Environmental Safety and Emergency Preparedness Annual Education 2013

Environmental Safety

Environmental Safety Fires When you see fire, think R.A.C.E. –R- RESCUE- remove anyone from immediate danger –A- ALERT- Pull nearest alarm and/or call 911 –C- CONTAIN- Close doors, windows, fire doors –E- EXTINGUISH- If small fire, aim extinguisher low at the base of the fire, move slowly upward with sweeping motion. If large fire = E- EVACUATE

Environmental Safety Fires – contd Fire Safety with Patients –Assessment of fire safety for patients place of residence - safety checklist –Emergency exit plan –Does the patient smoke and use oxygen? HOB has a special program to go over with patients and families –If a fire occurs while you are in the home, remove anyone from immediate danger Fire Safety in the Office –Your safety is of utmost concern. –If the fire alarms sound, you must leave the office immediately. –Close the door behind you when you leave, close any other doors that may be opened as you leave. –Ask in your office where the safe place is that you are to report to if a fire occurs in the office. The safe place is where you will report to and is away from the building. –Be sure someone is assigned to keep others from entering the building.

Environmental Safety Earthquakes If you are inside, stay inside. DO NOT run outside or to other rooms during shaking. 3 basic rules to remember: 1.Drop! – drop onto your hands and knees before the earthquake knocks you down 2.Cover! – cover your head and neck (and entire body if possible) under the shelter of a sturdy table or desk; it will be a barrier from objects harming you. If no shelter nearby, get down near an interior wall or next to low-lying furniture (ex: couch) that wont fall on you. 3.Hold On! – either hold on to your head, neck or your shelter object until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts around. DO NOT stand in a doorway. In modern houses, doorways are no stronger than any other part of the house. The doorway does not protect you from the most likely source of injury – falling or flying objects. Most earthquake-related injuries and deaths are caused by falling or flying object or by being knocked the to ground. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Environmental Safety Earthquakes – contd Other quick tips –Home safety If you are in the kitchen, quickly turn off the stove and take cover at the first sign of shaking If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. You are less likely to be injured staying where you are. Broken glass on the floor has caused injury to those who have rolled to the floor or tried to get to doorways –Outdoor safety If you are outside, stay outside. And stay away from buildings, utility wires, sinkholes and fuel and gas lines The area near the exterior walls of a building is the most dangerous place to be. The best place to be is in an open area and get down low (to avoid being knocked down by strong shaking) and stay there until the shaking stops –Automobiles Stop as quickly and safely as possible. Move your car to the shoulder or cub, away from utility poles, overhead wires and under- or over passes. Stay in the car and set the parking brake Turn on the radio for emergency broadcast information A car may jiggle violently on its springs, but it is a good place to stay until the shaking stops

Environmental Safety Tornados Signs of an approaching storm include: –A dark or green-colored sky –A large, dark, low-lying cloud –Large hail –A loud roar that sounds like a freight train Sighting a funnel cloud –Take shelter immediately –Use common sense and exercise caution; if you believe that you might be in danger, seek shelter immediately Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Environmental Safety Tornados – contd At Home –Discuss with your family where the best tornado shelters are and how family members can protect themselves from flying and falling debris. Practice with your family as to what you would do should one actually strike –One basic rule is AVOID WINDOWS. –The safest place in the home is the interior part of a basement. If there is no basement, go to an inside room, without windows on the lowest floor. This could be a center hallway, bathroom or closet –For added protection, get under something sturdy such as a heavy table or workbench. If possibly, cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag or mattress and protect your head with anything available – even your hands. On the road –The least desirable place to be during a tornado is in a motor vehicle –DO NOT try to outrun a tornado in your car. If you see one, stop your vehicle and get out. Do not get under your vehicle. Get outdoors Outdoors –Avoid areas with many trees –Avoid vehicles –Lie down flat in a gully, ditch, or low spot on the ground –Protect your head with an object or with your arms.

Environmental Safety Winter Weather Definitions –Winter storm watch = there is a chance of heavy snow, ice or sleet, ice storm, dangerously low wind chill or blizzard within the next day or two –Winter storm warning = sever winter weather IS coming. Be alert. Stay indoors. American Red Cross and National Weather Service

Environmental Safety Winter Weather – contd If your car gets stuck… –As you sit, exercise. Clap your hands, stomp your feel, swing your arms the best you can. Keep your blood moving to keep warm. Dont leave the car –Run the car engine for 10 minutes every hour. Keep windows opened a little bit to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Conserve gasoline and food. You may be stranded for a long time. –If at night, leave the interior light on so you can be seen. If youre at home… –Stay inside –Find your battery operated radio and spare batteries –Have a supply of food and a flashlight –Save and clean (6) 2-liter soda bottles or a large water container for each family member –Running water, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing –Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemical up and out of the reach of children. If you must go out in a blizzard… –Wear mittens. The are warmer than gloves –Wear several layers of wool clothing and a windbreaker –Wear a hood that covers your mouth –Wear a hat and ear muffs

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness Shelter in Place Shelter-in-place" means to take immediate shelter where you are. It may also mean "seal the room;" in other words, take steps to prevent outside air from coming in. –local authorities may instruct you to "shelter-in-place" if chemical or radiological contaminants are released into the environment How will I know when I need to "shelter-in-place"? –Fire or police department warning procedures –Emergency Alert System (EAS) broadcasts on the radio or television –Outdoor warning sirens or horns. –News media sources - radio, television and cable. –NOAA Weather Radio alerts - Flood, Winter Weather, Tornado At work…. –Know where your shelter in place box/kit is located - The kit has expiration dates & should be checked often –Find the meeting location in your office if youre asked to shelter in place – where is your safe place? For our patients…. –Make sure they have a disaster plan –Know where they will be going if they need to evacuate –Make sure they have what they need- enough supplies, Oxygen, medication, etc in bad weather –Encourage them to have disaster supplies

Emergency Preparedness Shelter in place – contd Disaster/Fire Drills –Yes we have to participate in these drills even if we just work in the office It helps us identify things we may need to change in the case of an actual disaster Drill evaluation forms are located on the intranet and in the clinical policy manual- please fill them out as close to the end of a drill or any time we activate any part of our emergency preparedness plan (power /phone outages, weather warnings, etc) Equipment Management –DME staff provides teaching sheets for equipment to our patients and families –Nurses reinforce teaching and document what was taught and the results of the teaching –Notify the DME staff for any problems associated with the equipment and fill out a variance report

Environmental Safety and Emergency Preparedness Hospice Personnel Safety –Be aware of your environment. –Pay attention to your instinct. If it feels unsafe leave immediately and call your supervisor. –If weather becomes hazardous look for shelter. –Dont drive into high water. –Know your office/locations disaster procedures Office Safety/Security –All Visitors should register at the reception area –All employees should wear their name badges –Keep personal items out of plain site especially around the holidays Security Management –Threatening person - move staff, students and others away from the danger. –If the person is outdoors, lock the doors and secure the building. –Call 911 if it is truly a threatening situation. –Notify hospice administration. –Bomb threat Telephone procedure should be maintained in the reception area and wherever else may be helpful in your office –Fill out an variance report. Safety Committee –Safety Committee meets quarterly –Representatives from each office and many departments –Agenda items include office environmental checks, drills, annual review of hazardous situations that might effect HOB, regional emergency management updates –Find out who your representative is

Environmental Safety and Emergency Preparedness The End Thank you