FHCA Web Site

Emergency Management Guide for Nursing Homes

The Emergency Management Guide for Nursing Homes assists nursing home administrators, corporate representatives, owners, and key staff in their efforts to develop and maintain a practical all-hazard emergency operations plan. The guide provides an established format for developing a basic plan, offers direction for developing standard operating procedures for use during an emergency, and addresses specific hazards which may threaten a facility.

This guide is a compilation of national emergency management concepts and practices, not a sample emergency operations plan. Each nursing home's emergency operations plan must indicate what that nursing home will do to protect itself from its hazards with the resources it has or can obtain.

This guide is intended primarily for use by nursing home staff responsible for emergency operations plan development and maintenance. It creates no requirements for any nursing home, and its recommendations may be used, adapted, or disregarded, based on a particular facility's own policies and state law.

This guide is issued by the Florida Health Care Association in partnership with the University of South Florida and the Florida Department of Health's Office of Emergency Operations. Funding for the guide's development came through the John A. Hartford Foundation and the FHCA. The planning format is based on the Federal Emergency Management Agency in their Guide for All-Hazards Emergency Operations Planning to be used by jurisdictions at the state and local level. Further, the components set forth in this guide satisfy the basic emergency management requirements of 400, Part II, Florida Statutes, s. 59A-4.126, Florida Administrative Code, as well as the new national recommendations of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Nursing homes may use this guide to supplement guidance they receive from their states.

Contents
Part I The Basic Plan

Defining a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan
Outline

Administration
Executive Summary

Plan Review and Maintenance

Authorities and References

Introduction
Profile

Purpose

Scope

Situation
Risk Assessment

Zones and Local Points of Interest

Vulnerability Assessment for Residents

Planning Assumptions

Concept of Operations
Alert, Notification, and Activation

Command and Coordination
Command Structure

Communication

Roles/Responsibilities

Evacuation

Sheltering in Place

Host Receiving Site

Training and Exercises

Recovery

Part II Appendices

Appendix A: Emergency Staffing

Appendix B: Emergency Communication Needs

Appendix C: Resident Care Services by Vulnerability Assessment

Appendix D: Vendor Support Communication Chart

Appendix E: Routine Mail Processing

Appendix F: Life Safety and Environmental Evaluation

Appendix G: Incident Command Post Sample Planning Meeting Agenda

Appendix H: All Hazards Staff Response to Emergency

Appendix I: A Staged Implementation of a Resident Identification System

Appendix J: Insured's Guide to Hurricane and other Catastrophic Claims

Appendix K: Resident Survival Kits

Appendix L: Staff Survival Kits

Appendix M: Pet Policies

Appendix N: Employee Staffing Letter and Form

Appendix O: Re-entry to Area Letters or Vehicle Display Passes

Appendix P: Generators and Utilities

Appendix Q: Sample Letter to Families, Guardians, or Responsible Parties

Appendix R: Website References

Appendix S: Glossary of Common Terms and Acronyms

Appendix T: Business Continuity

Appendix U: Supplies, Quantities

Appendix V: Timeline for Disaster Preparedness Activities

Appendix W: Housekeeping Tips

Appendix X: Dietary Department Tips

Appendix Y: Nursing Department Tips

Appendix Z: Guidance for the Safe Transportation of Oxygen

Appendix AA: Emergency Resident Handling

Appendix BB: National Criteria for Evacuation Decision-Making in Nursing Homes

Part III Incident-Specific Hazards

Incident-specific Hazards

Biological Event

Bomb Threat

Earthquake

Extended Power Outages

Extreme Temperatures

Fire

Wildfires

Floods

Hazardous Materials

Severe Weather (Tornados)

Tropical Cyclones (Hurricanes)

Winter Storms

Part IV The Nursing Home Incident Command System

The Nursing Home Incident Command System

A Nursing Home's Introduction to the Incident Command System

    Job Action Sheets
    Incident Command
    Liaison Officer
    Public Information Officer
    Safety Officer
    Operations
    Resident Services Branch Director
    Nursing Services Unit Leader
    Transfer and Discharge Unit Leader
    Psychosocial Unit Leader
    Social Services Manager
    Rehabilitative Manager
    Activities Manager
    Infrastructure Branch Director
    Dietary Services Unit Leader
    Environmental Services Unit Leader
    Maintenance Unit Leader
    Security Unit Leader
    Planning
    Situation Unit Leader
    Documentation Unit Leader
    Logistics
    Service Branch Director
    Communication Hardware Unit Leader
    IT/IS Unit Leader
    Support Branch Director
    Staffing/Scheduling Unit Leader
    Facility Supply Unit Leader
    Central Supply Unit Leader
    Dependent Care Unit Leader
    Transportation Unit Leader
    Finance/Administration
    Business Continuity Unit Leader
    Procurement Unit Leader
    Cost Unit Leader
    Employee Time Unit Leader
    Compensation/Claims Unit Leader

Part V Training and Exercises

Training and Exercises

Part VI Federal Regulations

Federal Regulations

Table of Sample Statements

Sample Statement 1 Authorities and References

Sample Statement 2 Alerting Staff

Sample Statement 3 Alerting Family Members

Sample Statement 4 Emergency Coordination

Sample Statement 5 Public Health Integration

Sample Statement 6 Emergency Tracking System

Sample Statement 7 Equipping Supplies for Sheltering in Place

Sample Statement 8 Sheltering Staff Dependents

Sample Statement 9 Notifying and Tracking

The photos and images on the www.fhca.org website are the property of Florida Health Care Association and cannot be used in any manner without FHCA permission in writing.


Home About FHCA Advancing Excellence Contact Us Emergency Preparedness Family Forum FHCA Florida Leaders Assisted Living Job Board Members Only Member Search Membership Online Store Press Center Quality Credentialing Seminars/Events Sites of Interest Treasure our Elders What's New	Emergency Preparedness Emergency Management Guide for Nursing Homes The Emergency Management Guide for Nursing Homes assists nursing home administrators, corporate representatives, owners, and key staff in their efforts to develop and maintain a practical all-hazard emergency operations plan. The guide provides an established format for developing a basic plan, offers direction for developing standard operating procedures for use during an emergency, and addresses specific hazards which may threaten a facility. This guide is a compilation of national emergency management concepts and practices, not a sample emergency operations plan. Each nursing home's emergency operations plan must indicate what that nursing home will do to protect itself from its hazards with the resources it has or can obtain. Order Now FHCA Member Download Contents This guide is intended primarily for use by nursing home staff responsible for emergency operations plan development and maintenance. It creates no requirements for any nursing home, and its recommendations may be used, adapted, or disregarded, based on a particular facility's own policies and state law. This guide is issued by the Florida Health Care Association in partnership with the University of South Florida and the Florida Department of Health's Office of Emergency Operations. Funding for the guide's development came through the John A. Hartford Foundation and the FHCA. The planning format is based on the Federal Emergency Management Agency in their Guide for All-Hazards Emergency Operations Planning to be used by jurisdictions at the state and local level. Further, the components set forth in this guide satisfy the basic emergency management requirements of 400, Part II, Florida Statutes, s. 59A-4.126, Florida Administrative Code, as well as the new national recommendations of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Nursing homes may use this guide to supplement guidance they receive from their states. Contents Part I The Basic Plan Defining a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Outline Administration Executive Summary Plan Review and Maintenance Authorities and References Introduction Profile Purpose Scope Situation Risk Assessment Zones and Local Points of Interest Vulnerability Assessment for Residents Planning Assumptions Concept of Operations Alert, Notification, and Activation Command and Coordination Command Structure Communication Roles/Responsibilities Evacuation Sheltering in Place Host Receiving Site Training and Exercises Recovery Part II Appendices Appendix A: Emergency Staffing Appendix B: Emergency Communication Needs Appendix C: Resident Care Services by Vulnerability Assessment Appendix D: Vendor Support Communication Chart Appendix E: Routine Mail Processing Appendix F: Life Safety and Environmental Evaluation Appendix G: Incident Command Post Sample Planning Meeting Agenda Appendix H: All Hazards Staff Response to Emergency Appendix I: A Staged Implementation of a Resident Identification System Appendix J: Insured's Guide to Hurricane and other Catastrophic Claims Appendix K: Resident Survival Kits Appendix L: Staff Survival Kits Appendix M: Pet Policies Appendix N: Employee Staffing Letter and Form Appendix O: Re-entry to Area Letters or Vehicle Display Passes Appendix P: Generators and Utilities Appendix Q: Sample Letter to Families, Guardians, or Responsible Parties Appendix R: Website References Appendix S: Glossary of Common Terms and Acronyms Appendix T: Business Continuity Appendix U: Supplies, Quantities Appendix V: Timeline for Disaster Preparedness Activities Appendix W: Housekeeping Tips Appendix X: Dietary Department Tips Appendix Y: Nursing Department Tips Appendix Z: Guidance for the Safe Transportation of Oxygen Appendix AA: Emergency Resident Handling Appendix BB: National Criteria for Evacuation Decision-Making in Nursing Homes Part III Incident-Specific Hazards Incident-specific Hazards Biological Event Bomb Threat Earthquake Extended Power Outages Extreme Temperatures Fire Wildfires Floods Hazardous Materials Severe Weather (Tornados) Tropical Cyclones (Hurricanes) Winter Storms Part IV The Nursing Home Incident Command System The Nursing Home Incident Command System A Nursing Home's Introduction to the Incident Command System Job Action Sheets Incident Command Liaison Officer Public Information Officer Safety Officer Operations Resident Services Branch Director Nursing Services Unit Leader Transfer and Discharge Unit Leader Psychosocial Unit Leader Social Services Manager Rehabilitative Manager Activities Manager Infrastructure Branch Director Dietary Services Unit Leader Environmental Services Unit Leader Maintenance Unit Leader Security Unit Leader Planning Situation Unit Leader Documentation Unit Leader Logistics Service Branch Director Communication Hardware Unit Leader IT/IS Unit Leader Support Branch Director Staffing/Scheduling Unit Leader Facility Supply Unit Leader Central Supply Unit Leader Dependent Care Unit Leader Transportation Unit Leader Finance/Administration Business Continuity Unit Leader Procurement Unit Leader Cost Unit Leader Employee Time Unit Leader Compensation/Claims Unit Leader Part V Training and Exercises Training and Exercises Part VI Federal Regulations Federal Regulations Table of Sample Statements Sample Statement 1 Authorities and References Sample Statement 2 Alerting Staff Sample Statement 3 Alerting Family Members Sample Statement 4 Emergency Coordination Sample Statement 5 Public Health Integration Sample Statement 6 Emergency Tracking System Sample Statement 7 Equipping Supplies for Sheltering in Place Sample Statement 8 Sheltering Staff Dependents Sample Statement 9 Notifying and Tracking The photos and images on the www.fhca.org website are the property of Florida Health Care Association and cannot be used in any manner without FHCA permission in writing.