An Emergency management plan is a course of action developed to mitigate the damage of potential events that could endanger an organization’s ability to function. Such a plan will include measures that provide for the safety of personnel and, if possible, property and facilities.
The purpose of the Emergency management plan is to establish standard operating procedures to mobilize resources and communicate with the relevant personnel in the most efficient and orderly manner possible to ensure minimal disruption to normal operations.
Some emergencies that could trigger the activation of the emergency management plan are:
Types of Emergencies
- Biological, Chemical, or Radiation Spill, Release, or Incident
- Hydrogen/Compressed Gas Alarm
- Confirmed Fire/Explosion
- Bomb Threat
- Escalated violence
- Building Structural Damage/Collapse
- Gas Leak
- Natural Disaster, etc.
The emergency management plan is a part of the recovery measure in the HEMP (Hazard and Effects Management Process) process. A good emergency management plan helps mitigate the level of damage caused by exposure to hazards.
The Four Key Principles of Emergency Management Plan
1. Mitigation:
This aims to prevent future emergencies or minimize their effects. The mitigation includes:
Any activities that prevent an emergency, reduce the chance of an emergency happening or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies.
Note that mitigation activities take place before and after emergencies.
2. Preparedness:
This involves preparing to handle an emergency. Preparedness includes plans or preparations made to save lives and to help response and rescue operations. This could entail setting up an emergency evacuation plan and communicating it accordingly, Setting up a line of communication, allotting responsibilities, training personnel involved in emergencies, simulations, installing emergency gadgets like, fire extinguishers, hose reels, sand buckets, emergency alarms, liaising with external authorities like the fire prevention department, police, etc. Preparedness activities take place before an emergency occurs.
3. Response:
This is what is done during an emergency. Includes actions taken to save lives and prevent further property damage in an emergency. The response is putting your preparedness plans into action. It involves the activation of your emergency plan
4. Recovery:
Includes actions taken to return to normalcy. It consists of those activities that continue beyond the emergency period to restore critical functions and begin to manage stabilization efforts. The recovery phase begins immediately after the threat to human life, property, and environment has subsided. The goal of the recovery phase is to bring the affected area back to some degree of normalcy.
Recovery measures, both short and long-term, include returning vital life-support systems to minimum operating standards; temporary housing; public information; health and safety education; reconstruction; counseling programs; and economic impact studies. Information resources and services include data collection related to rebuilding and documentation of lessons learned.
Emergency Management Plan Template
This template will serve as a guide in developing an emergency management plan for your organization. You can restructure it in a way that fits your organization. See the templates below:
Template 1, Template 2
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Hazard and Effect Management Process