When an emergency happens at your facility, the first decision to make is whether to evacuate or take shelter. If ordered to shelter it is important to have sufficient supplies and equipment on-hand to support the needs of staff and visitors for periods ranging from several hours to several days. Use this checklist to determine if you have the necessary material on hand.
Periodically, facilities should undergo a safety inspection. The frequency is up to the organization although sometimes there are regulations and local ordinances that mandate how often these inspections must occur. Regardless of the frequency use this checklist to help ensure a comprehensive review. Modify as needed to reflect the individual character of your organization and workplace. Indicate if conditions are satisfactory or not.
Recommended supplies are available through the Red Cross Store.
When planning your evacuation routes to outside assembly areas and shelters, consider the following
In an emergency, proper lighting can point the way to safety. This is one reason why some local jurisdictions have mandated that Exit signs be located at waist height and illuminated. Lowering signs reduces the likelihood that during a fire it will be obscured by smoke. Proper illumination in work spaces have been shown to help reduce eye fatigue and having good illumination when working with various tools contributes to safety. In these various settings light is generally expressed in terms of lux units which measure the amount of light over an area.
Proper emergency signage helps everyone in the building find a safe path to the nearest exit or shelter area. In some cases, zoning codes may require the signs be illuminated and have battery backup to ensure continuous operation during a power outage. Check with your fire department if you are unsure of local regulations.
Help keep your family safe in severe weather, man made/natural hazards with Emergency by the American Red Cross. Monitor conditions in your area or area of loved ones, prepare your family and your home, check to see if loved ones are safe and let them know you’re safe. - A must have for anyone who live in areas prone to severe weather or have loved ones that do.
Each year Red Cross Chapters across the country train Disaster Volunteers in how to prevent, prepare for, and respond to disasters. One way to contribute to this effort is by offering your facility as a Red Cross shelter.
The Red Cross has been organizing the safe collection and distribution of blood and related products for many decades. This service is of vital importance to health care providers across the nation and around the world
A disorganized evacuation can result in confusion, injury and property damage. Use the following checklist to help evaluate your next evacuation or shelter exercise.
