Section 530. Emergency preparedness and response plan

A. The provider shall develop a written emergency preparedness and response plan for all of its services and locations that describes its approach to emergencies throughout the organization or community. This plan shall include an analysis of potential emergencies that could disrupt the normal course of service delivery including emergencies that would require expanded or extended care over a prolonged period of time. The plan shall address:

1. Specific procedures describing mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery strategies, actions, and responsibilities for each emergency.

2. Documentation of coordination with the local emergency authorities to determine local disaster risks and community-wide plans to address different disasters and emergency situations.

3. The process for notifying local and state authorities of the emergency and a process for contacting staff when emergency response measures are initiated.

4. Written emergency management policies outlining specific responsibilities for provision of administrative direction and management of response activities, coordination of logistics during the emergency, communications, life safety of employees, contractors, students, volunteers, visitors, and individuals receiving services, property protection, community outreach, and recovery and restoration.

5. Written emergency response procedures for initiating the response and recovery phase of the plan including a description of how, when, and by whom the phases will be activated. This includes assessing the situation; protecting individuals receiving services, employees, contractors, students, volunteers, visitors, equipment, and vital records; and restoring services. Emergency procedures shall address:

a. Warning and notifying individuals receiving services;

b. Communicating with employees, contractors, and community responders;

c. Designating alternative roles and responsibilities of staff during emergencies including to whom they will report in the provider's organization command structure and when activated in the community's command structure;

d. Providing emergency access to secure areas and opening locked doors;

e. Conducting evacuations to emergency shelters or alternative sites and accounting for all individuals receiving services;

f. Relocating individuals receiving residential or inpatient services, if necessary;

g. Notifying family members or authorized representatives;

h. Alerting emergency personnel and sounding alarms;

i. Locating and shutting off utilities when necessary; and

j. Maintaining a 24 hour telephone answering capability to respond to emergencies for individuals receiving services.

6. Processes for managing the following under emergency conditions:

a. Activities related to the provision of care, treatment, and services including scheduling, modifying, or discontinuing services; controlling information about individuals receiving services; providing medication; and transportation services;

b. Logistics related to critical supplies such as pharmaceuticals, food, linen, and water;

c. Security including access, crowd control, and traffic control; and

d. Back-up communication systems in the event of electronic or power failure.

7. Specific processes and protocols for evacuation of the provider's building or premises when the environment cannot support adequate care, treatment, and services.

8. Supporting documents that would be needed in an emergency, including emergency call lists, building and site maps necessary to shut off utilities, designated escape routes, and list of major resources such as local emergency shelters.

9. Schedule for testing the implementation of the plan and conducting emergency preparedness drills.

B. The provider shall implement annual emergency preparedness and response training for all employees, contractors, students, and volunteers. This training shall also be provided as part of orientation for new employees and cover responsibilities for:

1. Alerting emergency personnel and sounding alarms;

2. Implementing evacuation procedures, including evacuation of individuals with special needs (i.e., deaf, blind, nonambulatory);

3. Using, maintaining, and operating emergency equipment;

4. Accessing emergency medical information for individuals receiving services; and

5. Utilizing community support services.

C. The provider shall review the emergency preparedness plan annually and make necessary revisions. Such revisions shall be communicated to employees, contractors, students, volunteers, and individuals receiving services and incorporated into training for employees, contractors, students, and volunteers and into the orientation of individuals to services.

D. In the event of a disaster, fire, emergency or any other condition that may jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of individuals, the provider shall take appropriate action to protect the health, safety, and welfare of individuals receiving services and take appropriate actions to remedy the conditions as soon as possible.

E. Employees, contractors, students, and volunteers shall be knowledgeable in and prepared to implement the emergency preparedness plan in the event of an emergency. The plan shall include a policy regarding regularly scheduled emergency preparedness training for all employees, contractors, students, and volunteers.

F. In the event of a disaster, fire, emergency, or any other condition that may jeopardize the health, safety, or welfare of individuals, the provider should first respond and stabilize the disaster or emergency. After the disaster or emergency is stabilized, the provider should report the disaster or emergency to the department, but no later than 24 hours after the incident occurs.

G. Providers of residential services shall have at all times a three-day supply of emergency food and water for all residents and staff. Emergency food supplies should include foods that do not require cooking. Water supplies shall include one gallon of water per person per day.

H. This section does not apply to home and noncenter-based services.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. September 19, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 05, eff. December 7, 2011.

Statutory Authority

§ 37.2-203 of the Code of Virginia.