High Rise Emergency Handbook

Fire Civil Disturbance Medical Emergencies Earthquake Severe Weather

Provided by the Bellevue Fire Department with assistance from the Bellevue Police Department City of Bellevue

City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook Page 1

Table of Contents

Introduction...... 2 High Rise Fire Safety and Prevention...... 3 Bellevue Fire Code 23.11.404.3.2...... 3 Emergency Operations Plan...... 6 Fire Drills and Other Training Opportunities...... 11 Emergencies Due to Human Activity...... 13 Workplace Violence...... 13 Civil Disturbance...... 14 Suspicious Packages...... 15 Bomb Threats...... 16 Weapons of Mass Destruction...... 17 Hazardous Materials Accidents...... 19 Medical Emergencies...... 20 Emergencies Related to Natural Disasters...... 21 Earthquakes...... 21 Severe Storms...... 22 Landslides...... 22 Flooding...... 23 Appendices...... 24 Developing Emergency Management Procedures...... 24 Property Vulnerability Assessment...... 26 Business Continuity Planning...... 27

Photo credit: David Johanson Vasquez Page 2 City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook

Introduction

This handbook is intended to assist building owners, to develop procedures addressing other types of di- property managers and others who are responsible for saster situations. Additional resources are listed at the emergency management. Emergency management is end of each chapter to encourage further research into the process of preparing for, responding to and recov- these types of situations. ering from emergencies caused by the forces of nature, an accident, or an intentional act that constitutes a Preparation is the key to an effective response to any danger to life or property. emergency. An Emergency Operations Plan should not be developed under the stress associated with an While fire prevention and preparedness remain the emergency that is already underway. Although plan- focus of this handbook, additional information is ning is a critical first step, training, drills and regular provided addressing other types of emergencies. This tests of building safety features and equipment are information should be used as a platform from which important tools.

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High Rise Fire Safety and Prevention

Fire is one of the most common risks to buildings, 1991 - One Meridian Plaza Fire in Philadel- property and life safety. In order to minimize the risk phia, Pennsylvania. and impact of fire, the Bellevue Fire Code outlines re- Auto-ignition of oil-soaked rags started a fire quirements for owners and managers of certain types that took the lives of three firefighters and injured of buildings and occupancies to develop and imple- many members of the custodial staff. Firefight- ment a Fire Safety Plan. Many buildings will already ers were forced to abandon the building due to have an Emergency Operations Plan. failure of almost all components of the fire and life safety systems within the building. The fire, which Equipment and procedures dealing with egress and started on the 22nd floor, was extinguished 14 exit facilities, fire alarm systems, voice communication hours later by sprinklers on the 27th floor. This fire systems, fire suppression systems and other life safety highlighted the importance of confidence testing devices and features will play a major role in enhanc- for fire and life safety systems and the effective- ing occupant safety in the event of a fire and/or explo- ness of sprinklers. sion. Property owners and managers must ensure that these life safety features are maintained in operable 2001 - World Trade Center Towers in New condition and ready for use at all times. York City. Hijackers deliberately crashed two 767 airplanes The fire service, similar to most industries, learns from into the Towers. The ensuing fires led to eventual experience. There have been several fires that have collapse of the Towers. Before the jet fueled fires changed attitudes about fire safety in our nation’s high caused collapse, 99% of the occupants below the rise buildings. The fires briefly described below em- impacted floors evacuated and survived. The Port phasize the merit of the safety standards now required Authority had previously updated its evacuation of high rise buildings around the country. plan and took evacuation drills seriously. Among other lessons, the survivors of this disaster dem- 1980 - MGM Grand Hotel Fire in Las Vegas, onstrate the importance of regular and frequent Nevada. evacuation drills. Smoke from a small fire on the casino floor quickly spread throughout the building. Eighty five people died and 650 were taken to hospitals for Bellevue Fire Code smoke inhalation. This fire taught the fire service 23.11.404.3.2 the importance of controlling the spread of smoke. Bellevue Fire Code 23.11.404.3.2 sets minimum fire 1988 - First Interstate Building Fire in Los and life safety standards for high rise buildings. In the Angeles, California. City of Bellevue, a high rise is defined as any building The exact cause of this fire was never determined. with occupied floors 75 feet or higher, above the low- Building staff allowed this fire to grow unchecked est level of Fire Department access. Simply put, this for over 20 minutes by silencing the alarm three means most buildings over six floors are considered a times before investigating the source of the alarm. high rise, with some exceptions. This fire emphasized the benefit of central station monitoring of high rise fire and life safety systems. Page 4 City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook

The Bellevue Fire Code was written to prevent fire Signaling Device - Alerts building occupants to disasters from happening in Bellevue by requiring: the alarm. Audible and visual alarms may signal on all floors (general alarm system) or only on floors in • Designated building staff trained to coordinate the immediate vicinity of fire (zoned alarm system). building response to fire emergencies. Examples: alarm horns, strobe lights.

• Regulated installation, maintenance and test- Zoned Alarm System - Fire alarm systems pro- ing of fire and life safety systems. grammed to signal alarm on a controlled number of floors. Zoned alarm systems provide for controlled • An Emergency Operation Plan outlining fire evacuation of building occupants. response procedures. General Alarm System - Fire alarm sounds on • Building staff trained to respond during a fire all floors of the building. All occupants evacuate to emergency. the designated outside meeting place. This system is found in older high rise buildings. • Tenant education regarding emergency evacuation procedures. Voice Alarm - System used for emergency an- nouncements during alarm conditions. Messages can Fire and Life Safety be either programmed as an automatic function of the fire alarm system or can be read by the Fire Safety Systems Director during emergency situations.

As each high rise building is unique, the fire and life Central Station Monitoring Company - 24-hour safety systems installed within each building vary. It is monitoring company contracted by property manage- important that building managers and engineers fully ment to relay fire alarm information via 911 to the understand how the fire and life safety systems within Bellevue Fire Department. Those buildings that have a their building operate. The following explanations are 24-hour staffed fire alarm panel may be exempt from simplified. If you have questions regarding the spe- this requirement. cific functions of your buildings systems, contact the confidence testing company or fire alarm monitoring Elevator Recall - Upon activation of a smoke detec- service contracted for your building. tor in the elevator lobby, the elevator shaft, or the ma-

Fire Alarm System chine room, the elevators are recalled to the building lobby. For all other fire alarm activations the elevators will continue to run as normal. Elevators are not to be Initiating Device(s) - Initiates fire alarm signal. Ex- used during a fire evacuation because elevators may amples: smoke detectors, heat detectors, sprinkler flow fail and trap occupants or the elevator shafts may act switch, manual pull station. as chimneys, allowing smoke to travel up the shaft

and injure occupants. Fire alarm panel, located in the Monitoring Device - building Fire Command Center. Normally located on Exits - All high rises have at least two exit stairwells, the first floor of the high rise near the main entrance. entered into through self-closing fire-rated doors. At

least one of these stairwells will exit to the outside of the building. One stair may discharge to a street floor lobby.

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Automatic Door Unlocks – In high rise buildings Sprinkler Systems - Sprinkler systems are designed with phased evacuation, all stairwell doors must be to control fires while relatively small. Each sprinkler unlocked when the building enters an alarm phase. head discharges separately once the heat in the room This is accomplished by always leaving doors unlocked has melted the shunt, thus allowing water to flow. or having automatic “fail safe” doors that unlock immediately upon alarm activation, thus eliminating the Portable Fire Extinguishers chance of someone becoming trapped within a stairwell. Portable fire extinguishers - Required to be installed on the wall and inspected or serviced at least Automatic Closing Doors - Doors leading into once a year. Portable fire extinguishers are designed stairwells are required to be self-closing, self-latching, to put out small contained fires and should only be and fire-rated. This reduces the probability of smoke used by trained persons after 911 has been called and and flame entering the evacuation route(s). evacuation of the immediate area has begun.

Smoke Control Trained Building Staff HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Condition- Fire Safety Director and Alternate ing) System - Normal operations are shut down during alarm situations to limit spread of smoke through- The Bellevue Fire Department recommends that a out the building. Fire Safety Director and Alternate be appointed by the building owner(s) for all high rise buildings. Their Shaft Pressurization - A system of dedicated fans primary responsibility is to manage fire emergen- that, upon alarm, pump air into stairwell and elevator cies from the fire alarm control center, then meet the shafts to create a high-pressure atmosphere. Pres- responding Fire Department personnel as they arrive surization inhibits smoke spread; thus helping keep to assume control of the situation. Fire Safety Direc- evacuation routes free of smoke. tors can be building engineers, maintenance or security staff, building and resident managers, or property Tempered Glass - Windows designated by a three managers who have been assigned primary responsi- inch dot in the lower third of the window are installed bility for the fire and life safety procedures of a high for Fire Department use to vent smoke and heat from rise building in the City of Bellevue. the floor. When broken, the glass breaks into many small pieces, instead of into large dangerous shards. The Fire Safety Director’s responsibilities should Only a few of the older buildings in Bellevue have include: these dots on the windows. • Scheduling maintenance and testing of the Emergency Generator - On-site diesel engine gen- building’s fire and life safety systems. erator is required in case of power loss. A generator • Maintaining the Emergency Operations Plan. will run for a minimum of eight-hours to power the • Recruiting and training staff and/or tenants to fire and life safety systems. perform the duties of floor wardens. • Scheduling annual fire drills with the Bellevue Standpipes - Water pipe in high rise stairwells that Fire Department. supply water for firefighting operations and sprinklers.

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Floor Wardens signed duties in assisting others to evacuate industrial, commercial, governmental or multi-unit residential The Bellevue Fire Department recommends recruit- buildings or in attempting to control or alleviate a ment of at least two floor wardens per floor from staff hazard to the building or its occupants caused by fire, and tenants to facilitate the evacuation of their ten- earthquake or other threat to life or limb. The term ant space when the alarm sounds, a fire is discovered, “building warden” means an individual who is as- or when instructed to do so. Floor wardens (resident signed to take charge of the occupants on a floor or in volunteers) are recommended for residential condo- an area of a building during an emergency in accor- miniums and apartment occupancies that don’t em- dance with a predetermined fire safety or evacuation ploy staff. plan; and/or an individual selected by a municipal fire chief or the state fire marshal after an emergency is in Floor wardens should participate in training at least progress to assist in evacuating the occupants of such once a year. As part of the emergency response team, a building or providing for their safety. This section floor wardens should be familiar with the emergency shall not apply to any acts or omissions constituting response plan and the roles of other members of the gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. team. Floor wardens should know how to initiate a (RCW 4.24.400) fire alarm if a fire is discovered prior to the activation of the building alarm system. Floor wardens should have a working knowledge of the evacuation plan for Emergency Operations Plan their floor, including the procedures for those persons The basic objectives of an Emergency Operations unable to use exit stairwells. Floor wardens should be Plan (EOP) are: familiar with fire safety behaviors to follow during the course of a fire emergency. • To set forth the functions and activities of

your staff during an emergency. In order to provide floor wardens with a sense of authority and to make them highly visible during evacu- • To make sure that these activities integrate ations, they should be given a hat, vest, etc. to wear with responding firefighters and are not coun- during the evacuation process. Additional identifica- terproductive during the fire control phase. tion can be supplied by signage at the floor warden’s desk or cubicle, or a list of floor wardens posted on • To serve as an information resource to the Fire the floor. It is also recommended that floor wardens Department during an emergency. be supplied with flashlights. These have proven to be helpful in previous emergency evacuations of high rise • To maintain documentation regarding all re- buildings. quired tests of the building’s fire and life safety Staff Liability systems.

Protection from liability may be provided under state An EOP must present required information in a law if floor wardens are assigned in accordance with a consistent and recognizable format to be useful to predetermined plan; appointed by a fire chief during building staff and to firefighters. Building staff will be the emergency and/or; don’t commit an act of gross able to use this document as a guideline for scheduled negligence or wanton misconduct. training exercises and building fire drills. Firefighters will use this document as a training tool to familiarize The law reads: No building warden, who acts in good themselves with the functions of building fire and life faith, with or without compensation, shall be person- safety systems and evacuation procedures prior to an ally liable for civil damages arising from his or her emergency response. negligent acts or omissions during the course of as- City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook Page 7

One copy of the approved Emergency Operations Section 2. Fire Reporting Plan should be located at or near the Fire Alarm Control Center of your building. The EOP should be Automatic Fire Reporting Systems kept current and reviewed regularly as specified within the plan. List the types of systems/devices that will activate the alarm. Indicate all emergency control panel locations. The following information describes what information List the location of the primary control panel. Include should be contained in an EOP and how this infor- contact information for the alarm monitoring com- mation should be organized. Emergency Operations pany. Outline the actions of the Emergency Control Plans should be stored in a three-ring notebook with Center attendant to the activation of each automatic page dividers separating sections. system.

Introduction 911 Notification

For reviewing purposes it is helpful to have a brief Indicate which staff member or position notifies the description of the building included. This description Bellevue Fire Department of an alarm situation. To could include information regarding a floor by floor facilitate the reporting process the caller must be pre- breakdown of occupancy type(s), as well as details pared to provide information as it is requested (nature about any special hazards present due to building of emergency, correct building address, specific infor- design, tenant, or neighboring buildings/structures. mation regarding the source of alarm). The assigned staff member should also be instructed to stay on the Section 1. Responsibilities phone until instructed to hang up and to provide all specific information known, i.e. floor number, details Building Management of emergency, etc.

Provide the contact information for those members Nuisance/False Alarm Reporting of building staff assigned responsibilities during and after a fire emergency, including the building manager Upon discovery that an alarm situation is either a and building engineer. nuisance or false situation the designated staff person should call 911 to report the alarm status to the 911 Training dispatcher. Fire apparatus will still arrive to verify that a false/nuisance alarm has been indicated. The Provide schedules and detailed procedures used to alarm shall not be silenced or reset unless specifically establish an ongoing emergency training program for authorized by a Chief Officer in the Bellevue Fire all building fire safety personnel. Describe areas to be Department. Silencing an alarm may place building covered and the frequency of the training for manage- occupants in harms way because a fire may actually ment staff, maintenance/engineering staff, security be occurring. After a thorough investigation, Fire staff, and all other staff. Maintain complete training Department personnel may silence the alarm after and testing records for all staff and tenants including determining the alarm initiation was not due to a fire. fire drills. Resetting an alarm may “erase” information needed to troubleshoot an alarm system problem. EOP Maintenance

Outline the scope and frequency of methods that will be used to keep the Emergency Operations Plan current. Page 8 City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook

Section 3. Evacuation Full Building Evacuation Method

Evacuation Methods If the building fire alarm system activates on every floor of the building when a fire is detected, all per- Procedures will differ depending upon the type of sons must evacuate together. In this situation floor building and fire and life system installed. The Bel- wardens and occupants should be well trained to levue Fire Code requires the fire alarm to sound at a understand the procedures, including the importance minimum on the fire floor, the floor above, and the of going directly to and staying at the designated floor below. The alarm may sound on more floors in outside meeting place in order to conduct a head your building depending upon how the fire and life count. The designated meeting place should be located safety system has been programmed and the age of far enough away from the building to protect tenants the system. In buildings that are 10 stories and short- from hazards of falling glass and debris, and to pro- er, the alarm will sound on all floors in the building vide firefighters on scene room to conduct operations and the entire building will evacuate. The evacuation unhindered. instructions in the EOP must address whether building management will conduct a controlled or general Non-ambulatory evacuation procedures: Describe the evacuation of the building and will provide detailed people, methods, procedures, etc. to facilitate evacu- descriptions of the recommended evacuation proce- ation of people that are unable to leave the affected dures for building occupants. area without assistance. Floor wardens should assist with the appointment of persons to assist each in- Phased Evacuation Method dividual whose limited mobility would prevent their evacuation by way of the exit stairwells. This should A zoned alarm provides control to the evacuation be done before a fire emergency so that all persons process by allowing those occupants closest to the involved will have time to become familiar with detected danger to move to safety first. If the situation their course of action. Affected individuals should be escalates, the alarm system will respond appropriately instructed to shelter in the stairwells and call 911 to by increasing the numbers of floors in alarm as neces- advise their location in the building and the condi- sary. Due to the sophistication of fire protection sys- tions in the area. tems and the installation of sprinklers in newer high rise buildings there is no immediate need to evacuate This section should also provide information regard- more people than are directly threatened. If every ing suggested areas of refuge that may be used during person were to evacuate at the same time stairwell a fire emergency if the stairwell is not available or safe. pressurization could be lost when all doors open at the An area of refuge is a totally enclosed room with a same time. Evacuating all floors at once may create telephone and window. The telephone can be used to serious backups in the stairwells which could cause call 911 and give notification of your location if you frustration and anxiety, as well as impede firefighters’ are in immediate danger. ingress. Non-ambulatory evacuation procedures will differ Recommended instructions for a zoned alarm system depending upon the type of occupancy. instruct occupants to evacuate the floor using the stairwells, go down four (4) floors, reenter the build- Nonresidential Buildings ing and await further instructions. Do not enter a floor where the alarm is sounding. Instead continue The following instructions assume that the individual down until you reach a floor that is not in alarm. The is a regular occupant of the building, and that a co- bottom five (5) floors evacuate to a designated meet- worker has agreed to assist with evacuation. Both ing area outside of the building. individuals should wait near the exit stairwell until all

City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook Page 9 persons on the floor have evacuated and traffic in the These instructions are very important. If stairways and exit stairwell has cleared. Once the floor is clear they halls are filling with smoke, tenants must remain in should enter the stairwell and wait on the landing their units and not attempt a risky escape. With per- for further instructions or assistance. Make sure that mission, the names and locations of those tenants that the door is securely closed and that a floor warden is are unable to use stairs to exit can be kept on a roster reporting to the Building management team or arriv- stored at the fire alarm panel. This roster can then be ing Firefighters. Firefighters will be sent to assist with easily accessible to the Fire Department in order to continued evacuation as necessary. If traffic in the exit provide assistance to these residents when necessary. stairwell builds from the evacuation of upper floors, re-enter the floor to allow others to pass and the stair- Floor Wardens well to clear. Assistant(s) should not attempt a carry unless conditions in the stairwell become threatening. Maintain a roster of those persons assigned the duties If conditions do deteriorate, the assistant(s) can then of floor wardens; include their floor or zone assign- perform a carry down the stairs to a safer area. If there ments. Provide an outline of floor warden responsi- is no one to assist or if there are too many individu- bilities during an emergency which should include: als to wait on the landing, an area of refuge should be assist with the evacuation of their floor by conducting sought on the floor. a sweep of all areas, close doors while sweeping the floor, coordinate the evacuation of those unable to use In the event that a visitor to that floor is in need of exit stairs and report any problems to the Fire Safety evacuation assistance, floor wardens need to be pre- Director or available fire department personnel. pared to provide the necessary assistance. Even though floor wardens are not required in resi- Residential Buildings dential occupancies without staff, the Bellevue Fire Department strongly encourages floor wardens to In residential occupancies, tenants unable to use exit be recruited from the tenants of high rise residential stairwells are best advised to stay in their apartment buildings. As the floor wardens are evacuating the units with the door securely shut. If the fire is in the building they can assist their neighbors. tenant’s apartment, the tenant should leave their unit shutting the door behind them and either go to a Emergency Messages neighbor’s unit or wait on the stairwell landing. It is important to let tenants know what is happening If a tenant hears the fire alarm and the fire is not in in their building during an emergency. Use the voice their unit they should close as many doors as possible. alarm system during emergency situations to keep Closed doors will slow down the spread of smoke and building occupants informed. After the fire alarm flames. Place towels or pillows at the bottom of the situation is ended, notify all tenants of the situation door to fill any space that smoke may come through. and its resolution. These communications will provide Sit as close as possible to the floor where the fresh- real life educational opportunities for tenants regard- est air will be and wait for further assistance. Don’t ing fire emergency procedures. break windows, this could allow smoke from outside the building to enter. Placing something colored and Develop scripts of different emergency messages for noticeable in the window may help notify the Fire your building. These messages can either be read or Department of your location. If smoke begins to enter programmed into the building’s fire and life safety the unit, call 911 from the phone and report the situ- system. You may wish to develop emergency messages ation to the dispatcher. for the following situations: floors in alarm, floors not in alarm, investigating alarm, all clear. Include copies of these messages in your EOP. Page 10 City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook

Tenant Orientation Handout Section 6. Building Equipment Testing

Include a copy of the Tenant Orientation Handout Confidence Testing: List the systems and equipment describing what will happen during an emergency, subject to confidence testing requirements. Include what evacuation routes and procedures a tenant the required frequency of testing and any pertinent should follow, and the location of the designated information, such as testing company, records, etc. outside meeting place. Describe how and when this Section 7. High Value List information will be given to all building tenants. Section 4. Owner’s Fire Control Provide a list of areas that contain high value materi- Procedures als susceptible to water damage, assembly rooms, and rooms containing above average amounts of combustible or hazardous materials. Building Staff Responsibilities Section 8. Shut-Off Valve List Include outlines of all procedures to be followed by the Building Engineer and other trained building staff List the locations of all utility shut off valves includ- during a fire emergency. Describe who, what, when, ing water, power; gas, and sprinkler system main where, and how assigned individuals will complete and sectional valves. Describe any unusual operating their assigned tasks. techniques. List all locked out floors and the location (accessible to the Bellevue Fire Department) of the • Fire Safety Director: Report directly to the master keys, if necessary. emergency control center; meet the responding fire department personnel, etc. Section 9. Floor Plans and Site Plans • Other Staff: (Alternate Fire Safety Direc- tor, Engineering and Management person- Provide a copy of each unique floor plan showing the nel) Transmit prepared emergency evacuation type of occupancy in each tenant area. Floor plans instructions via the voice alarm; investigate should indicate areas of open office space, retail space, source of alarm; shut down utilities when labs, closed office configurations, garage levels, me- necessary; notify off-site personnel necessary chanical rooms, etc. and should have a directional to return building to normal operations, etc. indicator. One floor plan marked accordingly can be submitted for similar floors. Section 5. Post Fire Operations Floor plans must also include the locations of the fol- Business Recovery: Describe procedures for returning lowing: the building to operating condition once the fire is out and the emergency is over. List the contact in- • Primary evacuation routes. formation for all contracted individuals or companies • Secondary evacuation routes. responsible for the following: insurance carrier(s) for • Accessible egress routes. the building and for major tenants, security of any • Areas of refuge. damaged area, building fire protection/detection ser- • Manual fire alarm boxes. vice companies to return systems to normal operation, • Portable fire extinguishers. and debris removal. • Fire alarm annunciators and controls. • Occupant-use hose stations. City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook Page 11

A site plan must also be submitted and should indi- Make your fire drills as realistic as possible. In a fire cate the following: drill, building occupants should duplicate as closely as possible the actions they would take if a fire occurred. • The exterior assembly point for occupants. After building tenants have become familiar with the • The locations of fire hydrants. evacuation procedures consider varying the fire drill • The normal routes of fire department vehicle scenario to heighten interest and develop decision- access. making skills. To prepare building occupants for more realistic conditions, you may choose to designate a Fire Drill and Other Tenant specific location for the “fire” and establish a scenario that would alter the basic fire drill procedures. A fire Training Requirements scenario can prepare building occupants for more realistic conditions requiring tenants to make decisions in It is the responsibility of the Fire Safety Director response to lighting failure or exit stairwells blocked to develop methods to inform building occupants by smoke. about emergency procedures and to provide training on these procedures. Building management staff and Critiquing Fire Drills tenants who understand their role in a fire emergency will be better able to respond when the fire alarm Fire drills are an excellent method of testing the sounds. Floor wardens who understand their respon- evacuation procedures set forth in the EOP. sibilities during evacuation will be better resources for their coworkers. Building occupants who understand Keep a logbook of drills and record any special situ- the evacuation procedures are more likely to partici- ations or problems. It is also suggested that you also pate in fire drills. keep records of any tenants who choose not to participate in fire drills. Conducting Drills Notification of Residential Tenants Fire drills are required a minimum of once a year in high rise buildings in Bellevue. The drills should be Even though residents of high rise buildings are not conducted in accordance with procedures set forth required to participate in drills, it is recommended in the building’s Emergency Operations Plan. All that you notify them when the audible alarms will be building staff and tenants should participate in drills sounded for the fire drill. Invite residents to partici- coordinated by building management in cooperation pate in the drill. Fire drills provide residents with an with the Bellevue Fire Department. Even though resi- opportunity to practice their home escape plan and dential occupants are not required to participate they learn more about the fire and life safety systems. should be encouraged to do so. Fire Drill Apathy and Lack of Participation

Fire drills are intended to test both the level of staff The best tactic in gaining cooperation in drills is to emergency preparedness and the evacuation proce- explain the advantages of participation and obtain dures during a fire alarm situation. It is important that full participation from the organization’s leadership. building staff fully understand their role in the event Establishing clear expectations from the top will cre- of a fire alarm and know what to do if the Fire Safety ate a corporate environment that promotes life safety. Director is not in the building. It is equally important Under real fire conditions evacuation can be consider- that the evacuation procedures set forth in the EOP ably more complicated. Fire drills are opportunities to provide for an orderly and expedient evacuation. fine-tune the recommended procedures and test new

ideas.

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Inform employers that liability for their employees Evaluate the evacuation thoroughly in order to im- increases if they do not allow or encourage participa- prove upon the written procedures and better prepare tion. If a fire occurred and an employee was injured or building staff for future drills. Take the time to talk killed, it is possible the employer may face legal issues with building staff and tenants about their experience. due to their lack of support for fire safety and drills. Document these concerns and address serious problems as soon as possible. Another idea to increase participation could be to provide incentives (candy, coffee, cookies) to partici- Training Tools pants at their designated meeting place. These treats can take the place of awards for successfully evacuat- • Information Bulletins that explain different ing their floor and taking fire safety seriously. aspects of Bellevue Fire Code requirements for high rise buildings. Full Building Evacuation Drills • Teaching guides developed to assist in training Since the attacks on the World Trade Center, many opportunities. property managers are coordinating full building evacuation drills to provide building staff and ten- • Handout masters to be copied and distributed ants the opportunity to practice this difficult and time to occupants within your building. consuming process. The key to a successful evacuation is preparation. For Additional Information:

• Staff must fully understand their responsi- Bellevue Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division, bilities. Staff coordination will be extremely 425-452-6872 important in the event of a full building www.bellevuewa.gov/firedepartment.htm evacuation. If necessary, position building staff in areas where the evacuation may slow down. National Fire Protection Association www.nfpa.org • Floor Wardens and other tenants must be prepared for the experience of a full building United States Fire Administration evacuation. Provide training opportunities for www.usfa.dhs.gov building occupants to prepare them for the experience.

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Emergencies Due to Human Activity

Emergencies arising from human activity can include internal emergency response to workplace violence: situations instigated with criminal intent, human error, or industrial accidents. Criminal acts such as Contact local law enforcement by calling 911 and fol- bomb threats have historically been one of the most low their instructions: common types of threats. However, recent public concern has also focused on threats associated with • Notify your private security force, if you have biological and chemical agents and potential terrorist one. activity. This section provides information relevant to emergencies due to human activity and some general • Move people away from the scene as quickly information helpful for those responsible for develop- as possible. ing emergency preparedness procedures. • Secure the area if possible to preserve the Work Place Violence crime scene for later investigation.

The circumstances of workplace violence vary and may • Most importantly, STAY CALM. include robbery-associated violence and retaliatory violence committed by disgruntled clients, custom- Domestic Violence ers, coworkers, employees, vendors, contractors and employers. Violence also enters the work environment Employees should be strongly encouraged to immedi- through crimes associated with domestic violence and ately bring to the attention of supervisors and manag- the deliberate violation of court orders. A planned ers any issue that has the potential to create violence response to incidents of violence in the workplace in the workplace. Any form of violence or threat of should be a part of every building’s emergency proce- violence, whether actual or reasonably perceived, dures. Whether these incidents are random or related which involves an employee at work, or occurs in the to situations of domestic violence, appropriate com- workplace, must be reported to a supervisor, manager, munications related to response and safe resolution or a representative from Human Resources. Such be- are necessary to protect the intended target and the havior should be reported whether another employee, rest of the office from further disruption. a family member, a contractor, a customer, or a member of the public commits it. Security personnel, receptionists, complaint department personnel or other employees who are in a This includes, but is not limited to, Court imposed position where they may have to deal with violent or orders such as No Contact Orders; Anti-Harassment potentially violent people should be given training Orders; Restraining Orders; and Protection Orders on conflict resolution and workplace violence. Several community colleges offer this type of training. Securi- Information voluntarily provided by an employee ty measures designed to protect staff that may be vul- to the employer should be thoroughly sanitized to nerable could be considered as a means of preventing protect the privacy of the threatened party. A process or minimizing the impact of threats and occurrences. should be developed to efficiently and effectively dis- seminate the information to front line staff that will You should always employ the highest practical level be most likely to encounter the restrained or threaten- of physical security in your workplace. However, there ing party (the Respondent to the Court Order). This will always be the possibility for a violent incident to information should be posted in a readily available site occur. The following steps are offered as guidelines for that is updated and purged as necessary.

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Staff should also be trained on how to respond and Exit Procedures – Incorporate best practices into a report incidents where respondents of Court Orders coordinated egress procedure. If Civil Disturbances attempt to make contact or enter the workplace. necessitate a closure of facilities it may be impractical for tenants to exit in their normal manner. Civil Dis- For Additional Information: turbances often take on the form of human barricades, sit-downs and other disruptions to normal pedestrian U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and and vehicular traffic. Health Administration, Safety & Health Topics: Workplace Violence, http://www. Watch Your Perimeter osha-slc.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/ If you receive prior notice regarding an event with the Bellevue Police Department, Crime Prevention Unit potential for civil unrest, inspect your perimeter, look (425) 452-6917 for fire hazards, safety hazards, breaks in security, or materials that might be used to threaten security. National Institute of Health, Managing Workplace Violence, http://civil.nih.gov/whatis.html • Increase critical facilities and security staffing Emergencies Cede to Human Activity to improve your response to disruptive activity.

• Remind staff and tenants to maintain continu- Civil Disturbance ity of security by diligently adhering to security and access control procedures. Beware of In the event of a civil disturbance, whether random “tail-gaters,” propped open doors, unscheduled or planned, procedures should be established and vendors/contractors and unusual deliveries and reviewed regularly with all property management and packages. security staff. At a minimum, procedures should cover the following points: • Remind staff and tenants of proper reporting procedures for suspicious activity and emer- Closing - Review emergency closing procedures gencies. with all employees. They should clearly understand the circumstances under which the building should • Remove trash, pallets, and anything else that be closed and their own specific responsibilities in an might break windows, cause personal injury, emergency closing. The Bellevue Police Department or start fires around the building. Lock trash does not advocate automatic closure of businesses containers and recycle bins and secure them to unless circumstances place building occupants at risk. stationary objects. The best way to restore order is to maintain activities as close to normal as practical. It is the goal of the • Chain newspaper boxes and other delivery Bellevue Police Department to assist property manag- boxes to stationary objects. If there are more ers in their efforts to continue operating at customary than one at a single location, chain them to- levels of safety. gether.

Communication - Establish a communication tree within your building and with neighboring buildings. If possible develop plans for mutual assistance.

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• If there are glass windows at street level, Suspicious Package/Device consider having 1/2-inch plywood on hand to cover them if they are broken. Alternatively, Building owners should review mail-handling pro- pre-arrange with a contractor to deliver and cedures. Personnel that work in a mail room and/or install glass or protective covers on short no- personnel that accept and handle deliveries made by tice. Consider using security film and interior courier and other delivery methods should receive safety curtains to reduce the chance of break- training on how to identify and handle suspicious age and to protect people from flying glass. packages. The extent of this training would corre- Keep duct tape on hand for temporary repairs spond to the degree of risk related to the occupancy of minor cracks. Make sure window frames are of the building (e.g. a commercial building containing strong enough to hold windows in place under foreign consulates would be at higher risk than a resi- stress. dential building.) The following information should be shared with occupants to assist them in identifying • Light both the interior and exterior of the and responding to suspicious envelopes and packages. building. Check lights regularly. To the extent possible, arrange parking so that vehicles are What Are the Characteristics of a fenced in away from the street and away from Suspicious Package? the building. • Excessive, inadequate or missing postage; In- When Emergencies Strike appropriate air mail or special delivery stickers.

Emergencies sometimes strike with little or no warn- • Postmark city/province/state does not match ing. When they do, safety is your first consideration. the return address; no return address. At the first sign of danger, move customers, guests, and employees away from all doors and windows at • Handwritten or poorly typed addresses. Incor- street level. Then lock all doors and leave lights on in- rect titles or no name; misspelling of common side and outside. Call 911 and ask for assistance. Then words. contact responsible off-site managers and inform them of the situation. If it is safe to do so, remove • Excessive weight; excessive security material product displays from windows and store them in a such as masking tape, string, etc. secure locked room. • Restrictive markings such as “Personal”, “Con- Safety First fidential”, or “To Be Opened By” . Except for fires, people in hotels, motels, and of- • Unprofessional wrapping, threatening mark- fice buildings are often safer inside than they would ings on exterior of package. be outside. Consider a “protect in place” approach rather than automatically evacuating the building. • Oily stains, discoloration, odor, protruding When you judge that it is safe to leave the building, wires or aluminum foil. people should leave in groups, using exits away from areas where crowds have gathered or where there is a • Leaking any material whether it be in powder, disturbance. Advise occupants to walk quickly, confi- granular, or liquid form. dently, and directly to the parking lot or bus stop.

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If a package/device is suspect, occupants should leave Bomb Threats the package/device alone. Do not move the package to another location. Leave the package where it is. Do Bombing and the threat of being bombed are harsh not open, smell, examine, touch or taste any part of realities in today’s world. Bombs can be constructed the delivery. Do not shake or bump it. Treat the pack- to look like almost anything and can be placed or age/device as suspect until otherwise proven. delivered in any number of ways. The probability of finding a bomb that looks like the stereotypical bomb If You Suspect a Package is Contaminated is almost nonexistent. The only common denominator with a Chemical or Biological Agent that exists among bombs is that they are designed or intended to explode. 1. Contain in clear plastic bag or cover with other materials. Minimize physical contact Through proper preparation, you can reduce the ac- with other people. Wash your hands with soap cessibility of your business or building and identify and water. those areas that can be “hardened” against a potential bomber. Proper planning can also reduce the threat 2. Clear the immediate area where the package of panic, the most contagious of all human emotions. was discovered. In the context of a bomb threat, panic is the ultimate achievement of the caller. If a bomb incident occurs, 3. List all people who may have been in contact proper planning will instill confidence in the leader- or close proximity to the suspicious package/ ship, reinforce the notion that those in charge do device and provide this list to appropriate care, and reduce the potential for personal injury and authorities. property loss.

4. Call 911 and notify supervisory staff regarding What Should Occupants Do if They the location and description of the package. Receive a Bomb Threat?

5. Shut down the ventilation system servicing Occupants should have procedures to follow in the the area where the package is located so as to event they receive a bomb threat by telephone. In- not spread potential contamination through- struct all personnel, especially those at reception or out the building. working a telephone switchboard, what to do if a bomb threat call is received. These procedures should If you have any reason to believe a letter or package remind the receiver to document as much information is suspicious, do not take a chance or worry about as possible and to remain calm. The caller is the best possible embarrassment if the item turns out to be source of information about the bomb. Keep the caller innocent. talking as long as possible and ask them to repeat information as it is given. Write down what the caller For Additional Information: says and any other information that seems notable. Many organizations have created Bomb Threat check- U.S. Department of the Treasury -Bureau of Alcohol, lists that provide questions to ask and room to note Tobacco and Fire Arms, Detect Suspicious Packages, characteristics about the caller’s voice and any back- http://www.atf.gov/press/breakingnews/threat.htm ground noises.

United States Postal Service, What Should I do if I If a written threat is received all materials should be Receive an Anthrax Threat by Mail?, http://www.usps. saved and unnecessary handling should be avoided. com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub166.pdf These materials may prove useful to investigators when identifying the threat and the writer.

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Decision Time: Evacuate, Search, Ignore If a device is found, the evacuation can be accomplished expeditiously while at the same time avoiding Essentially, there are three alternatives when faced the potential danger areas of the bomb. If the decision with a bomb threat: ignore the threat, evacuate imme- is made to search the premises, the search must be diately or search and evacuate if warranted. The most as speedy and as thorough as possible. Effective and serious of all decisions to be made by management in efficient search techniques should be developed and the event of a bomb threat is whether to evacuate the made known to all relevant personnel. building. Calling 911 to report the situation to the Bellevue Police Department will assist building man- For Additional Information: agement and security staff with this decision process. Ignoring the threat completely can result in problems. U.S. Department of the Treasury -Bureau of Alcohol, While a statistical argument can be made that very Tobacco and Fire Arms - Bomb Threats and Physical few bomb threats are real, it cannot be overlooked Security Planning, http://www.atf.gov/press/break- that bombs have been located in connection with ingnews/threat.htm threats. If employees learn that bomb threats have been received and ignored, it could result in morale Risk Management Information Library, Bomb Threat problems and have a long-term adverse effect on your Resources, http://www.rmlibrary.com/sites/disbombt. business. htm

Evacuating immediately on every bomb threat is an alternative that on face value appears to be the pre- Weapons of Mass ferred approach. The obvious result of immediate Destruction evacuation is the disruptive effect on your business. If the bomb threat caller knows that your policy is to In the event of a weapons of mass destruction inci- evacuate each time a call is made, he/she can continu- dent, authorities will instruct you on the best course of ally call and force your business to a standstill. action. The best way to protect the occupants of your building is to prepare for the possibility of an attack. Initiating a search after a threat is received and evacu- Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) incidents ating a building after a suspicious package or device include accidental or intentional releases of chemi- is found is the third, and perhaps most desired, ap- cal, biological, or radiological agents such as the 1995 proach. It is certainly not as disruptive as an immedi- Sarin subway attack in Japan and the anthrax releases ate evacuation and will satisfy the requirement to do in 2001. something when a threat is received. Chemical & Biological Weapons Employees and staff should be responsible for quickly and efficiently searching their own personal work Chemical warfare agents are poisonous to people, spaces since they are most familiar with what belongs animals, and plants. They can be released by bombs, in the area. Each individual employee and tenant is sprayed from aircraft, boats, or vehicles, or used as a best able to determine what is unusual and does not liquid to create a hazard to people and the environ- belong in their work space. ment. While potentially lethal, chemical agents are difficult to deliver in lethal concentrations. Outdoors the agents often dissipate quickly.

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Biological agents are organisms that can kill or inca- What Measures Should Be Taken if a pacitate people. Most biological agents are difficult to WMD Release Has Occurred Within a grow and maintain. Many break down quickly when Building? exposed to sunlight and other environmental factors, while others such as anthrax are very long lived. They All building occupants should know to contact their can be dispersed by spraying them in the air or infect- immediate Supervisor, Building Security and 911 ing animals that carry the disease to humans as well as to report all potential WMD releases. Emergency through food and water contamination. response personnel will assume command of the incident upon arrival and may require additional steps What Are the Warning Signs of a be taken to isolate affected persons and the impacted Biological/Chemical Attack? areas. Until their arrival the following steps will assist in your coordination of activities during and after a • Unusual dead or dying animals in the area suspected WMD release.

• Unusual liquid sprays or vapors; low-lying • Contain and maintain control of the material clouds or fog unrelated to weather, clouds of to minimize the impacted area and number dust, suspended or colored particles; unex- of individuals exposed by isolating impacted plained odor area(s); e.g. shut door during exit. Do not allow any unprotected persons into the area. • Multiple victims displaying symptoms of nau- Shut down HVAC system (heating and venti- sea, difficulty breathing, convulsions, disorien- lation system) for impacted and adjacent areas. tation, or patterns of illness inconsistent with natural disease. • Contain the potential impacted individual(s) to ensure that they receive proper medical • People dressed unusually (long-sleeved shirts attention. If material is released, impacted or overcoats in the summertime) or wearing or potentially impacted individuals should breathing protection particularly where large move from the immediate area to an adjacent numbers of people tend to congregate, such as control room. Minimize activities until appro- subways or stadiums. priate response personnel arrive. If absolutely necessary, move impacted individuals into Nuclear and Radiological Attack nearest bathroom facility on the floor.

Terrorist use of a radiological dispersion device or • Try to contain exposed or potentially exposed dirty bomb is considered far more likely than use of people so that they can be helped by emer- a nuclear device. These weapons are a combination gency professionals on scene. Try to prevent of conventional explosives and radioactive material exposed people from leaving the immediate designed to scatter radioactive materials over a general area. If they leave, they may further spread area. These weapons appeal to terrorists because they contaminates to vehicles, homes and hospitals. require very little technical knowledge to build and deploy. Terrorist use of a radiological device would • Evacuate non-impacted individuals from the probably be limited to a single smaller weapon. The area as quickly as possible and wait further nature of the effects would be lethal but the area and instruction from response team. If evacuation severity of the effects would be limited. to the outside is not possible, move occupants upward to an interior room on a higher floor since many agents are heavier than air.

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For Additional Information: If possible, managers should determine what hazardous materials might be present on neighboring prop- FEMA Produced Booklet, Are You Ready?, erties. A risk assessment of this exposure should also http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/security.pdf be carried out.

The Council on Foreign Relations, Terrorism Ques- What Can Building Management Do if a tions and Answers, http://www.terrorismanswers. Hazardous Materials Accident Occurs? com/weapons/dirtybomb.html

PBS, NOVA Series: Dirty Bomb, http://www.pbs. • Call 911 to report the nature and location of org/wgbh/nova/dirtybomb/ the accident as soon as possible.

Center for Disease Control, Biological Diseases and • Keep building occupants away from the ac- Chemical Agents, http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/ cident scene. agentlist.asp • Do not walk into, touch, smell or taste any of Seattle/King County Public Health Department, the spilled substance. Try not to inhale gases, Bioterrorism Response Protocol, http://www.metrokc. fumes and smoke, if possible; cover mouth gov/health/bioterrorism with a cloth while leaving the area.

• Try to stay away from accident victims until Hazardous Material the hazardous material has been identified. Accidents • Try to stay upstream, uphill and upwind of Building management will maintain a current inven- the accident with clear access to an evacuation tory of hazardous materials used on-site including route. current Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) as required by the Workplace Hazardous Material Infor- Building owners and management should stress to mation System (WHMIS). Appropriate spill control occupants that removal, analysis and decontamina- and clean-up materials and equipment should be tion are the responsibilities of hazardous materials readily available. Staff should be trained in spill clean- emergency response professionals who are trained and up procedures for minor events. Emergency phone equipped to handle these types of situations. The Bel- numbers for hazardous materials disposal companies levue Fire Department may be able to assist with the should also be available. initial containment and decontamination of an emergency scene. However, it may be the responsibility of The storage and use of hazardous materials, including building owners or managers to arrange with private flammable or combustible liquids may require a Bel- companies that specialize in hazardous material han- levue Fire Department permit. Information regarding dling for the complete clean up and decontamination when a permit is required and how to apply for one of the site. may be obtained by calling the Bellevue Fire Preven- tion Division at 425-452-6872. If a permit has already been issued, review and ensure compliance with the conditions attached to the permit.

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For Additional Information: Medical Emergencies

Department of Transportation, Hazmat Safety Web- Every building runs the risk of facing a medical emer- site, http://hazmat.dot.gov/ gency. However, there are certain types of properties where medical emergencies may be more common. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pol- Examples include properties that house senior citi- lution Prevention & Toxics, Publications for Citizens zens, the disabled, large public gatherings, and indus- Concerned About Hazardous Materials, http://www. trial activity. The Emergency Operations Plan should epa.gov/opptintr/pubcitizen.htm incorporate medical and first aid procedures that include: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Pol- lution Prevention & Toxics, Disposal of Household • Emergency contact phone numbers and Retail Hazardous Materials, http://www.epa.gov/ unix0008/news/news9697/nddispos.html • Names and phone numbers of staff members with accredited training in lifesaving techniques

• OSHA Requirements

All tenant managers should understand the importance of notifying building security or the property management office if 911 has been called. With notification, a parking area in front of the building can be held and an elevator can be made ready for the emergency medical personnel.

Managers of buildings with large occupant loads may consider providing CPR training to staff and tenants, and purchasing automatic external defibrillators and medical oxygen in addition to basic first aid equipment.

For Additional Information:

U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Safety and Health Topics: Medical and First Aid, http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ medicalfirstaid/index.html

Washington State Department of Labor and Indus- tries, WISHA Policy and Technical Services: First Aid, http://www.lni.wa.gov/wisha/p-ts_safety/firstaid. htm City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook Page 21

Emergencies Related to Natural Disasters

Emergencies due to sudden and powerful natural • Removing or reducing hazards in the work- events are capable of inflicting considerable damage place. to property and placing many lives at risk. The Puget Sound region has a long history of natural disasters • Training opportunities for employees and ten- from windstorms to earthquakes, from floods to ants to learn survival skills. volcanic activity. While this region has survived many types of naturally occurring disasters, this section will • Assessment tools for engineering staff to de- focus on two; earthquakes and severe storms, and termine whether a building should be evacu- events related to these happenings. ated after the shaking stops.

Combined with stories of disaster in the Pacific Reduce the Hazards Northwest are lessons of survival and recovery. These lessons form the basis from which the lessons of All building tenants should be asked to report any preparedness taught by emergency management furniture or building fixture they see as a potential risk professionals come from. This section will provide during an earthquake. Filing cabinets, bookshelves many ideas you can research to formulate safety and and computer equipment can be strapped to the wall recovery procedures for the tenants of your building. to prevent it from falling on an employee during an Resources of particular note are listed below: earthquake. It may also be possible to move heavy items from high shelves to lower shelves for the same • The Federal Emergency Management Agency reasons. is an excellent source of information regarding Training natural disasters and other hazards. Informa- tion is available on their website at: http:// Instruct occupants that it is very dangerous to try to www.fema.gov/hazards/ leave a building during an earthquake because objects can fall on occupants. The decision to leave the build- • Washington State Emergency Management ing during an earthquake is dangerous due to the has an emergency preparedness handbook risk of injury from falling debris, collapsing walls and with information for Washington State. In- broken glass. Building tenants should be instructed to formation is available on the City of Bellevue’s seek cover under their desks for the duration of the website at: http://www.bellevuewa.gov/pdf/ shaking. Fire/Disaster_Prep_Handbook.pdf

• If an employee is inside when the shaking Earthquakes starts they should stay inside and seek cover under a desk or table to wait out the shaking. Typically, each year there are over 1000 earthquakes with magnitude 1.0 or greater in Washington and • If an employee is outside when the shak- Oregon. Of these, approximately two dozen are ing starts they should stay outside away from large enough to be felt. These events offer us a subtle buildings, wires and poles that may fall during reminder that the Pacific Northwest is an earthquake the quake. prone region. • If an employee has just left a building they The Nisqually Earthquake of 2001 was a not so subtle should go back inside to avoid being hit by reminder of what type of information earthquake any falling debris, glass, brick, signage, from preparedness plans should include: the structures nearby.

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After the shaking has stopped, employees should take Emergency information should always be communi- a moment to check for injuries to themselves and cated to tenants as soon as possible. Property manage- others. Only call 911 if someone is trapped or has life ment staff should understand their responsibilities to threatening injuries. make this happen in a calm and appropriate manner. Evacuate or Not? Electrical Power Failures

The decision to evacuate the building or not should During and after a storm backup generators and ade- depend upon the severity of damage to the building. quate fuel supplies may be very helpful in maintaining Most high rises have been constructed to withstand essential building services (e.g., lighting, heating). In the shaking, making them a relatively safe place to be buildings equipped with an emergency power genera- during an earthquake. Older buildings may sustain tor, the equipment is tested and maintained in accor- damage to walls, stairwells and facades. If necessary dance with the Bellevue Fire Code. Pre-arrangements building management can facilitate an evacuation should be made to ensure additional fuel supplies once the shaking has stopped. Occupants should be could be made available upon demand, in situations evacuated using the stairs and moved quickly away where the power failure is for an extended period of from the building to prevent injury from falling de- time. bris, downed power lines and other hazards. If your power goes out, check your electrical panel For Additional Information: for a blown fuse or an open breaker. Call the Puget Sound Energy hotline at 1-888-225-5773 for a Institute for Business and Home Safety, Protect Your- recording of all known outages. If your area is not self: Earthquakes, http://www.ibhs.org/natural_disas- mentioned, leave a message including your name, ters/earthquake.asp?id=3 address, phone number and describe any unusual circumstances that could help identify the problem. Severe Storms Meanwhile, unplug small appliances. Do not call 911 to report a power outage. Thunderstorms, hail, snow storms, high winds, and Landslides heavy rain can develop quickly and hit hard, pos- ing a threat to life, property, and business continuity. Landslides are a common problem and increasing Some problems cannot be prevented. High winds can density has increased exposure. Many factors con- topple trees and heavy rains can cause rivers to flood. tribute to slides, including geology, gravity, weather, But some damage can be avoided or at least reduced groundwater, wave action, and human actions. Typi- if precautionary measures are taken, such as knowing cally, a landslide occurs when several of these factors the type of storms common to your area and what converge. They are often triggered by ground water time of year they are likely to strike. pressure so they tend to occur during wet winters

How Will Building Management Know if a following a heavy storm. Landslide and mudflows usually strike without warning. The force of rocks, soil, Severe Storm is Approaching? or other debris moving down a slope can devastate anything in its path. The weather service, the governor or other government official can activate the emergency-alert system Landslides may affect your business by impeding to inform the public quickly about a life-threatening major transportation routes, disrupting utility service event. Regional Emergency Information can be heard and damaging property or businesses your tenants rely on KIRO radio 710 AM – the primary station for the upon. emergency alert system on the N.O.A.A. Weather

Radio system (emergency alerts).

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Flooding • Protection of drinking water sources.

Building management should assess the threat of • Electrical hazards that may be created due to flooding to their building. Usually this is easily ac- the presence of water (to both permanent and complished due to a history of similar earlier events. temporary wiring). Many insurance companies also have information on the potential for flooding in specified areas. • Retaining a list of qualified personnel and contractors who can be contacted to assess and Where flooding is a potential risk, building manage- repair flood damage. ment may wish to consider the following: • Purchasing flood insurance. • Providing pumps, generators, sandbags, etc., for temporary flood relief.

• Moving hazardous materials stored at or below grade to a safe location. Page 24 City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook

Appendices

Appendix A: Developing in accordance with established plans during an emergency. During disasters or widespread emergencies, Emergency Management assistance from external resources may be severely limited or unavailable. It may help to identify external Procedures resources that may be called upon during an emergency. These could include: Every building has specific and unique emergency planning needs. These needs are determined based Police Department upon occupancy type, hazards based upon tenant mix, Social Service Agencies sophistication of the fire and life safety system and Fire Department property management staffing. It is the responsibility Hazardous Materials Responders of the building owner to make certain that the plan Emergency Medical Services meets the needs of the building and the requirements Transportation Services of the Bellevue Fire Code. City Emergency Management

Step 1 - Establish an Emergency Manage- Utilities ment Team Step 3 - Develop the Procedures

Emergency management procedures are best devel- Develop the emergency procedures using the most oped with input from the various affected parties, up-to-date information. Drawings, tenant informa- analyzing risks and response capabilities, drafting and tion, contacts, etc. need to be current and accurate to reviewing the plan, and implementing and refining be useful. the plan based on feedback and experience. Review existing emergency procedures. In many in- The property manager or an appointed designee stances they contain valuable practices and strategies should take the responsibility for organizing an for responding to, and dealing with various risks and emergency management team and developing pro- threats. These could include: fire safety plan, current cedures in cooperation with tenant representatives. It building floor plans, health and safety program, secu- is beneficial to obtain input from building engineers, rity procedures, shut-down procedures, or hazardous security officers and tenants. In multi-tenanted build- materials containment plans. ings many more parties will have to be involved. Identify applicable federal, provincial and community Step 2 -Analyze Risks and Hazards regulations and by-laws such as OSHA/WISHA regulations or the Bellevue Fire Code. The risks and hazards must be identified as well as the response capabilities that are available. Once the Identify internal and external resources and capabili- information has been gathered, a vulnerability analy- ties that could be utilized in an emergency: sis can be conducted to identify gaps in the facility’s capabilities for handling emergencies. Personnel - security, emergency management group, fire wardens or floor wardens, hazardous materials The existence of external resources does not relieve response team (where applicable), first-aid providers. building owners, property managers and occupants of their responsibility to provide for their own safety City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook Page 25

Equipment - communications, warning systems, etc. Other methods can be used to inform and train security, emergency power equipment, containment the building occupants. These may include: equipment, first aid supplies, fire protection, fire suppression. • Offering periodic information and awareness presentations. Building Systems - emergency features that can be operated from remote locations during an emergency • Providing direct training and instruction to such as HVAC, smoke control, communication, warn- individuals who are assigned specific tasks. ing and security systems. • Producing and distributing demonstration or Facilities - evacuation routes, temporary shelter areas, instructional videos. first-aid stations, decontamination facilities. • Distribution of specific procedures to each Organizational capabilities - training, evacuation employee and occupant/tenant. plan, employee or occupant support system, internal backup systems for communications, emergency • Participation in evacuation drills intended to power, recovery and support. improve awareness of the egress features provided in the building. Before finalizing the plan, it is important for building management to consult with the local emer- Drills and exercises can be conducted in a number of gency response agencies (police, fire department, city ways. The exercise can be used to provide additional emergency preparedness manager) to ensure that the training for designated individuals by allowing them procedures are well coordinated and integrated with to become more familiar with the use of the build- local practices. ing’s safety features and communications protocol. For example, designated individuals responsible for Step 4 -Test the Procedures communications should practice using the communication equipment and other equipment where appli- Testing the procedures will involve training, practice cable based upon the scenario to gain experience and exercises and evaluation. In single tenant facilities, the confidence. plan should become part of the corporate policies and be managed effectively. In multi-tenant facilities, the In addition to conducting full-scale drills or exercises, plan must be adopted by each tenant and be inte- smaller independent exercises can be conducted at grated into the workplace procedures for occupants to different times involving designated departments follow during an emergency incident. Key personnel or specified areas of the building on different shifts. in each tenant space may require special training or During these independent exercises, tenant manag- instruction to ensure they can conduct the assigned ers, department heads, supervisors or other designated duties. Practice drills can be conducted to persons monitor the emergency response of employees determine if the procedures and the desired commu- in a specific area to a simulated or described emer- nications are effective. gency scenario. Employees respond to a simulation in accordance with their emergency procedures. These Once the procedures have been developed, occu- smaller independent drills and exercises provide an pant and tenant information must be distributed opportunity for assessing the adequacy of employee to increase awareness of the emergency procedures. emergency preparedness on all shifts, in individual Initially, occupants can be provided with printed in- tenancies, departments or area-specific emergency structions in a variety of formats including brochures, procedures. newsletters, workplace policies, workplace procedures, Page 26 City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook

The frequency and nature of drills and exercises For Additional Information: should be determined based upon code requirements, potential risks, and training needs. The purpose of U.S. Department of Labor – Occupational Health conducting drills and exercises is to: and Safety Administration, Evacuation Plans and Procedures eTool, http://www.osha.gov/ • Assess the ongoing effectiveness of the facil- SLTC/etools/evacuation/index.html ity’s emergency procedures given different Appendices scenarios and make corrections where necessary. Appendix B: Property

• Determine that staff members are trained and Vulnerability Assessment able to respond as outlined in the emergency procedures. Although emergencies could happen anywhere and at anytime, some emergencies are more likely to occur • Ensure that the building occupants under- than others. While developing an emergency plan the stand how to react in accordance with the following five factors should be assessed to ensure that building’s emergency response and evacuation risks specific to your building are appropriately ad- procedures. dressed.

• Provide an opportunity for emergency re- 1. Geographic Location sponse training and practice. Certain regions of the country are more prone Step 5 - Evaluate and Modify the to certain types of emergencies, particularly Procedures those relating to natural disasters. Fortunately for Bellevue, tornadoes and hurricanes occur At least once a year, each drill or exercise must be less frequently here than in other geographic evaluated and documented with recommendations for locations. However, severe winter storms and improvements by designated individuals who thor- earthquakes that may result in flooding or oughly understand the facility’s emergency procedures structural damage occur on a regular basis. and expected response by designated individuals and As such, the property manager must evaluate occupants. It is very important that all personnel with the likelihood of these events affecting the specific responsibilities attend a debriefing meeting building and surrounding area in order to plan following every drill. This meeting is held to review accordingly for those types of emergencies. the procedures and reactions of all drill participants. During the debriefing, problem areas can be identified 2. Immediate Environment and, if necessary, solutions to overcome any deficien- cies implementing the building’s emergency manage- The neighborhood or community where your ment procedures can be discussed and corrected. property is situated will influence the type of emergencies it may face. Buildings located in The creation of emergency management procedures major urban areas face unique risks that are is not a one-time activity. The document must be less likely to be found in rural areas. For exam- regularly reviewed and updated to reflect any changes ple, riots and public demonstrations are more to the facility or operations. One of the major short- likely to occur in urban areas and may result falls of most procedures is that the floor plans, ten- in property damage and personal assaults. ant information, contacts, etc. are allowed to become Similarly, buildings located in close proximity inaccurate as a result of changes that invariably occur to major transportation routes or industrial over time.

City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook Page 27

properties, such as nuclear power plants or 5. Size and Construction hazardous petroleum/chemical plants, would be vulnerable if a major accident were to occur The size of the building with respect to height there. Therefore, the emergency plan should and area often determines the complexity of address potential emergencies that may occur the emergency plan. Obviously, an office tower as a result of an accidental leak or spill. will require a more complex emergency plan than a single story commercial plaza. Whether 3. Property Type the building is sprinklered or not will influence the Emergency Operations Plan, for The purpose for which the building is used has example, by making it more or less viable to a direct bearing on the type of risks inherent remain in the building in the event of a fire. to it. Residential towers, office towers, indus- The building’s construction may also be criti- trial plants, hospitals, theatres, and shopping cal in determining how well it will withstand a malls all require their own unique emergency natural or human activity related disaster. plans to address their particular situations and needs. All offer different challenges based on For Additional Information: varying factors specific to their occupancy. The number of hours per day it is occupied, oc- Factory Mutual Global, What is Risk Management?, cupant load, building height, security levels, http://www.fmglobal.com/library/rmStrategies.html building contents, presence of hazardous prod- ucts, and nature of activities are all examples of Hartford Insurance Small Business Center, Why You varying factors that must be taken into consid- Need a Disaster Recovery Plan, http://sb.thehartford. eration when developing the emergency plan. com/reduce_risk/disaster_recovery.asp

4. Tenant Mix or Resident Profile Appendix C: Business It is important to realize that building occu- Continuity Planning pants influence the emergency plan as much as the building type. Not all residential buildings Part of the emergency planning for any organization are alike, nor are all commercial, industrial and should include ensuring the ability of the organization institutional properties alike. Your emergency to continue to function with a minimum of disruption plan should take into account the various after a disaster. In the context of business continuity tenant profiles within the property to address planning, a disaster is any event that could cause a pe- their specific needs and risks. riod of total or partial interruption to normal business operations. This could be a fire or explosion or could Buildings that are occupied by politically be a much less dramatic event such as loss of power or sensitive organizations such as government of- telephone service. fices, military establishments, religious organizations, embassies, cultural centers or abortion In addition to the direct costs resulting from an in- clinics have an increased likelihood of becom- cident, such as damage to the building or equipment, ing a target of extremist groups. As such, the there are also many indirect costs. These could include emergency plan should specifically address loss of important data or business records, negative threats of violence, hostage situations or other media coverage, loss of market share, dissatisfied cus- emergencies. tomers or clients or legal action by regulatory agencies. Insurance may partially compensate for some of Page 28 City of Bellevue - High Rise Emergency Handbook the direct costs, but it will never cover all of the costs The continuity plan must be in writing and every to an organization. It may also take many months or person who could be expected to exercise any part of even years before an insurance claim is settled. the plan should have a copy. The plan should include phone numbers where critical people can be reached Although developing a business continuity plan does 24 hrs a day. The building owner, property manager, require some expenditure of time and financial re- building engineer, etc. may not be available at the time sources, this expenditure should be looked at as an an incident occurs and someone else may have to start investment. In the long term, an effective continuity exercising the plan. plan can save an organization a great deal of money and stress. For Additional Information:

The first step in developing a continuity plan is to as- Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency sess the various risks to which the organization might Management Guide for Business and Industry, http:// be exposed. After determining what risks need to be www.fema.gov/pdf/library/bizindst.pdf considered, each risk must be evaluated to determine the probability that it will occur and what impact it Institute for Business & Home Safety, Getting Back would have on the organization. The probability of oc- to Business, http://www.ibhs.org/docs/GBB.pdf currence and the impact can be assigned point values or a more general rating of high, medium and low. This will allow management to determine how many resources should be expended in guarding against the various risks.

Management then needs to develop strategies for addressing each of the risks. The first goal is to prevent the risk from occurring. Since not all risks can be prevented with 100% certainty, the second goal is to minimize the impact on the organization if the event does occur. At all times the safety and protection of employees must be the primary consideration.

City of Bellevue Fire Department Fire Prevention Division www.bellevuewa.gov 425-452-6872