions should be evaluated and contingency planning developed to accommodate an emergency where these assumptions fail. Examples include:

• Increased response times of the emergency organisation and emergency services
• Unavailability of staff
• Failure of services and/or utilities (e.g. gas, electricity, water and telecommunications, and emergency services such as fire fighting water and emergency generators)
• Overlap between the facility emergency control centre and an inappropriate hazard zone
• Adverse weather conditions
• Inaccessible or inoperable emergency equipment, isolation equipment and/or safety critical equipment.

Defining the Emergency Management System

The owner or operator of an aquatic facility should develop an emergency management system that is flexible, simple to implement and general in application. It should be tailored to meet the needs of the facility within constraints, such as the resources available.

Designing and Constructing the Emergency Management System

The design process should satisfy the aims and objectives of the emergency plan while the construction process provides:

• The resources to support the design, including the response resources
• Personnel to carry out emergency functions
• Information, skills and knowledge to enable these personnel to manage an emergency
• Written emergency procedures.

The system should reflect expectations relating to the facility's role in the management of an emergency. The system should be able to spontaneously respond when the alarm is raised as early detection and intervention are vital to ensuring that a small incident does not escalate to become a major disaster. The system should also be able to operate within a defined short timeframe i.e. the critical initial period before the emergency services assume control. Thereafter, the system should support and liaise with the emergency services and other external agencies. The system should also be able to manage smaller emergencies or emergencies with potential for environmental impact, which the emergency services might not be required to attend.

The capabilities of the system should be based on the parameters of the emergency plan, such as:

• The potential nature and size of an emergency, derived from the risk assessment
• The hazards or risks of greatest concern with respect to their impact on people, property and the environment in emergency situations
• The potential for further problems arising from the properties of the hazardous materials e.g. ignition sources for flammable gases and vapours.

The system should also take into account the limits of the facility's physical response capabilities. Obviously, the scale of the system developed will depend on the hazards associated with the facility and its resources. An over-commitment or under-dedication of resources will result in an ineffective system.

The system will share similarities with other systems of management. It should include an organisational structure with a chain of command and specified emergency functions to be carried out by facility personnel.

The system should have established and approved procedures and resources designated for the purpose, and personnel should be provided with the necessary information, knowledge and skills to carry out the responsibilities assigned.

Emergency Functions

The system should include defined emergency functions which, like emergency planning in general, aim to protect people, property and the environment. The functions nominated should cover all areas of responsibility necessary to manage the types of emergencies identified. These functions should be defined, taking into account the facility's response requirements and capabilities (i.e. the nature of the operation, the types of emergencies identified and the number of people available). Broad areas to be addressed by emergency functions should include:

• responding to control the emergency
• limiting the spread and impacts of an emergency on to additional area within the facility and outside of the facility
• protecting the safety and health of all people at the aquatic facility
• protecting the environment
• alerting people to the emergency and communicating adequately with all stakeholders during the emergency
• assisting emergency services and nearby facilities with control actions taken in the surrounding area
• accessing the right information
• controlling the entire emergency scene and the whole facility.

Positions should be established and people assigned to these positions to fulfil the functions identified. The expectations, information and resources associated with each function should be established, as well as the inputs that can be expected from other facility workers, the Police, Fire and other emergency services. Overall responsibility for these functions would typically be assumed by the facility emergency controller who is supported by the personnel allocated to carry out the various functions.

See the Guidelines for Emergency Control for further information

Emergency Procedures

Emergency procedures are a series of steps that need to be followed when responding to an emergency. When defining these procedures, it is important to recognise the limitations of people in performing tasks, particularly while under extreme stress.

Emergency procedures are generally of two types: those that relate to the system of management (i.e. general procedures to be adopted regardless of the nature, type and scale of emergency) or those specific to the types of incidents identified.

An emergency response procedure for each emergency identified by the Emergency Planning Committee should be developed for the aquatic facility.

The Emergency Planning Committee should consider the following emergency response action within each of the emergency response stages:

• Notifications and Escalations
• Assessment Considerations
• Immediate Priorities vs Long Term Strategies
• Response Procedures
• Equipment requirements
• Communication requirements including (Media and Public Information)
• Information and Reporting
• Terminating the emergency

Procedures should be developed for all positions within the emergency organisational structure, in particular outlining the roles, responsibilities and duties involved. Procedures should also be developed for other facility personnel not involved in the emergency organisational structure.

Emergency response procedures should also specifically consider personnel who may need assistance or are unlikely to be able to optimally act in an emergency. This may include but is not limited to persons who:

• Are accompanied by an assistant / parents / guardian
• Have a guide or animal companion
• Use alternative forms of communication or are Culturally or Linguistic Diverse
• Have vision, hearing or physical impairment
• Use a wheelchair or scooter (or similar)
• Are easily fatigued, experience anxiety or confusion in an emergency

Emergency response procedures should also consider other safety requirements that may need to be actioned as a result of the emergency

• The ability to provide adequate Lifeguard Supervision to other aquatic users during an emergency
• The ability to provide other critical business activities during an emergency
• Management of contractors or volunteers

At a minimum an Emergency Planning Committee should develop emergency response procedure for the following emergency events at an Aquatic Facility:

1. Medical Emergency (illness)
2. Medical Emergency (in water)
3. Serious Injury
4. Serious Injury (in water)
5. Fatal and Non-Fatal Drowning
6. Water Contamination
7. Fire / Explosion / Smoke
8. Bomb Threat
9. Inappropriate behaviour
10. Suspect Package
11. Personal Threat
12. Gas Leak or Hazardous Chemical Spill
13. Electrocution
14. Power outage
15. Natural Disasters (relevant to the geographical nature of the facility)
16. Security Breach

Facility Emergency Resources

The emergency resources necessary to manage an emergency situation should be identified and provided. Such resources include the facility emergency control centre, the emergency communications system, public warning systems, the emergency alarm system and emergency equipment (such as personal protective clothing and first aid equipment). The availability of external resources should also be considered.

The design and provision of emergency resources should consider such matters as:

• their safe and accessible location
• their ability to be moved to areas as intended (e.g. neutralising agents)
• their suitability for all tasks for which they are provided
• their readiness for use and ease of use
• the adequacy of estimations of quantities
• the provision of adequate quantities.

The risk assessment can help to identify the safety equipment required to respond to the incident and appropriate locations for this equipment to be stored, by identifying 'clean' areas, that is, areas outside potential hazard zones. The functioning capabilities of resources should be considered for all places (e.g. the alarm's ability to reach the people to be alerted), all times (e.g. at night and out-of-hours) and all circumstances (e.g. adverse weather conditions).

Information, Knowledge and Skills

The system should provide access to user-friendly information to assist in managing the emergency. This information should include:

• safety, health and environmental information on hazardous materials, their location and type of containment
• estimates of the consequences and impacts from risk assessment
• maps and plans
• community information
• information on safety systems and equipment
• emergency contacts.

The system should provide for the communication of information about the plan to stakeholders, including people within the community information area, contractors and other on-site visitors.

Developing Knowledge and Skills

Personnel, whether or not they hold a position in the emergency organisational structure, must be trained in their roles, responsibilities and duties during an emergency (e.g. all personnel should be trained in evacuation procedures). They should be trained to such a level that, when the emergency plan is activated, they can automatically follow their procedures without necessarily referring to the emergency plan and can competently operate the emergency resources. Supporting information provided outside the emergency plan, such as palm cards or signs, may assist them. Training will achieve a greater significance if all personnel have a sense of ownership of the emergency plan.

It is important that key people at the facility understand the potential impacts of the hazardous materials associated with the facility. This understanding will provide the basis for informed decisions to be made in the early stages of an emergency and for advice to be provided to the emergency services.

This understanding can also be used to set priorities in responding to an incident. For example, when considering actions to control or mitigate the impacts of an incident, it may be considered appropriate to allow the incident to proceed with minimal or no direct response. Such a mode of response may result in a lower overall impact (when considering people, property and the environment) than if significant effort were expended in protecting property to the detriment of the surrounding community and the environment.

Testing the Emergency Management System

The testing of a system is the process of ensuring that the system functions effectively according to the intentions of design and implementation. Effective testing of the emergency management system depends on a commitment to providing sufficient time and resources to ensure that the system is workable, simple and flexible, and meets its aims and objectives.

During testing, the system should be evaluated to detect problems (such as lack of direction, oversimplifications, poor understanding of the issues, inappropriate assumptions, etc.) that may affect the effectiveness of the emergency plan and to identify methods for improving the efficiency of the plan. A practical exercise, or mock incident, involving external agencies is an effective way of testing all or part of the emergency plan.

Testing of the system should ensure that:

• all procedures are validated as safe and personnel are not exposed to an unacceptable risk while undertaking defined tasks and other activities
• emergency resources and safety equipment are rated for the task
• emergency resources and safety equipment are clearly identified, accessible, available, serviceable and ready for use
• communications methods and equipment are satisfactory
• response times for the facility and the emergency services are tested, known and found to be realistic
• suitable supporting information is provided and accessible
• emergency service vehicles have access to the relevant parts of the facility
• the facility emergency controller, emergency organisation personnel and facility emergency responders are suitably identified and appropriately trained
• the plan satisfies the expectations of stakeholders
• the plan can be updated easily and the information communicated as appropriate
• the information of the quantities, locations and properties of hazardous materials is accessible, and the potential impacts of these materials are known and understood by key personnel
• there is a clear understanding of the roles of the different agencies forming the local emergency services, especially fire and rescue authorities.

References

• AS 3745 – 2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilities
• PUA12 – Public Safety Training Package