Emergency Preparedness & the Senior Housing Provider LEADINGAGE MINNESOTA 2015 SENIOR LIVING NOW! CONFEREN CE SESSIONS #107 AND #207 The Speakers Andrew Tepfer All-Hazard Planner Homeland Security & Emergency Management (651) 201-7491 Andrew.Tepfer@state.mn.us Michelle R. Klegon Attorney Klegon Law Office, Ltd. (763) 546-1109 MKlegon@klegonlaw.com Emergency Preparedness LEGAL REQUIREMENTS 1
Different Requirements for Different Providers Home care providers Housing with Services providers Senior housing providers (non-hws) Requirements for Home Care Providers Orient direct care staff and their supervisors on how to handle emergencies and use emergency services Train and competency test unlicensed personnel on procedures used to handle emergencies Written plan of action Must be designed to facilitate management of care during natural disaster and other emergencies that may disrupt agency s ability to provide care/services Adequately orient and train staff on emergency preparedness Good idea to orient and train clients on plan Requirements for HWS Providers Emergency planning requirements added to HWS law in 2014 Effective January 1, 2016 Must have and post disaster plan Include plan for evacuation Address elements of sheltering in place Identify temporary relocation sites Detail staff assignments in emergency or disaster Provide emergency exit diagrams of building to all tenants upon signing lease Post emergency exit diagrams on each floor 2
Requirements for HWS Providers Must have written policy regarding missing tenants Provide emergency and disaster training to staff Upon orientation and annually Staff who have not received training can only work when trained staff are on site Make emergency and disaster training available to tenants annually Conduct fire drills or other emergency drills At least once every 6 months Document drills Coordinate with local fire dept or other community emergency resources where possible Requirements for non-hws Providers Nothing specific in landlord-tenant law Certain municipal ordinances may apply Use requirements for HWS providers as guide to best practices Develop procedures to handle emergency situations Train staff, tenants and families Provide and post emergency exit information for building Conduct drills in conjunction with emergency responders Emergency Preparedness BEST PRACTICES 3
Communicating about Emergency Preparedness Tenant Handbook Building policies and procedures Posted notices Topic-specific letters Tenant and family meetings Staff education Tenant Handbook Guide to living in the building Identify specific expectations that Landlord and Tenant should have of each other Landlord s building maintenance Process for upkeep and repairs Schedule for testing various alarms and systems Smoke detectors Security features Tenant s obligations in an emergency situation What to do and not do Tenant Handbook Include specific information on a variety of topics Emergency procedures Severe weather Fire Loss of power Fire doors Elevators Emergency response for health-related issues Security features Secure building access Locked unit information Use of cameras 4
Building Policies & Procedures More detailed than information in Tenant Handbook Identify specific procedures for staff and Tenants to follow in emergency situations Remember the Fair Housing law! Don t develop procedures only to keep in 3-ring binder Train both staff and Tenants on procedures Update regularly and communicate changes Letters & Notices If there are changes, provide Tenants (and families) with written updates Have summary sheet available to incoming Tenants identifying parties responsibilities in emergency situations Even with information in a Tenant Handbook, good idea to post information Mailbox area Elevators Where other Landlord communications are located Tenant & Staff In-Services Meet with Tenants and family members regularly Review current policies and procedures Identify any changes that have occurred since last in-service Make sure staff are included in and have separate inservice training on what to do in various emergency situations Depending on provider type, it s the law! 5
Developing Your Tenant & Staff Communications Make sure to include information relevant to Tenants lives in your building Review and update regularly Communicate changes to Tenants and staff Maintain a signed acknowledgment in each Tenant s file May want signed acknowledgments from staff too Always adhere to federal and state nondiscrimination laws Risks of Bad Communication Tenants and staff do not know what to do Landlord s expectations of Tenants responsibilities in emergency situations are not clear and are not met Tenants and/or staff are injured Potential for discrimination claims Possible civil and regulatory liability Rewards for Good Communication Consistent information from Landlord to all Tenants Better understanding by Tenants of building operations and their role in the same Tenants and staff are prepared if and when emergencies arise Smooth handling of emergency situations 6
QUESTIONS??? Incident Command System & Developing a Facility Plan Why do we plan? 7
Planning for all hazards Finding hazards and measuring risk Internal External Similar responses for each disaster Special sections or annexes for specific threats (i.e. flu pandemic) Building the facility plan Know your threats Do a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Tool in Minnesota Long-Term Care Preparedness Toolkit (MDH) Based on probability of occurrence, response and impact to people, property and business Also measures preparedness and resources Measuring Risks of Hazards SEVERITY = (MAGNITUDE - MITIGATION) EVENT PROBABILITY HUMAN PROPERTY BUSINESS PREPARED- INTERNAL EXTERNAL IMPACT IMPACT IMPACT NESS RESPONSE RESPONSE Time, Community/ Likelihood this Possibility of Physical losses Interruption of Preplanning effectiveness, Mutual Aid staff will occur death or injury and damages services resources and supplies RISK Relative threat* SCORE 1 = Low 2 = M oderate 1 = Low 2 = M oderate 1 = Low 2 = Moderate 1 = Low 2 = M oderate 1 = High 2 = M oderate 1 = High 2 = Moderate 1 = High 2 = M oderate 0-100% 3 = High 3 = High 3 = High 3 = High 3 = Low or none 3 = Low or none 3 = Low or none Tornado 0% Severe 0% Thunderstorm Snow Fall 0% Blizzard 0% Ice Storm 0% Temperature 0% Extremes Proximity to Airport Proximity to Train Tracks Proximity to MOA Proximity to Downtown Drought 0% Flood, External 0% Wild Fire 0% Landslide 0% Dam Inundation 0% Volcano 0% Epidemic 0% AVERAGE SCORE 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0% 8
Plan based on hazards Base preparedness and response on most credible threats internal and external Address response leadership FIRST! Then, plan collaboratively. You are NOT an island! Incident Command System AN INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR ALL EMERGENCIES ICS - Basics Identifies clear lines of authority Scalable and modular Used by all counties and emergency responders in Minnesota Organization the same no matter the incident Common terms 9
ICS Basics continued - The Command function is ALWAYS staffed. Other functions are optional depending on the incident One person may fill multiple roles in smaller incidents Span of control: 3 7 direct reports, optimum does not exceed 5 Incident Command Chart Long Term Care Incident Commander Public Information Officer Safety Officer Liaison Officer Operations Section Chief Planning Section Chief Logistics Section Chief Finance / Administration Section Chief ICS Functional responsibilities Command: In charge of all the stuff Operations: Does stuff Planning: Keeps track of what stuff has been done, is being done and may have to be done Logistics: Gets stuff Finance: Pays for all the stuff 10
Other Command functions Safety: Ensures safety of everyone in the incident Public Information: Coordinates internal & external messages Liaison: Coordinates with external organizations and services Take some training! FEMA Independent Study classes in ICS IS 100.b: Introduction to Incident Command System (for everyone!) IS 200.b: ICS for Single Resources & Initial Action (response teams) IS 700.a: National Incident Management System (NIMS) An Introduction (response teams & organizational leaders) Exercise your plan! Walk through procedures see how they really work Do fire drills! Invite the fire department. Annual Tornado drill too! Do tabletop exercises with external organizations (emergency responders, vendors, internal response teams, others?) 11
Next steps Plan together! Include key staff Ensure all staff are trained in procedures Include fire and law enforcement in planning Prepare residents! Emergency Preparedness & the Senior Housing Provider LEADINGAGE MINNESOTA 2015 SENIOR LIVING NOW! CONFEREN CE SESSIONS #107 AND #207 12