PowerPoint Presentation

Crisis Management &Crisis Management &Emergency ResponseEmergency Response

Pennsylvania Bus AssociationPennsylvania Bus Association

Ocean City, MD Ocean City, MD

June 12, 2007June 12, 2007

Matthew Daecher, Daecher Consulting Group

Camp Hill, PA

Before we start…Before we start…

Entire slideshow available for download at: Entire slideshow available for download at:

www.safetyteam.com/general/pba2007.htmlwww.safetyteam.com/general/pba2007.html

If you encounter problems:If you encounter problems:

[email protected]@safetyteam.com

Are You Prepared?Are You Prepared?

Well-managed companies have policies and Well-managed companies have policies and procedures that are followed in the event of an procedures that are followed in the event of an accident. However, most accidents are not accident. However, most accidents are not catastrophes. catastrophes.

Catastrophes are situations involving injuries that Catastrophes are situations involving injuries that require hospitalization or fatalities, or major require hospitalization or fatalities, or major environmental events environmental events

Because catastrophes are rare, many companies Because catastrophes are rare, many companies are caught off-guard when such an accident are caught off-guard when such an accident occurs.occurs.

Are You Ready?Are You Ready?

A crisis response plan needs to:A crisis response plan needs to:

1.1. Consider your risks and vulnerabilitiesConsider your risks and vulnerabilities

2.2. Address various scenariosAddress various scenarios

3.3. Organize your responseOrganize your response

4.4. Prepare your employeesPrepare your employees

Crisis Response PlanCrisis Response Plan

Will provide well thought out direction and Will provide well thought out direction and response measures in a time of extreme response measures in a time of extreme stress and confusionstress and confusion

Will help avoid overlooking areas which Will help avoid overlooking areas which need to be addressed that may otherwise need to be addressed that may otherwise be overlooked in the heat of the moment be overlooked in the heat of the moment and cause additional confusion and stressand cause additional confusion and stress

One Size Will Not Fit AllOne Size Will Not Fit All

Different plans, protocols will be necessary Different plans, protocols will be necessary for different scenarios, but many scenarios for different scenarios, but many scenarios will have common themes/items which will will have common themes/items which will need to be addressed.need to be addressed.

Ultimately, create the scenarios; plan the Ultimately, create the scenarios; plan the ideal response; think of what would be ideal response; think of what would be needed to achieve the desired response; needed to achieve the desired response; and write it into a plan and write it into a plan

One Size Will Not Fit AllOne Size Will Not Fit All

Place yourself in real-world scenarios from Place yourself in real-world scenarios from the past and consider everything you the past and consider everything you see/know – consider response needs and see/know – consider response needs and ways to achieve themways to achieve them

Plan Development & ImplementationPlan Development & Implementation

Assess threats/scenariosAssess threats/scenarios

Assess vulnerability against threatsAssess vulnerability against threats

Determine prioritized risk based on aboveDetermine prioritized risk based on above

Reduce risk where possibleReduce risk where possible

Prepare, stay prepared and alertPrepare, stay prepared and alert

Reassess risk on regular basisReassess risk on regular basis

Most likely scenarios:Most likely scenarios:

Serious MVA/Bus incidentSerious MVA/Bus incident

Security threat on vehicleSecurity threat on vehicle

Emergency incident at your facilityEmergency incident at your facility

External incident which affects your External incident which affects your operation (terrorism, natural disaster)operation (terrorism, natural disaster)

Security threat/incident at facilitySecurity threat/incident at facility

Major Components - Crisis Major Components - Crisis Plan:Plan:

1.1. Information gathering/reportingInformation gathering/reporting

2.2. Communication within companyCommunication within company

3.3. Who is responsible for what?Who is responsible for what?

4.4. Coordination with respondersCoordination with responders

5.5. Coordination with partnersCoordination with partners

6.6. Media response/Outside inquiriesMedia response/Outside inquiries

To Respond Effectively:To Respond Effectively:

Need to know:Need to know:

1.1. As much about incident as possibleAs much about incident as possible

2.2. What do you need internally (equipment) What do you need internally (equipment) to respondto respond

3.3. Which parties will you be coordinating Which parties will you be coordinating with?with?

To Respond Effectively:To Respond Effectively:

4.4. Who is affected – who will want what Who is affected – who will want what information?information?

5.5. What questions will likely be asked?What questions will likely be asked?

What information should you research and What information should you research and prepare?prepare?

Response TeamResponse Team Lead person – directs others on team Lead person – directs others on team

according to planaccording to plan

Information gatherer – contact with driver, Information gatherer – contact with driver, on-scene liaisons, authorities, emergency on-scene liaisons, authorities, emergency respondersresponders

Response coordinator – employees, Response coordinator – employees, insurance company, business partners, insurance company, business partners, transportation partnerstransportation partners

Spokesperson – public contactSpokesperson – public contact

Information Gatherer – Information Gatherer – Crisis InformationCrisis Information

Exact location, surrounding conditionsExact location, surrounding conditions

Parties involvedParties involved

Victims/Injuries – how many?Victims/Injuries – how many?

Weather and wind directionWeather and wind direction

Witness statementsWitness statements

Best/safest access routeBest/safest access route

Information Gatherer –Information Gatherer –Gathering Crisis InformationGathering Crisis Information

Employees involved/on-siteEmployees involved/on-site

Associates on-siteAssociates on-site

Emergency Responders/AuthoritiesEmergency Responders/Authorities

Media (witness, transport info)Media (witness, transport info)

Hospitals/Care ClinicsHospitals/Care Clinics

Response CoordinatorResponse Coordinator

Contact/dispatch necessary employees Contact/dispatch necessary employees and equipmentand equipment

Contact insurance companyContact insurance company

Contact business partners (tour Contact business partners (tour organizer/seller, school district, co-organizer/seller, school district, co-transportation providers, etc)transportation providers, etc)

Contact transportation partners to assistContact transportation partners to assist

Response CoordinatorResponse Coordinator

Proactive communication – emergency Proactive communication – emergency contacts of individuals involvedcontacts of individuals involved

Spokesperson - What questions Spokesperson - What questions will likely be asked?will likely be asked?

Questions regarding:Questions regarding:

1.1. DriverDriver

2.2. VehicleVehicle

3.3. Injuries/fatalitiesInjuries/fatalities

4.4. Company protocolsCompany protocols

5.5. Company trainingCompany training

6.6. Company security measuresCompany security measures

Spokesperson – What Spokesperson – What information should be gathered?information should be gathered?1.1. Driver employment historyDriver employment history

Any known previous history related to experienceAny known previous history related to experience

2.2. Vehicle service & maintenance historyVehicle service & maintenance history

3.3. Confirmed Injury/fatality numbersConfirmed Injury/fatality numbers

Spokesperson – What Spokesperson – What information should be gathered?information should be gathered?4.4. Company protocols – procedures Company protocols – procedures

established to comply with regulatory established to comply with regulatory issuesissues

5.5. Company training – training provided to Company training – training provided to mitigate this specific risk associated with mitigate this specific risk associated with incidentincident

Spokesperson – What Spokesperson – What information should be gathered?information should be gathered?

6.6. Company security measures – Company security measures – procedures/actions taken to reduce risk procedures/actions taken to reduce risk

Tips - Dealing with the MediaTips - Dealing with the Media

You should have prepared/canned You should have prepared/canned responses available for various situations responses available for various situations which highlight the positives of your which highlight the positives of your company in various areas:company in various areas:

Driver/employee TrainingDriver/employee Training Maintenance ProgramMaintenance Program Safety Record and RatingsSafety Record and Ratings Investigation and Crisis Investigation and Crisis

Management/Response ProtocolManagement/Response Protocol

Tips - Dealing with the MediaTips - Dealing with the Media

Add to canned responses details and Add to canned responses details and facts gathered involving/concerning the facts gathered involving/concerning the current situation/incidentcurrent situation/incident

Never say “I don’t know”Never say “I don’t know”

Never let a question go answered Never let a question go answered without incorporating a positivewithout incorporating a positive

Helpful Tips – Crisis PlanHelpful Tips – Crisis Plan

Checklists for each response team Checklists for each response team position should be drafted to insure proper position should be drafted to insure proper information and response considerations information and response considerations given (team leader review during crisis)given (team leader review during crisis)

Catastrophic/Crisis response is too much Catastrophic/Crisis response is too much for one person to handlefor one person to handle

Helpful Tips – Crisis PlanHelpful Tips – Crisis Plan

Information gathered, communications Information gathered, communications should be documented in real time and should be documented in real time and available to all team membersavailable to all team members

If response team is not in single location, If response team is not in single location, dedicated communication lines for team dedicated communication lines for team members should be availablemembers should be available

Needed to Respond to any Crisis:Needed to Respond to any Crisis:

Duplicate contact info for key Duplicate contact info for key employees/response members available employees/response members available to ell employeesto ell employees

Updated contacts/phone lists for all Updated contacts/phone lists for all employees, including emergency contact employees, including emergency contact infoinfo


Emergency contacts for passengers Emergency contacts for passengers where possiblewhere possible

Multiple contacts for key business partnersMultiple contacts for key business partners

Employee training – drivers/tour Employee training – drivers/tour guides/on-scene responders – what guides/on-scene responders – what information to gatherinformation to gather


Training for dispatchers – who to Training for dispatchers – who to notify/where to begin to document info notify/where to begin to document info (gatherer?)(gatherer?)

Business continuity considerationsBusiness continuity considerations

Proper Execution of a Crisis Proper Execution of a Crisis PlanPlan

Requires training for key employees involvedRequires training for key employees involved

May be effective to go through mock May be effective to go through mock communications with responderscommunications with responders

Practice once/yearPractice once/year

Review threat matrix annually to determine if Review threat matrix annually to determine if additional plans should be developedadditional plans should be developed

How Do I Build It Into A Plan?How Do I Build It Into A Plan?

Define roles and responsibilities for all Define roles and responsibilities for all employeesemployees

Identify key roles and responsibilitiesIdentify key roles and responsibilities Detail practices and actions of Company Detail practices and actions of Company

for Security and Emergency Preparednessfor Security and Emergency Preparedness Detail training and exercises to be Detail training and exercises to be

providedprovided

How Do I Build It Into A Plan?How Do I Build It Into A Plan?

Detail public safety agencies which will be Detail public safety agencies which will be contacted for emergency response and contacted for emergency response and coordinationcoordination

Detail other companies you will contact for help Detail other companies you will contact for help in transporting employees, passengers, or in transporting employees, passengers, or victimsvictims

Define the process and time frame for evaluation Define the process and time frame for evaluation and modification of the Planand modification of the Plan

Detail response procedures for each type of Detail response procedures for each type of likely threatlikely threat

Detail procedures for business continuity / Detail procedures for business continuity / recoveryrecovery