Preparedness Topics

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PREPAREDNESS TOPICS: DISASTER PLANNING

In order to prepare the long-term community for disaster situations, the Disaster Preparedness Program has collected and developed tools, resources and positive practices. A facility's disaster plan or Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) should begin with an "All Hazards Approach". The purpose of this section is to provide essential information on what this would entail and the necessary components that a core plan would include. Then, annexes can be added to make it specific to the facility and disasters for which it is at risk for.

The following topics are included in this section

EVACUATION PLANNING

SURGE CAPACITY

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA

DRILL TEMPLATES

NATURAL DISASTERS

ALL HAZARD RESOURCES

RECOVERY

FOUR PHASES OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

MITIGATION:

Mitigation efforts attempt to prevent hazards from developing into disasters altogether, or to reduce the effects of disasters when they occur. The mitigation phase differs from the other phases because it focuses on long-term measures for reducing or eliminating risk.

PREPAREDNESS:

Preparedness is a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, equipping, exercising, evaluation and improvement activities to ensure effective coordination and the enhancement of capabilities to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.

RESPONSE:

The response phase includes the mobilization of the necessary emergency services and first responders in the disaster area. This is likely to include a first wave of core emergency services, such as firefighters, police and ambulance crews.

RECOVERY:

The aim of the recovery phase is to restore the affected area to its previous state. It differs from the response phase in its focus; recovery efforts are concerned with issues and decisions that must be made after immediate needs are addressed. Recovery efforts are primarily concerned with actions that involve rebuilding destroyed property, re-employment, and the repair of other essential infrastructure.