Chapter 3. Emergency Planning Key words and terms:

Achieve Chemicals Hazardous material Update Emergency services Protect Extinguish Responsible Identify Hands-on Develop

Fuels Estimate Stakeholders Involve Alert Goal Establish Set up Essential Sensitive environmental area

Text 4. Emergency planning guidelines

The goal of emergency planning is to reduce loss of lives, damage to property, and the impact on the environment and community. The strategy is to create a comprehensive planning process and a well-exercised emergency management. Additional necessary conditions are commitment, analysis, planning, training, communication and cooperation.

Chemicals and fuels are essential to our everyday lives. To meet our need for these products, industries using and producing them are present in our communities. While everything is done to prevent them, accidents in such industries can happen. An accident involving hazardous materials may have the potential to affect the neighbouring community. Industry, emergency services and the community need to be prepared.

What is an Emergency Plan?

An Emergency Plan aims to protect people, property and the environment. This is achieved by developing a system that can respond to any emergency by: setting up an organisational structure which nominates who is in charge and what everybody should do; identifying the location of hazardous materials on site; estimating the effects of emergencies, including fire, explosion and toxic release and establishing emergency procedures to deal with them; identifying necessary resources to manage the emergency; and instituting warning and communication systems.

If applicable, vulnerable areas such as residential areas, schools, hospitals and sensitive environmental areas should also be identified.

Emergency Plans may consist of an on-site and an off-site emergency plan. An on-site emergency plan is for an emergency which only affects the site on which the emergency has occurred. Off-site plans are for emergencies which affect people, property and the environment beyond the site boundary.

Always be aware that emergency planning needs teamwork. Avoid single actions when failure is not an option.

Who is responsible for preparing Emergency Plans?

The operators of industrial facilities are responsible for preparing reviewing and updating the Emergency Plan. However, extensive consultation with key stakeholders, for example, the emergency services, local government and community, is essential to develop a practical and efficient Emergency Plan

Who is responsible in an emergency?

Facility personnel handle many minor emergencies.

When the emergency services have to attend, the community Fire Service manages the hands-on response. Different scientific organisations are involved in providing special advice. For example, Chemical Unit can provide scientific and technical advice in emergencies involving chemicals.

The Police service provides overall coordination and organises additional resources. The Ambulance service provides care and transport for injured people.

Other agencies from both State and Local Government may be involved.

What should you do in an emergency?

If an emergency occurs, the facility operators and the emergency service; will quickly gain an understanding of the nature, scale and likely effects of the emergency. Members of the public should remain away from the incident scene at all times unless specifically requested to assist.

There are certain steps you should take to protect yourself when there is a threat to the community. If you are alerted by the warning system implemented by your local industry or the emergency services:

- Go inside immediately.

- Shut doors, shut windows, pull curtains, and turn off air-conditioners.

- Extinguish all naked flames (including pilot lights).

- DO NOT SMOKE.

- Listen to the local radio station (as advised by your industrial facility) and follow emergency services instructions.

- Leave children at school / child care where they will be cared for by staff and emergency services personnel.

- Remain indoors until advised by emergency services.

- When instructed by the emergency services, open all doors and windows to restore ventilation.

- DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EVACUATE UNLESS DIRECTED TO DO SO BY THE EMERGENCY SERVICES.

Depending on the type of emergency, these general guidelines may be overruled by the emergency services who will give more specific instructions at the time.

Exercise 1. Put the following steps of the Emergency Planning in the correct order.

A) Consulting with key stakeholders

B) Establishing the communication system

C) Regular updating of the plan

D) Instructing the population of the community

E) Identifying the location of hazardous materials and necessary resources

F) Assertion of the plan

G) Setting up the organisational structure identifying who is responsible for what

H) Preparing the draft of the plan

Exercise 2. Match the words from column A with their synonyms from column B.

A	В
1) identify 2) potential 3) protect 4) site 5) release 6) accident 7) prevent 8) responsible	a) avoid b) discharge c) catastrophe d) accountable e) pinpoint f) defend g) possibility h) place

Exercise 3. Choose the extra word in each line.

1) goal, objective, purpose, aid, aim

2) set up, establish, evaluate, institute, create

3) significant, vital, essential, sensitive, necessary

4) occur, achieve, accomplish, obtain, reach

Exercise 4. Optional task. Develop your communication skills.

Considering possibilities. Study the expressions in the box.

It can / could / may / might happen that...

It is likely that... The accident is likely to be...

Is it likely that... ? Perhaps...

This will probably lead to...

What if we can't supply them with necessary equipment?

Supposing we had ... problems like last year.

Let's say we failed to deliver rescue kits.,.

Let's imagine we didn't...

If that happened, we'd be in trouble.

In groups consider at what plants or industries in your region there can happen on-site or off-site emergencies. Discuss the following questions:

What ecological and technical problems could appear in the case of such emergency?

What specialists should you bring in?

How much would it cost to deal with the aftermath of the catastrophe? Would the budget of the city be enough for the solution of the problem or should you look for some additional aid?