C5 Respond to emergency situations

• Emergency situations


  include:

  • medical emergencies
  • weather & water
  • fire
  • environmental
  • facility specific
  • persons & activity specific
  • security & safety threats
  • communication
• Organisational emergency response procedures


  include:

  • emergency action plan (EAP) development
  • training & education
  • communication
  • evacuation procedures
  • medical emergencies
  • fire safety
  • severe weather
• Recognising an emergency


  sight, smell, sound, unusual behaviour
• Responsibilities in emergency situations


  include:

  • wardens & marshals
  • WHS/OHS representatives
  • human resources personnel
  • team leaders, managers & supervisors
  • security personnel
  • fire wardens
  • first aider & AED operators
• Wardens


  primary lead evacuations

  guiding people to safe exit routes

  accounting for everyone

  helping communication

  assist vulnerable individuals
• Marshals


  crowd control

  maintaining order

  assisting first responders

  perform safety checks

  give instructions

  ensure security measures are in place
• WHS/OHS safety representatives


  make sure everyone stays safe and follows rules

  help people evacuate safely & tell them what to do

  watch for things that could be dangerous and report them
• Human resources personnel


  make sure everyone knows what is happening and what to do

  keep track of who is safe and who may get distressed

  help get in touch with families of employees

  does important paperwork

  helps get things back to normal after an emergency
• Team leaders, managers and supervisors

  quickly check what is happening

  ensure their team is safe

  communicate important information

  coordinate the response, decide when to evacuate

  offer support to anyone who is upset

  review what happened once things return to normal
• Security personnel


  ensure people stay calm and orderly

  prevent chaos in emergency situations

  control who goes where

  communicate important information to the right people

  check for any dangers and protect the property from harm
• Fire wardens


  sound the alarm, guide everyone to safety, make sure no one is left behind

  potentially put out small fires

  communicate with emergency services and reporting what happened
• First Aiders & AED Operators

  provide immediate medical help

  perform CPR if necessary

  utilise AEDs
• Chain of command


  decide who is in charge during emergencies

  helps everyone know who does what so things run smoothly and everyone stays safe.
• Emergency services


  police

  fire

  ambulance

  SES
• Equipment failure


  crucial to minimise disruption, prevent accidents, & maintain safety

  • ensure the safety of everyone
  • isolate the equipment
  • notify the relevant personnel
  • assess the situation
  • implement temporary measures
  • document the incident
  • coordinate repairs
  • communication
• Participants responses and panic

  keeping participants informed reduces panic and prevents chaos
• Medical and accident events


  steps:

  • (DRSABCD)
  • gather information
  • communicate
  • prevent further injury
  • document the incident
  • reassure and support
  • follow organisational protocols
  • preventative measures ~ identify why the incident occurred and implement measures to prevent it from happening again
• Violent & threatening behaviour


  stay calm

  assess the threat

  ensure personal safety

  avoid aggravation

  call for help

  maintain a distance

  engage in active listening

  use verbal de-escalation

  involve authorities

  document the incident

  follow organisational protocols

  support & reassurance
• Emergency equipment


  fire extinguishers

  fire blankets

  AEDs (automated external defibrillators)

  emergency lighting

  first aid kits

  emergency signalling devices

  thermal blankets

  life jackets

  emergency communication devices
• Fire extinguishers


  small fires

  should be strategically placed throughout a facility

  PASS: pull, aim, squeeze, sweep
• Fire blankets


  smother small fires, limiting their oxygen and extinguishing it

  mainly for cooking oils, clothing, or other flammable materials
• Emergency lighting


  ensures exit routes are well-lit during power failures

  automatically turn on when main power fails

  regular maintenance and battery checks are essential to ensure functionality
• Emergency signalling devices


  attract attention and communicate distress effectively

  alert need for assistance, signalling ones location

  • whistles and horns
  • flares
  • strobe lights
  • distress beacons
• Thermal blankets


  help individuals maintain body temperature and shield them from extreme environmental conditions.

  important for shock-affected casualties thereby reducing the risk of further complications
• Life jackets


  keeps individuals afloat in a body of water
• Emergency communication services


  enable distress signals, coordinating search & rescue efforts, and providing real-time updates.

  feature multiple communication channels, long-lasting batteries, sos buttons
• Communication systems


  provide a means of alerting someone to an emergency situation

  • emergency warning & alarm systems
  • phone & radio
  • calls
  • whistles
  • hand signals
• Exit and assembly points

  intentionally located in various settings to ensure the safe evacuation of people during emergencies
• Safe evacuation practices


  include:

  • staying calm
  • following exit signs
  • not using elevators
  • assisting others
  • avoiding crowds
  • staying low in smoke
  • regrouping at assembly points
  • staying informed
  • remaining at assembly points
  • following emergency plans
• Communication during an emergency

  prevents chaos and ensures everyone understands what to do

  • clear and direct communication
  • maintain calmness
  • active listening
  • use of names
  • empathy and understanding
  • positive reinforcement
  • repetition
  • visual aids
  • group communication
  • provide options
• Support and reassurance


  helps people feel safe and reduces panic

  providing regular updates keeps everyone informed and reduces anxiety
• Debriefing and reporting 


  helps people process their feelings, get support, and learn how to respond better next time

  a way to reflect and learn from our experiences making us better prepared for the future
• Reporting requirements 


  incident reporting

  documents

  timely reporting

  chain of reporting

  legal compliance

  investigation

  continuous improvement

  confidentiality
• Incident reports


  document used to record any unexpected or emergency events that occur

  essential for capturing details of incidents

  they play an important role in maintaining safety standards, complying with regulations, & facilitating improvements
• Key inclusions in incident reports


  include:

  • date, time, location
  • details of incident
  • injured/involved parties
  • injuries/damage
  • actions taken
  • contributing factors
  • recommendations
  • witness statements
  • supervisor's signatures
  • attachments