Autumn 2019 Leader Magazine - Natural Disasters

&Natural DisastersEmergency Preparedness VOL6/NO4/AUTUMN 2019

CTOHNETISNTUAERSTO ALIGN FOR 31NUSTAR! WVPORPKSSTITAERS AND COUNTING. . . WWW.NUSTARENERGY.COM

CONTENTS VOL 6 | NO 4 | AUTUMN 2019 FEATURES 10 28 Critical Consideration Before, During and After: for Social Media Surviving a Disaster with and Emergency Effective Planning Management Today By Vivian Marinelli, Psy.D., By Captain Tiffany Danko, FEI Behavioral Health United States Coast Guard Reserve 32 18 When Disaster Strikes... Do You Have the Right Emergency Planning Protective Equipment? Best Practices for Effective Hazardous By Lydia Baugh, International Chemical Management Safety Equipment Association By Glenn Trout, VelocityEHS 36 22 Why You Should Consider a Tornado Shelter From the Front Lines of Natural Disaster Rescue By Dale Kiefer, Triple Canopy Media By Tim Robson, Eddie Chapa and Heath Petty, Roco Rescue 41 Safety in the Era of Extreme Weather Events By National Safety Council Staff SECTIONS COLUMNS 8 Infographic Corner 46 Membership Corner 4 A Message from the VPPPA Chairperson 50 State-Plan Monitor 6 Global Safety and Health Watch 54 Regional Round-Ups 44 From the Perspective of a First Responder 58 Calendar of Events

A Message From the VPPPA Chairperson W elcome to the Autumn issue Welcome to our VPPPA family. We held 11 of the Leader magazine. In this VPPPA National and Regional conferences issue, we are focused on natural across the country providing excellence in disasters. A special shout-out to our authors education and networking opportunities to for sharing their expertise with us. a total of over 7,200 attendees. Fiscal Year 2018, ending in June of 2019, was the most We celebrated our 35th year of facilitiating financially successful on record for our safety management system (SMS) excellence association in terms of revenue over expenses. at the Safety+ Symposium in New Orleans, LA, where we brought innovation and the learning We formed a formal partnership with experience to a new level. the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA). ISEA members are leaders in safety At the event, we also unleashed our new and equipment manufacturing, testing and progressive VPPPA logo. We are the masters application, and we are now united in the of SMS excellence and the facilitators of goal of protecting workers worldwide. We collaboration, mentorship and the protection strengthened our partnership with the Board of workers. Our new logo is a testament to that of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP). BCSP commitment. The logo represents a pledge is the leader in high quality credentialing for to continuous progress, growth, superiority safety, health and environmental practitioners. of solutions, deliverance of the best in SMS We strengthened our partnership with excellence and to innovation. Columbia Southern University to offer our members scholarships, discounted and flexible We completely revamped this year’s Safety+ online associate, bachelors and master’s degree Symposium. Some of the innovations included: programs. We are a Top Tier Partner on the very successful OSHA Safe and Sound Week • National VPPPA Mentor of the Year Award Campaign with participants in every state, • Live-streamed several of our workshops four U.S. territories and 17 countries. We have • Daily live broadcasts from The partnered with the world’s best regional, national and international exhibitors to SafetyPro Podcast bring you the latest technology, education, products and services on the planet. • A professional general session As an additional member benefit, members production team now have access to all of our previously recorded webinars for free on our website. • Three general sessions, with the first As always, if you have any thoughts, one being a power hour with multiple comments, questions or ideas, please reach out industry-leading speakers to me, our amazing National Office Staff, or the National and/or Regional Boards of Directors. • Recorded workshops for members Everything we do is for you, our members. You asked, we listened, and we are forging a to download new and exciting future in this regard. • More networking opportunities in We are truly transforming tomorrow together. fun environments —J.A. Rodriguez Jr., CSP, SGE • A relaxation/meditation room • The media center • New engaging tracks for our concurrent sessions including one for leaders We also announced partnerships with our VPPPA Regions to hold joint symposiums for the first time ever. The first of the “super” events will be with Region IV in 2021, Region V in 2022 and Regions IX and X in 2023. We are lined up to partner with all of our VPPPA Regions. I am excited to announce we have 290 new member sites since fiscal year 2018. 4 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

VPPPA partner, the International Safety Equipment www.vpppa.org Association (ISEA), is the leading association for personal protective equipment and technologies that enable VPPPA National Board of Directors people to work in hazardous environments, and an ANSI-accredited standard developing organization. The Chairperson association works closely with manufacturers, test labs, J.A. Rodriguez, Jr., CSP, SGE, Raytheon subject matter experts, end-users and government Company, LLC agencies in the standards development process. ISEA members-leaders in safety equipment manufacturing, Vice Chairperson testing and application-are united in the goal of Terry Schulte, NuStar Energy, LP protecting workers worldwide. ISEA has launched the #SafeHands Campaign to promote awareness and Treasurer educate workers about keeping their hands safe. Chris Adolfson, Idaho National Laboratory vpppa.org Secretary Dan Lazorcak, CSP, Honeywell International Director from a Site With a Collective Bargaining Unit Jack Griffith, CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company Director from a Site Without a Collective Bargaining Agent Johnathan “JD” Dyer, Shermco Industries Director from a DOE-VPP Site Stacy Thursby, Navarro—DOE Legacy Management Support Director from a VPP Contractor/ Construction Site Brad Gibson, S&B Engineers & Constructors Director-at-Large Kristyn Grow, CSP, CHMM, SGE Cintas Corporation Director-at-Large Sean D. Horne, Valero Energy Director-at-Large Alice Tatro, Acushnet Company—Ball Plant II Director-at-Large Shelly Ettel, PCAPP Director-at-Large Bill Linneweh, CSP, Hendrickson International Director-at-Large Andy Youpel, SGE, Brandenburg Industrial Service Company Editor Kerri Carpenter, VPPPA, Inc. Associate Editor Jamie Mitchell, VPPPA, Inc. EDITORIAL MISSION The Leader (ISSN 1081-261X) is published quarterly for VPPPA members. The Leader delivers articles from members for members, safety and health best practices, developments in the field of occupational safety and health, association activities, educational and networking opportunities and the latest VPP approvals. Subscriptions are available for members as part of their membership benefits and at a 50 percent discount beyond the complimentary allotment. The nonmember subscription rate is $25 a year. Ideas and opinions expressed within The Leader represent the independent views of the authors. Postmaster >> Please send address changes to: VPPPA, Inc. • 7600 Leesburg Pike, East Building, Suite 100 • Falls Church, VA 22043-2004 VPPPA, Inc., the premier global safety and health organization, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that promotes advances in worker safety and health excellence through best practices and cooperative efforts among workers, employers, the government and communities. Leader—Autumn 2019 5

Global Safety and Health Watch By Jamie Mitchell Communications Coordinator, VPPPA, Inc. How Can I Help? Natural disasters charities to buy the most needed Direct Relief is currently home damaged by Hurricane consistently wreak types of food, medicine, clothing, supporting many active Harvey, and the organization havoc throughout the shelter materials, and other emergencies, including: deployed 1,683 volunteers world. In recent years supplies. By buying relief products hurricane relief, the California during their Hurricane Harvey it seems like the devastation is locally or regionally, charities can fires, the Mexico earthquakes response. In addition, Team never-ending. While sometimes reduce shipping costs and more and Puerto Rico. Regarding Rubicon has launched a large- it may seem hopeless, there are rapidly deliver assistance. Before the wildfires, Direct Relief has scale response operation in the things we can do to help. The sending any goods, first contact supplied masks that protect Bahamas to help those impacted following articles in this issue the charity to find out if they are against smoke and ash, as well by Hurricane Dorian. A study of the Leader provide countless appropriate and if it will be cost as medical assistance at 40 by the Department of Veterans emergency preparedness tips. effective to distribute them. For health centers and clinics. Affairs finds continued service Taking the advice laid out in these example, after a tsunami in the helps veterans reintegrate into pages is the first step toward Pacific, boxes of donated winter Team Rubicon society and provides positive helping yourself, or loved ones, coats, scarves and fuzzy hats, mental health benefits. survive a storm if you are directly completely useless items in Teamrubiconusa.org impacted. For those of us lucky tsunami-stricken nations with According to their website, Volunteering enough to not be affected by tropical climates, were sent.” “Team Rubicon is an recent catastrophes, there are international disaster response While donating funds is always a other ways to provide assistance. There are a wide variety of nonprofit that unites the skills great way to help disaster relief amazing charities that are worthy and experiences of military efforts, you can also offer your Unsure of where to donate? of your donation. Including: veterans with first responders time and energy by volunteering. GuideStar is the world’s largest to rapidly provide relief to By simply searching for source of information on Direct Relief communities in need. Founded “disaster relief” on a website like nonprofit organizations. When in 2010 with the expressed goal VolunteerMatch.org you can find researching a nonprofit to donate Directrelief.org of quickly responding to large- local opportunities. to, GuideStar compares nonprofits As stated by GuideStar, “Direct scale disasters, Team Rubicon and presents information with Relief is a medical relief has deployed thousands of Before sending unsolicited transparency. In addition, organization, active in all 50 volunteers across the United items, be sure to check if an CharityWatch, which was founded states and 80 countries, with a States and world to provide organization is accepting 25 years ago as the American mission to improve the health relief to communities in need.” donated goods, and what those Institute of Philanthropy, works and lives of people affected by goods are. In addition, giving to expose nonprofit abuses and poverty or emergency situations. Team Rubicon recently blood is another meaningful advocates for the interests of Direct Relief earns a 100 percent finished rebuilding their fiftieth way to help out after a storm. the donor. CharityWatch grades fundraising efficiency rating from organizations on a scale of A+ to F. Forbes, tops Charity Navigator’s RESOURCES list of the “10 Best Charities CharityWatch also warns Everyone’s Heard Of” and is www.guidestar.org/profile/95-1831116 donors to be on guard for named among “the world’s most fraudulent organizations. Social innovative companies in not- www.guidestar.org/ media can be full of scammers for-profit” by Fast Company. using copy-cat charity names Among other distinctions, www.directrelief.org/ or people promoting completely Direct Relief received the 2014 fake organizations. According CECP Director’s Award, the www.charitywatch.org/ to CharityWatch, “The best way President’s Award from Esri for to help is by sending a check excellence in GIS mapping, and www.vox.com/future-perfect/2018/10/15/17927688/disasters- or donating securely by credit the Peter F. Drucker Award for hurricane-dorian-bahamas-relief-aid card. Such cash donations enable Nonprofit Innovation.” teamrubiconusa.org/blog/team-rubicon-is-providing-relief-in-the- bahamas-while-remaining-ready-to-support-the-us/ blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2019/09/03/5-ways- to-help-communities-affected-by-hurricane-florence-and-other- natural-disasters/ 6 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

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Infographic Corner According to DoSomething.org, NOAA reports a over half of the 22 percent victims of both decrease in Hurricane Katrina and direct or indirect Hurricane Sandy weather-related were senior citizens deaths from 2013 to 2017. over the age of 65. The number of OSHA requires all weather events companies with 10 or reported by the more employees to National Oceanic and have a written Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) emergency action plan has increased 7.6 percent; developed within OSHA standards. from 55,760 events in 2013 to 59,985 in 2017. Almost half of all flash The Centers for flood fatalities are Disease Control vehicle-related, and Prevention according to the National attributes 25 to 50 Weather Service. deaths annually vpppa.org in the U.S. to landslides and debris flows. 8 Leader—Autumn 2019



103 32 21 68823267 @C7R2ITICALConsideration for Social Media and #EMERGEN1C0Y1 4M3an00agement Today 99 754ByCaptainTiffanyDanko,UnitedStatesCoastGuardReserve 53 48658 35210 Leader—Autumn 2019 577 382vpppa.org

56 344 202 413 n a time when and make sense of a significant or understanding of the even the Federal amount of information within evolving situation, decision- 4 Emergency a limited period of time, making, communications and Management creating that shared vision preparation such as training vpppa.org Agency (FEMA) “has an app while establishing feedback and and organization (Stern, 2013). for that,” and Twitter and communication throughout Each of these comes into play Facebook play a prominent the organizations involved. with an essential element role in public communications, For example, there were more of this leadership process— social media has become than 100 agencies involved in communications, including an essential consideration rescuing greater than 122,331 social media. The influence of for leaders in emergency people in the flooding of social media in a crisis today management. Leading in a Houston during Hurricane cannot be underestimated, as it crisis or emergency scenario Harvey (Federal Emergency shapes actions of organizations involves coordination and Management Agency, 2017). The and agencies while influencing collaboration across a dozens of federal, state and local public risk perceptions and multitude of individuals, agencies and health providers communicating essential organizations and that responded to the Las Vegas information. According to governments, understanding shootings (The New York Times, the Department of Homeland and making sense of 2017) also required collaboration Security (DHS), “Social media the unexpected, while and quick decision-making and collaborative technologies communicating and while facing life-threatening have become critical partnering across boundaries. concerns and effectively components of emergency Organizations must adapt communicating with the preparedness, response, and and flexibly respond to public. In the case of Hurricane recovery” (Department of capability and resource Harvey, leaders quickly Homeland Security, 2013). demands, leveraging systems leveraged established incident Social media enables the to effectively manage evolving management procedures and rapid diffusion of messages risk and ensure safety for networks, communicating to and information, while also personnel. Leaders who create a system for coordination facilitating community- articulate a shared, common and rescue of individuals across building across the public and vision while communicating multiple cities by helicopter, various organizations. (Liu, expectations and managing boat, truck, kayak and any Lai, & Xu, 2018). Leaders in a performance enable success other conveyance capable of crisis rely on these functions to for organizations during times handling the conditions at hand effectively steer organizations of crisis (Gruber, Smerek, (Thomas, 2018). and communities in successful Thomas-Hunt, & Jones, 2015; response actions, maintaining James & Wooten, 2005, 2010). Leading an organization transparency while strategically Leaders in emergency through confronting a framing efforts and adapting to management must embrace disaster or crisis involves key a rapidly evolving environment. challenges such as sensemaking Leader—Autumn 2019 11

486 Influence of Social of individuals and families Media on Emergency based on this information, 352 Management while simultaneously other Processes volunteer services like The influence While crisis communication CrowdSource Rescue directed of social media and risk has traditionally been The influence of social media on similar efforts. Information framed as a one-way conveyance today’s emergency management sharing by these agencies, such on today’s of information, new technologies processes is tremendous. During as the Harris County Sheriff’s emergency have made this a dynamic, the lead-up to Hurricane Irma, Office tweet on August 27 that, management interactive exchange between for example, Florida’s office “HCSO deputies are out in the processes is organizations and the public. of tourism sent over 280,000 Blackhorse subdivision still tremendous. Media and communication are targeted Facebook messages to working high water rescues” rapidly changing in response those it believed to be visiting. (HCSO, 2017), was reshared to emerging technologies and Meanwhile, the National Oceanic dozens of times, spreading social drivers, altering how and Atmospheric Administration the word of agency actions people communicate with one (NOAA) used Twitter to post while engaging the community another and how organizations storm and forecast updates, throughout the emergency communicate with the and local agencies like Seminole management process. According public (Federal Emergency County in Florida used the to King (2018), social media Management Agency, 2012). Nextdoor social media site to may further enable those who These changing patterns of map potentially impacted areas are unable to use traditional information flow are seen in the of residents (MacMillan, 2017). means of communication or role of social media in emergency During Hurricane Harvey, belong to vulnerable populations management over the last few thousands of individuals used obtain information while also years, where Facebook posts and hashtags in Twitter posts, connecting to friends and family Twitter feeds have driven public such as #HoustonRescue and throughout an emergency. opinion, agency responses and #HoustonSoS, in order to post Leaders have the opportunity to even rescues of individuals addresses and information advance this, providing social and families. for those requesting rescue. media structure and engagement Authorities used social media and identifying the capabilities to guide information flow and and resources needed to direct stranded members of effectively manage the process. the community to coordinate assistance. According to the Social Media DHS (2013), the literature and Emergency supports the use of social media Management: Benefit in a role for organizations or Challenge? during emergencies and requires a proactive strategy for According to Freberg (2012), engagement with the community agencies and organizations and other organizations. have the ability to shape public perceptions of risk and actions As an example of this, an for emergency preparedness. analysis of social media used Simultaneously concerned for during Hurricanes Harvey the safety of responders and the and Irma revealed five major public, social media presents categories of information, both benefits and challenges including “securing rescue, to organizations. Resources volunteerism, information for managing an emergency sharing, activism and keeping situation are always constrained, friends and family updated” whether due to budgetary (King, 2018). When the 911 reasons, asset availability system was overwhelmed during or location. Social media, Hurricane Harvey, the public however, is driving volunteer turned to Twitter, Facebook organizations to greater and other social media sites to interaction with traditional call for rescue. Local, state, and emergency management federal agencies, from police and processes, while also providing fire departments to the U.S. Coast a vehicle to leverage these Guard, rescued tens of thousands 12 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

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58 577 resources and incorporate during these hurricanes, this complex task, there can also them into operational but without the additional be an inundation of misleading At many points paradigms (Federal Emergency information normally sought by and false information, even during the Management Agency, 2012). the 911 system, it is difficult to dangerous deceptions preying At the same time, however, determine the relative risk each on the public. last two years, this additional connection to group is facing. agencies have volunteers presents further Misinformation campaigns had to remind management challenges, In a study of the social media and the spread of deliberately requiring an acknowledgement posts for rescues related to false or misleading information the public of the physical safety and Hurricane Harvey, for example, proliferate in modern crises not to use coordination for potentially University of Texas Researchers (Department of Homeland social media thousands of untrained (Zhang, 2018) found problems Security, 2018; Harper, 2018). for rescue volunteers in an emergency. with coordination and redundant Particularly dangerous to requests, or needless rescue efforts due the agencies and volunteers directing them Further, the coordination of to overlap of information or managing a crisis or disaster to 911 systems information for rescue through multiple agencies responding scenario, modern social media for effective social media rather than the to similar information. Further, enables individuals and groups dispatch. traditional 911 system, such first responders sent to assist the to advance agendas or achieve as occurred during Hurricanes public are unable to determine specific results while others 14 Leader—Autumn 2019 Harvey, Irma and Florence, the relative risk in operations, simultaneously spread outdated leaves organizations vulnerable without that additional or incorrect information. to incorrect information and information. As leaders, this difficult prioritization. When all requires critical reflection on the For example, during the 2017 the information that is available use of social media posts as well California wildfires, a media is a few sentences from a as the risk faced by responders in source advanced a false claim tweet or Facebook post, how unknown environments. about the source of the wildfires do leaders prioritize between (Harper, 2018), and the 2017 the “family on the roof with An overwhelming amount of Oroville dam evacuation nearly 2 kids” and the “women with data may also result from the engulfed nearby unaffected wheelchair and a dog”? Notes adoption of social media as a areas due to a misleading tweet like these were common to the tool in emergency management, (Department of Homeland rescue information requested with a massive volume of Security, 2018). In each case, information to sort through officials had to rapidly respond for actionable information. At and initiate the spread of many points during the last corrected information to two years, agencies have had counter the misleading and false to remind the public not to use data being distributed via social social media for rescue requests, media outlets to avert negative directing them to 911 systems consequences to the public and for effective dispatch. Hundreds first responders. of thousands of unvetted social media posts were involved Incorrect information, with the rescue efforts for the such as that distributed by 2017 and 2018 U.S. hurricane fake accounts like those seasons, and the Rice University in play during Hurricane Kinder Institute found that Sandy that distributed false there were over one million news of a flooded New York Twitter posts alone related to Stock Exchange and sharks Hurricane Harvey hashtags in in the streets of New York the 14-day period immediately (Department of Homeland surrounding Harvey’s impact Security, 2018), mislead the on the Houston area in 2017 public. When combined with (Rice Kinder, 2018). This volume the insufficient information of data requires a risk-based which often occurs when decision-making process agencies are unable to rapidly for leaders to ensure that distribute updates like after the responders are being guided by 2015 Nepal earthquake, public true operational needs, rather safety may be at risk. During the than issues that simply yield the 2016 Louisiana floods, multiple largest amount of information, false posts and insufficient to ensure their safety. Within information posted by FEMA resulted in an overwhelmed vpppa.org

911 system, inhibiting response flooded or endangered Homeland Security, 2018). Rumor control, agencies and delaying critical individuals and families who Positive management of through the information for first responders remained in a dangerous false information through effective use (Department of Homeland environment. Old and outdated rumor control pages like the Security, 2018). information can have a similar one created by FEMA during of social media effect, exacerbated by the Hurricane Florence (Kessler, to update the Specific disinformation overwhelming amount of data on 2018) or active, designated public as often campaigns are also common in social media, driving response social media managers like as possible, has a crisis, where individuals or personnel to locations where they the Harris County Sheriff’s been proven groups look to social media to may not be needed or people Office or the National Weather exploit a political situation or a have already been rescued. Center, can effectively effective vulnerable social group. During counter misinformation while through the response to Hurricane Considering a advancing public trust and multiple Harvey in 2017, a prominent Way Forward transparency (Oyeniyi, 2017). responses social media rumor spread that Swift action and a program (Department shelter officials were asking for With these concerns, what of interactive notifications of Homeland proof of immigration status, a possible solutions exist for further enables greater control Security, 2018). rumor which resurfaced during leaders to protect the public of distributed information, later 2017 and 2018 hurricanes and personnel? First, rapid potentially countering false (Department of Homeland distribution of essential rumors through credible sources Security, 2018; Kessler, 2018). information is paramount. (Harper, 2018). This potentially endangers a Rumor control, through the vulnerable population who effective use of social media Training in risk-based may be influenced to not seek to update the public as often decision-making and social shelter, as well as putting in as possible, has been proven media management empowers danger emergency personnel effective through multiple personnel through active who must then assist stranded, responses (Department of planning, training and vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 15

103 expectation management. with traditional media outlets be completely deterred. Leaders Leaders of Established policies and training enable collaborative efforts of organizations responding to organizations in social media management for consistent messaging emergencies must take action to responding to provide personnel a framework and greater detection of ensure the safety of responding within which to operate in a misinformation spreading personnel as well as the public, 86emergencies crisis, enabling timely action through social media which includes awareness, must take and effective engagement (Department of Homeland training and deliberate effort action to ensure (Department of Homeland Security, 2018). Leaders who toward the management of the safety of Security, 2013). Leaders who also include community social media in emergencies. responding encourage risk-based decision- engagement in this process The actions of individuals like personnel as making combine risk assessment, leverage the networks inherent @ComfortablySmug who, well as the potential risk-reducing strategies in communities combined with during Hurricane Sandy, tweeted public, which and planning with social media partnerships for crowd sources that, “ConEdison has begun includes management policies and and information dissemination, shutting down all power in awareness, training to lessen the hazards while remaining attuned to Manhattan,” (Gross, 2012) while training and to personnel and the public. community sentiment that may spreading additional dangerous deliberate Training of responders can be influenced by misinformation. misinformation across multiple effort further encourage identification This collaboration can improve media platforms, endanger the toward the of misinformation and its the quality and verification public and response personnel. management of consequences, broadening of operational information, Rapid distribution of timely social media in organizational capacity in a crisis. reducing ambiguity for and accurate information by emergencies. responders and providing organizations, training in Finally, leaders who drive the most accurate detail risk-based decision-making organizations to create available when social media and social media management partnerships establish a culture information must be used in and collaborative partnerships of information-sharing and response operations. between organizations and the engagement that is critical to community have the ability to effective action in an emergency. Rumors, false information and stop trolls like this in their tracks Pre-established partnerships other misleading sources that and keep our people safe. between organizations and spread on social media cannot Tiffany Danko is an instructor in the Masters of Homeland Security Program at Northeastern University and The University of Southern California Bovard College’s Masters of Criminal Justice. A Captain in the United States Coast Guard Reserve, she is currently assigned as the Senior Reserve Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff for USCG District Eight, and is certified in numerous emergency management positions. REFERENCES Department of Homeland Security. (2013). Innovative uses of social media in emergency management. Retrieved from www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Social-Media-EM_0913-508_0.pdf Department of Homeland Security. (2018). Countering false information on social media in disasters and emergencies. Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/SMWG_Countering-False- Info-Social-Media-Disasters-Emergencies_Mar2018-508.pdf Gross, D. (2012, October 31). Man faces fallout for spreading false Sandy reports on Twitter. Re-trieved from www.cnn.com/2012/10/31/tech/social-media/sandy-twitter-hoax/index.html Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2012). Crisis response and disaster resilience 2030: Forging strategic action in an age of uncertainty. Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/media-library- data/20130726-1816-25045-5167/sfi_report_13.jan.2012_final.docx.pdf Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2017). Historic disaster response to Hurricane Harvey in Texas. Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/09/22/historic-disaster-response-hurricane- harvey-texas Freberg, K. (2012). Intention to comply with crisis messages communicated via social media. Public Relations Review, 38(3), 416–421. doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2012.01.008. Gruber, D. A.; Smerek, R. E.; Thomas-Hunt, M. C.; & James, E. H. (2015). The real-time power of Twitter: Crisis management and leadership in an age of social media. Business Horizons, 58(2), 163–172. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.bushor.2014.10.006 Harper, T. (2018, July 6). How social media disinformation is complicating emergency response. Federal News Network. Retrieved from https://federalnewsnetwork.com/commentary/2018/07/how-social-media- disinformation-is-complicating-emergency-response/ HCSO. (2017, August 27). twitter.com/hcsotexas/status/901887615070347266?lang=en James, E. H., & Wooten, L. P. (2005). Leadership as (un)usual: How to display competence in times of crisis. Organizational Dynamics, 34(2), 141–152. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1016/j.orgdyn.2005.03.005 16 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

James, E. H., & Wooten, L. P. (2010). Leading under pressure: From surviving to thriving before, during, and after 3 a crisis. New York: Routledge. Kessler, C. (2018, September 14). How social media can help (or hurt) during a hurricane. Fortune. Retrieved from https://fortune.com/2018/09/14/hurricane-florence-social-media/ King L. J. (2018). Social media use during natural disasters: An analysis of social media usage during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Proceedings of the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference (pp. 20–23). Orlando, FL, USA. Nicholson School of Com-munication. doi.org/10.30658/icrcc.2018.6 Liu, W., Lai, C., & Xu, W. (2018). Tweeting about emergency: A semantic network analysis of government organizations’ social media messaging during Hurricane Harvey. Public Relations Review, 44(5), 807–819. doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2018.10.009 MacMillan, D. (2017, September 11). In Irma, emergency responders’ new tools: Twitter and Facebook. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-hurricane-irma-information-officials-post- on-social-media-1505149661 Oyeniyi, D. (2017, October 8). How Hurricane Harvey changed social media disaster relief. Texas Monthly. Retrieved from https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/how-social-media-managers-responded- to-hurricane-harvey/ Rice Kinder. (2018, August). Lessons from Harvey: Crisis informatics for urban resilience. Retrieved from https://kinder.rice.edu/research/lessons-harvey-crisis-informatics-urban-resilience Stern, E. K. (2013, August 27). Crisis leadership: The 4 keys to preparing. Government Technology: Emergency Management. Retrieved from https://www.govtech.com/em/disaster/Crisis-Leadership-4-Keys-Preparing.html The New York Times. (2017, October 3). Las Vegas shooting live updates. The New York Times. Retrieved from www.nytimes.com/2017/10/03/us/las-vegas-shooting-live-updates.html Thomas, Paul. (2018, April 9). Written testimony of USCG District 8 Commander Rear Admiral Paul Thomas for a House Committee on Homeland Security field hearing titled “Houston Strong: Hurricane Harvey Lessons Learned and the Path Forward.” Retrieved from https://www.dhs.gov/news/2018/04/09/written-testimony- uscg-house-committee-homeland-security-field-hearing-titled Zhang, A. L. (2018, September 14). UT research: Social media saved lives during Hurricane Harvey. The Daily Texan. www.dailytexanonline.com/2018/09/14/ut-research-social-media-saved-lives-during-hurricane-harvey vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 17

Emergency Planning: HEMICAL 18 Leader—Autumn 2019 By Glenn Trout, VelocityEHS vpppa.org

W hen Hurricane Harvey made landfall over southeast Texas in 2017, it brought with it torrential rains that flooded the nation’s largest energy corridor. During and immediately following the storm, chemical plants reported that over 365 tons of hazardous chemicals were released into the air, land and water. Large-scale emergencies caused by natural disasters and other unplanned incidents, like Hurricane Harvey, demonstrate the need for safeguards to prevent and respond to chemical spills. Often times these events are worsened due to failures in emergency planning that place first responders, workers and the general public at risk for exposure to hazardous chemicals. Incomplete knowledge of the identities and hazards of chemicals on-site, as well as a lack of communication between facility personnel and first responders can compromise incident prevention planning, and undermine emergency response efforts. The following is a look at where these gaps in chemical safety knowledge and communication occur, and ways to ensure your facility’s emergency plan identifies, anticipates and addresses these gaps before unplanned incidents occur. Best Practices for Effective Hazardous MANAGEMENT Chemical Inventory products you have, but also the threshold planning quantities identities and quantities of the (TPQs) trigger requirements to You can’t develop an emergency individual chemical ingredients develop emergency response plan that accounts for the that compose these products, plans and notify local fire hazardous materials in your since they can pose significant departments, state emergency inventory if you don’t know safety and environmental risks, response commissions (SERCs) you have them. A complete and may even be reportable and local emergency planning picture of your hazardous if present at all, or in certain committees (LEPCs). Storage chemical footprint allows you quantities, in your inventory. of EHSs may also trigger Tier to better identify substances 2 reporting obligations. These that pose extreme hazards to Once you know what specific additional requirements workers, first responders or chemicals are on-site, the next highlight the fact that it is even the community if spilled step is to identify any special sometimes best to ban use of or leaked during an emergency. planning considerations, these chemicals and to remove Review your current chemical especially for any chemicals and substitute them for safer inventory, making sure to that are extremely hazardous alternatives whenever possible. account for materials purchased substances (EHSs) as identified by employees from industrial in Section 302 of the Emergency A good chemical management supply or hardware stores that Planning and Community software solution provides may not be subject to a formal Right to Know Act (EPCRA) greater visibility of your chemical safety review or accompanied by and on the Environmental inventory, helping you identify safety data sheets. Make sure to Protection Agency’s (EPA) List what products you have, what not just account for the chemical of Lists. EHSs stored at or above ingredients make up those vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 19

You can’t products and where in your anywhere, across multiple PC and • Do we have comprehensive develop an company—in which location, mobile device platforms. Utilizing emergency facility, department or storage cloud technology, the best plans in place to address plan that room—you have them, down solutions store SDSs on remote the safe handling, storage, accounts for to the container level. The best servers, ensuring access to your transportation and disposal the hazardous software systems offer visual current SDS libraries whenever of these chemicals? materials in insight into your chemical the documents are needed. your inventory if footprint with drag-and-drop This seamless, off-site access • Are our employees trained as you don’t know controls that allow you to to critical hazardous chemical you have them. instantly identify, move and safety information is key if your well as they should be? How manage your chemical inventory physical facility is unreachable do we know? 20 Leader—Autumn 2019 on an image map of your facility. or even destroyed completely. When you’re evaluating different • Do we know all of the chemical management software When considering chemical options, look for a solution that management software options, regulatory agencies we need features centralized, multi- make sure to pay attention to to report to? location chemical inventory how easy it is to fill gaps in your management capabilities and SDS library. Do you get a library • Do local and state emergency ingredient indexing tools to of SDSs to start your search help you easily track chemical and a simple way to request response agencies know ingredients across products and missing or updated SDSs? the types and amounts of company locations, and flags How often does the solution chemicals on-site? chemicals that are subject to update existing documents, stringent regulatory reporting and does it push updates to • Have we properly labeled and other chemical hazard you automatically? Systems compliance standards. with databases of millions of everything, and do we have accessible SDSs and additional the SDS for all chemicals? SDS Management services can help you quickly track-down missing documents • How quickly can we find Safety data sheets (SDSs) provide during emergency situations hazardous chemical users with when time is limited. The best the SDS in the event of crucial information about the solutions offer unlimited, an emergency? hazards of the chemicals in 24/7 SDS access and exposure your facility, their storage and support through dedicated • Are there appropriate hazard handling precautions, symptoms emergency call centers with of exposure and emergency trained specialists, toxicologists controls in place? response considerations. While and medical technicians able to OSHA requires your employees provide critical chemical safety Frequent inspections are to have access to SDSs during information and escalated essential to maintaining your their work shifts, a common incident reporting. program. Check all areas where practice is to amass SDSs in chemicals are stored and used to paper binders only, making them Maintaining ensure your inventory is up-to- potentially inaccessible in the Your Program date, review your SDS library for event of evacuations and flooding. missing or outdated documents Without the information from The key to successful emergency and assess your training program these SDSs, it’s impossible to planning is vigilance. As often as and other communication understand the full impact of any possible, ask yourself: channels to verify critical safety releases involving the chemicals and emergency procedure to which they pertain, or how • What chemicals do we have? information is being properly to safely approach a clean-up • Where are they stored, and in communicated to employees process where they are present. and first responders. Good what kinds of containers? inspection management software This is an area where chemical can help ensure that inspections management software can • Are any of our chemicals are accurately documented and make a big difference. The same reported in a timely manner, software used to track your classified as extremely and that corrective actions are chemical inventory also should hazardous substances? being initiated, assigned and provide you and your workers verified when completed. with quick and easy access to • Have we cross-checked those your workplace-specific library Leadership and of SDSs at any time, and from chemicals against applicable Communication regulatory lists? Effective emergency planning • What is the worst thing requires active communication on several levels: between your that could happen with company and local emergency those chemicals? responders, between the different individuals on your emergency • Are we prepared for that planning team and between your emergency planning team and worst-case scenario? top-level management. When communicating with local first responders, you’ll want to notify them about your vpppa.org

company’s chemical storage For your emergency planning all employers represented planning, communication practices and whether or not team, it’s important to keep open at your workplace so you all between your emergency you’re already performing lines of communication among understand your roles, and no response team and management regulatory reporting, such all the participating members. communication gaps occur. This is critical to ensure all involved as Tier 2 reporting and EHS Keep in mind that employees is another area where a chemical parties remain on the same page. reporting. You’ll want to also come and go. Having good management solution that provide information to your communication with the team provides 24/7 SDS mobile access While natural disasters and local fire department about ensures each person’s role and online or offline, as well as a other unplanned emergencies significant new chemical hazards responsibilities can be quickly dedicated, expert staffed hotline are unavoidable, you can work at your site and changes to your covered or assumed by other for SDS rapid access and chemical toward implementing mitigation storage locations, container members on the team if needed. exposure support, can help you and prevention measures types, chemical inventory ensure you’re protecting all that keep these events from and the SDSs in your library. Don’t forget about temporary employees in your workplace by escalating into larger, chemical The best solutions allow for and contracted workers. OSHA’s equipping them with unlimited, disasters. With proper planning the seamless distribution of Temporary Worker Initiative multi-way access to the critical and the right tools in place, hazardous chemical information maintains that employers safety information they need. you’ll be able to more easily to first responders, who are present at multi-employer prepare for the worst while all-too-often forced to address worksites share responsibility Lastly, when it comes to aspiring toward the best. emergencies without access for worker safety, with host communication between your to a clear and accurate picture employers being responsible emergency planning team and Glenn Trout is the CEO of of potential on-site chemical for addressing the aspects of the company’s management VelocityEHS, the global leader in dangers. By sharing this safety specifically under their team, you cannot overestimate cloud environment, health, safety information, first responders can control. Make sure any temp and the importance of obtaining buy- (EHS) and sustainability software. better prepare for emergencies contracted labor workers receive in and encouraging participation. To learn more about VelocityEHS involving hazardous chemicals training on the specific hazards Given that you’ll be sharing and the ways its MSDSonline and respond quickly and safely of chemicals in your facility and chemical storage information Chemical Management solutions to incidents at your facility. know how to reduce exposure. with emergency responders, can help you manage your It’s important to maintain open and will need to coordinate with chemical inventory and reach lines of communication between them during emergency response your EHS goals faster, visit MSDSonline.com and EHS.com. ® • Keeps extension ladders from Ladder falls – slipping on slick surfaces such as 2nd leading cause of composite decking work-related • Unique design of foam creates tiny injur ie s! * suction cups that grip the surface, even when wet * https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ nioshtic-2/20034690.html • Light weight for easy use, weighs less than 6 pounds Working Concepts, Inc. • Works on smooth surfaces, plastic, 888-456-3372 • www.softknees.com • [email protected] wood, concrete, etc., even when wet Patent Pending • Prevents marring and scratches to deck caused by ladder feet • Attaches to the bottom ladder rung, with adjustable strap, for easy movement of ladder along wall • Fits most extension ladders, up to 21” wide • Replaceable self-adhesive foam pad vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 21

BEST PRACTICES FOR SAFETY TEAMS 22 Leader—Autumn 2019 OF NATURAL DISASTER RESCUE Lead Author: Tim Robson Contributing Authors: Eddie Chapa and Heath Petty vpppa.org

After driving through the night, our rescue team arrived in New Orleans in the pre-dawn hours of the morning. Hurricane Katrina was pounding the city. The drive was not at all what you’d expect when entering a major city—there was no traffic, no glow from city lights on the horizon. In fact, there were no lights whatsoever. It was unnerving; it felt as though we were entering a ghost town, but we also knew that thousands of people were hanging on for life in that darkness. s the sun rose important guidance to safety manpower will be stretched The bottom line is that that morning, the teams in their training and way beyond their limits. industrial facilities devastation was preparations for such events. should have an laid bare. Instead of the city, there The bottom line is that emergency response was a sea. You Are On Your Own industrial facilities should have plan of their own I was part of a Federal an emergency response plan of that does not rely on Emergency Management Agency A FEMA analysis of recent major their own that does not rely on municipal rescuers, (FEMA) Task Force conducting disasters reveals that the fire municipal rescuers, especially especially for large thousands of water and medical service at large is ill-prepared for large-scale disaster scenarios. scale disaster scenarios. rescues, along with many of my for natural disasters and Comprehensive planning will Roco Rescue colleagues. This other all-hazard operations at help you to understand your and other experiences during regional and national levels. “If vulnerabilities. Risk assessment is events ranging from earthquakes past disasters have taught us a crucial first step in this process. to 9/11, inform the training we anything, it is that emergency conduct for industrial safety 911 requests, welfare/safety Your risk of facing a disaster teams, firefighters and others, checks, evacuations, rescues event will vary depending and also informs the writing and damage assessments will on your geographic location, of this article; while we touch overwhelm response agencies,” among other things. Outcomes on regulations, our focus is to says the report. will vary based upon your discuss our personal experiences facility’s age, size and structure, with all-hazard events, outlining It goes without saying that the training and readiness lessons learned and best municipal firefighters and first of your crew, and so on. A practices that can be applied in responders’ top priority during thorough assessment of your industrial contexts, to protect all-hazard events, will not be risks, including the risk of life and property. the protection of industrial structural collapse and potential With the rise in recent facilities and assets, but rather for release of hazardous decades of natural disasters of the civilian population as materials, will dictate due to many factors—from a whole. Moreover, local fire everything from equipment population density to extreme departments and responders type to the category of response weather patterns—the time is are advised to prepare to be task force(s) you may need in now for industrial facilities to self-reliant for at least the the event of a disaster. In short, take these threats seriously. first three days of a disaster, your risk assessment will be the We hope that our experiences and possibly longer; this was foundation of your planning and takeaways will provide certainly our experience during process. And when assessing Katrina. Thus, resources and your vulnerabilities in the event of a disaster, make your vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 23

The three most calculations and contingencies There are a wide variety of hazard planning are insufficient common deficiencies based upon the assumption planning frameworks to follow leadership structures, we see in all- that you are on your own. If you dependent on industry, but overreliance on conventional hazard planning do, you will be better prepared there are many commonalities. communications systems are insufficient when disaster strikes. For example, oil rig evacuation and inadequate training. leadership structures, in the face of hurricanes may These deficiencies can lead to overreliance on Planning Saves Lives seem to occupy a small niche significant loss of life in the event conventional in disaster planning, however, of a disaster. The following are communications Successful recovery begins long there are key elements that are brief tips related to these points: systems and before the disaster. broadly applicable. Chief among inadequate training. these is, to begin with the end 1. Establish a The National Incident in mind and to build your plan, Unified Command 24 Leader—Autumn 2019 Management System (NIMS) from the desired outcome, defines preparedness as a backward. For any industrial Establish a clear chain of continuous cycle of planning, facility, this likely will involve command and a location for your organizing, training, equipping, a plan to shut down production unified command post, with exercising, evaluating and in advance, secure assets inside plenty of redundancies in the taking corrective action to the facility or possibly relocate event of a disaster. The NIMS, as ensure effective coordination them, secure and protect the well as the US National Response during incident response. physical structures, and evacuate Team Unified Command/Area This preparedness cycle is one personnel. Training to the plan Command models, provide element of FEMA’s National will shed light on how much time guidance as well as insight into Preparedness System to is actually required to accomplish how FEMA and other agencies prevent, respond to, recover everything—in our experience, work (useful for establishing from and mitigate the effects it always takes longer than communications with these of all types of large-scale expected. A good plan will also agencies during a disaster disasters. Components of the detail a process for assessing scenario). Understand common preparedness cycle are: the damage, making repairs and command post failures, such as bringing the facility back online. over-reliance on overburdened • Plan dispatch centers rather than • Organize and equip The three most common developing logistics and planning • Train deficiencies we see in all- functions on-the-ground. • Exercise • Evaluate and improve vpppa.org

2. Plan for precious time and resources are every kind are present, requiring No matter how strong Catastrophic wasted while people in other multidisciplinary teams to your command Communications areas are in desperate need of maneuver. Every discipline structure may be, if Failure rescue. Our team created our will operate differently with your communications own communications system varying priorities, and even systems fail, your No matter how strong your by climbing trees, telephone different terminologies, making entire operation will command structure may be, if poles and radio towers to hang communications a challenge. be imperiled. your communications systems radio repeater equipment to re- fail, your entire operation will establish communications. We recommend industrial be imperiled. facility safety teams train for Post Katrina incident reports scenarios in multi-disciplinary Of all the disruptions caused and lessons learned have greatly teams using all personnel who by power failure during Katrina improved communications in could, potentially, be involved (and there were many), by far the subsequent disasters. But the in the event of a disaster. worst for first responders was the lesson for industrial facilities This can include engineers or breakdown of communication is clear… Plan, train and others charged with decisions systems. When phones failed and equip for the eventuality that regarding structural integrity, batteries died, responders were communications channels will key equipment operators and unable to communicate with be lost and equipment will fail. power technicians, onsite one another, and with central Anything less is tempting fate, paramedics or nurses, as well command. This was dangerous and in a disaster scenario, fate as the local fire department or for many reasons, and it led to will usually not be kind. municipal emergency response duplication of efforts. At several teams. (While fire departments junctures, we learned we had 3. Build and Train in cannot be relied upon for large- been searching an area that had Multidisciplinary Teams scale emergencies, they do, already been covered by other of course, provide important emergency responders. This is An all-hazard event is just support in smaller events). not a trivial matter. It means that—an event where hazards of OSHA VPP Excellence VPP Certificate Program Program Description OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) is one of the most highly Totally Online sought after and respected cooperative programs available today. The Six Courses University of Alabama at Birmingham’s OSHA VPP Excellence Certificate Program provides students with the tools and knowledge necessary to develop and maintain a safety and health program which conforms with or exceeds OSHA’s rigorous requirements to achieve VPP Certification. Program Details Peer-to-Peer Learning This certificate program is strategically aligned with the VPPPA’s mission For Working Professionals to promote the VPP Program and support member organizations who have achieved, or are in the process of preparing for, admission to the VPP Program. The program will also equip students with the leadership skills Live Lectures needed to guide transformational change within the safety culture and enable them to lead from behind or to manage from the middle. Upon completion of this certificate program, students can expect to be fully prepared to manage through the VPP process, using the knowledge gained to achieve OSHA VPP Certification or Re-certification. uab.edu/asem | 205.975.3891 | [email protected] vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 25

You’ve got to gear 4. Match Your 5. If You Think You’ve know how to do the job in pitch up, turn on your Equipment to Trained Enough, You black? Could they proceed when headlamps and start Your Need Probably Haven’t the key piece of equipment the generators to breaks? Do they know how to honestly evaluate your When members of our team To me, relying too much on do the job with a skeleton crew, team’s capabilities. responded to Katrina, a tabletop planning is an easy way or can they continue no matter significant portion of our cache to get out of actually doing live which shift is on duty? All these 26 Leader—Autumn 2019 of cutting and heavy equipment training scenarios. If you ain’t scenarios and more should be was rendered useless either sweating while you are training, covered by training. because it didn’t have a mobile then you ain’t training properly. power source or it was too You’ve got to gear up, turn on One of the greatest challenges cumbersome to be useful in your headlamps and start the presented by all-hazard events those conditions. generators to honestly evaluate is their low frequency; it makes your team’s capabilities. maintaining assets and skills Since that time, manufacturers, difficult. These events are in partnership with FEMA and How frequently your safety also highly unpredictable, other agencies, have worked teams train depends upon so training for every single hard to design lighter and more many factors, including the contingency is simply not energy-efficient equipment size of your facility, industry, feasible. For these reasons, the options. Holmatro, for example, threat matrix, and more. Most most important thing a trainer has refined many of its designs should be training at least can do is to foster problem- and some can now be used for monthly with quarterly or bi- solving and throw curveballs to underwater extrications. annual multidisciplinary team get rescuers thinking outside of trainings. But if you have a large the box. Your assessment and footprint or deal with special planning phases should identify hazards, then you should be 6. Foster Outside- the type of equipment most training more frequently. Of-The Box Thinking needed onsite based upon your particular facility’s risk profile. When it comes to training Even if it is not possible to train And always remember to have tips, yes, practicing how to for every contingency, one of a contingency plan in place—if locate and operate equipment the benefits of frequent training roadways are impassible, or is critical, but training should is the strong foundation of tools fail, your teams will need be so much more. You should knowledge and confidence alternative options so they can practice as many contingencies that it builds in rescuers. This do their jobs. as possible. Would your team vpppa.org

confidence is what enables Conclusion Army before transitioning to work Good training a competency for creative as Operations Lead for a major establishes readiness, problem-solving that, when a While preparedness for low- oil and gas company’s offshore skills and equipment disaster strikes, saves lives. frequency all-hazard events operations. In that role, he trained competencies and may seem like a low priority, it and led a 15-member fire brigade hazard awareness. For example, recruiting may help to think about disaster and rescue team. In addition to civilian help was, generally preparedness as an extension his expertise in a wide variety speaking, frowned upon in of overall rescue response of technical rescue disciplines, disaster scenarios. That is, until competency. A facility that Eddie has also completed training Katrina hit and we had no choice invests time and resources to in MEM (Major Emergencies but to get creative. Similarly, train for a hurricane or wildfires Management) and Helicopter the challenges our team will be better prepared to deal Underwater Escape training. encountered at the Pentagon with much simpler, more At Roco Rescue, Eddie teaches after 9/11 led our rescue team isolated emergency incidents. industrial training courses in to design—on the fly—a new And finally, we owe it to our fall protection, confined space system for shoring the support team, our colleagues and our rescue, rope and high angle columns so the building would communities to prepare as rescue, and trench rescue across not fall on rescuers. This system best we can to minimize the the country. is still taught to this day as a devastating impacts these method for shoring in certain events can have. Heath Petty was a Rescue Squad disaster scenarios. Specialist on the FEMA New Mexico Chief Instructor for Roco Rescue Task Force 1 and assisted with Good training establishes and longtime Rescue Team the rescue and recovery efforts readiness, skills and equipment Manager, Rescue Squad Officer at the Pentagon after 9/11, and competencies and hazard and Safety Officer for FEMA’s/ following Hurricanes Katrina and awareness. From that foundation, Department of Homeland Rita. Heath also deployed as a teams can then graduate to Security New Mexico Task Force 1, US Army flight medic to Helmand developing sophisticated Tim Robson participated in three Province, Afghanistan, where he risk/reward assessments and national deployments for FEMA, flew almost 200 combat MEDEVAC improvised problem-solving including one to the Pentagon missions. Heath has worked for skills. After all, seldom does a after 9/11 and two to the Gulf Roco Rescue for 20 years as a crisis unfold according to plan. Coast for Hurricanes Katrina and Confined Space Rescue Team Rita. Tim leads training courses member and as an Instructor. 7. Evaluate and Learn in trench rescue, confined space, He is currently a Chief Instructor high angle, structural collapse, primarily in Roco Rescue’s tactical A final, critical element for tactical, and fall protection for program, teaching urban/ building a culture of safety at Roco Rescue. Prior to joining Roco confined space rescue to include your facility is post-incident Rescue, Tim spent six years with ship board operations, mountain evaluation. Evaluating what the Albuquerque Fire Department rescue, structural collapse rescue, went right and wrong in every and served in the U.S. Marine and vehicle extrication to the scenario—large and small— Corps, where he trained as a U.S. Department of Defense and enables teams to learn and Combat Water Survival Specialist the U.S. Department of Justice. improve. Such reviews conducted Instructor, Rescue Swimmer, Heath teaches industrial training and lessons learned as a result of and Rescue Diver. During his courses as well. disasters have led to significant service, Tim deployed to Egypt, improvements in equipment Japan, Korea, Philippines, the design, rescue techniques, Mediterranean, and took part communications, and in the in Operation Desert Shield and overall ways that agencies Desert Storm in Kuwait and respond to all-hazard events. Iraq. He was awarded “NCO of the Quarter” and received Industrial safety teams are numerous other awards for learning from these lessons civilian and military search as well. They are changing and rescue operations. Tim is a the way that they train Certified Medical First Responder their teams, providing more and a Certified Occupational specialized training for a Safety Specialist. He has earned variety of scenarios, from technical rescue certifications weather events to active shooter in several states, including New drills. They are adopting new Mexico and Louisiana. technologies, like drones, to make search and rescue even Roco Rescue’s Industrial Business safer and more effective. Development Leader and Chief Instructor Eddie Chapa started his career as a Paratrooper in the U.S. vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 27

ADBEUFFTROEINRRG:E,SwuitrhvivEifnfgecativDeisPaslatnenring By Vivian Marinelli, Psy.D., In 2019, we have already experienced numerous natural and man-made disasters. FEI Behavioral Health The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) declared the first disaster in January with Tropical Storm Michael and the earthquake that impacted Alaska. Since the start of 2019, natural disasters have included severe storms and flooding throughout the Midwest and the South, wildfires in Alaska, Montana and Oregon, earthquakes in Southern California, and most recently Hurricane Dorian, which impacted the Bahamas and the entire Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada. (As of press time.) 28 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

There are no M an-made disasters have taken a heavy equipping the facility; ensuring a backup power cookie-cutter toll on businesses and communities this supply is available; storing enough food and water year. In a thirteen-hour timeframe in to last three to ten days; stocking medical supplies; ,&templates! August, 32 employee and patron lives and preparing a communication plan with were lost, 51 people were directly injured and many emergency contacts. more were traumatized as a result of violence in the workplace. These tragedies took place at only It’s important for companies two businesses; the reality is that during that same to transition from “we time period, more violent acts occurred at other never saw it coming” to business locations within the United States. “we knew what to do when the time came.” Whether it’s a natural disaster or a societal crisis, disaster situations can be impossible to Shelter-in-place needs focus on the ability to predict. It’s important for companies to transition keep your staff safe from external, potentially from “we never saw it coming” to “we knew what life-threatening situations. You need to do a risk to do when the time came.” Benjamin Franklin was assessment for each location to identify both once quoted as saying, “by failing to prepare, you natural and man-made threats that could occur. are preparing to fail.” Then, your plan should identify multiple safe areas that can be secured from the inside. These areas Although you may be unable to predict when a should be able to accommodate the number of staff disaster will occur, you can protect your employees and visitors that could be on-site at any given time. and assets with proper planning, training and The cell service reception in these areas should be communication tactics. Consider taking an “all tested as it will be critical to receive and provide hazards” approach to your planning. This will information on the situation. ensure that your employees and business are best prepared to respond to the crisis and recover as Disasters are not convenient, and don’t quickly and effectively as possible. necessarily happen during business hours. If a disaster strikes after hours, or when there is BEFORE limited staff, your plan needs to be written so that the initial critical tasks can be completed by Putting Together Your Plan the first person available. This is important to consider when drafting your plan, and you should A comprehensive plan can help your organization make sure staff at all levels understand and are minimize damage before, during and after a familiar with the plan. disaster. No two businesses are the same—location, employees, office layout and other factors will There is a difference between a Business require individualized planning. There are no Continuity/Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) Plan and an cookie-cutter templates for the perfect disaster Emergency Response Plan. The first one is focused response plan; however, there are common on business continuity and disaster recovery. elements that all plans should include. Disaster recovery in a BC/DR plan typically is focused on the IT recovery for the business. A disaster response plan should extend An emergency response plan focuses on the beyond the event itself—it’s important to guide immediate response to a disaster that has impacted your business through a disaster as well as people. Although it will include technology in the recovery and mitigation after the event. It will response, it is typically using the technology to be critical to conduct a thorough risk assessment support the response. of all potential dangers before you develop your plan which should include addressing how you When drafting the plan, you will need to take will mitigate, prepare, respond and recover from into consideration the various business units specific hazards and risks. within your company. Some of these units also may be included in drafting the plan due to their To best prepare you to handle any situation, specific involvement in a response. Areas such as your disaster plan should include details specific security, IT and communications will be critical. to evacuation as well as sheltering-in-place. For Large companies may be interested in assigning example, evacuation plans need to identify the a team to facilitate drafting the plan. Creating a notification or alarm process, emergency exits, disaster response team comprised of multiple safety systems, meeting areas and communication plans. However, if the situation requires you to shelter-in-place, additional needs may include vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 29

departments helps ensure the entire business is DURING invested during the process. Communicating During a Crisis The first draft of the disaster plan is just that, a first draft. Your plan is always a “work in progress.” It will need to be tested, reviewed and updated as your company and processes change. Your plan is Communicating effectively During a disaster, both internal and external always a “work on social media during a communications will be critical to inform your staff, in progress.” crisis will keep internal and various stakeholders and the community about the external audiences informed ongoing response and the impact of the disaster. and assuage any fears. In our world of technology, everyone is used to having the news at their fingertips every second of Preparing for Anything every day. During the immediate hours of a disaster response, the teams are so focused on assessing Once a plan has been developed, it’s important and responding to the situation that they often fail for everyone to know how to access the plan and to effectively communicate with their stakeholders, put it into practice in case of a disaster. Ahead of which includes their staff and the community. any emergency, all staff need to know what their roles and responsibilities are and where they will Your emergency response plan also should report at the time of an emergency. An effective include a crisis communications plan. Because the disaster response plan should include an org chart need for information is immediate during a disaster, detailing the various teams and the integration your crisis communications plan should include of these teams into an organized response. It templates for initial company statements for your should also identify who should oversee the website, social media and traditional media outlets. entire operations and lines of communication. Orientation for new employees should include Internal communication should notify your staff an overview of the evacuation and shelter-in- of the situation and there should be a process for place protocols. Review training for all employees you to account for their location and status. Family should be done annually and address: members will be anxious to hear if their loved ones have been impacted. • Evacuation and shelter-in-place procedures • Emergency response procedures Secondary communication will focus on the • Protective action against threats and hazards impact of the disaster on the organization and the • Location and use of emergency equipment community. Social media greatly accelerates the • Internal and external communications speed of communication and can instantly identify • Emergency contact information review urgent needs, provide updates (including pictures and videos from the scene) and reconnect family and updates members. A word of caution, though—inaccurate news spreads just as fast on social media as An annual emergency response exercise is a accurate news. Make sure to confirm information great way to review the plan for any necessary before sending it out and caution community updates and to provide an overview to the teams members to only trust news coming from an that would be tasked with taking on the various official source. roles. Since it has the greatest likelihood to occur, most facilities plan and practice for a fire. More Social media platforms provide a broad audience recently, companies have been incorporating an with instantaneous updates, which makes active threat or active shooter exercise into their monitoring social media during a disaster vital annual exercises to prepare their staff to respond. in order to keep audiences accurately informed. The goal of an emergency response exercise is Communicating effectively on social media during to identify if there are any gaps in the planning. a crisis will keep internal and external audiences Very few exercises ever run 100 percent smoothly. informed and assuage any fears. It also allows Changes in the company, staffing and processes are organizations to monitor the public opinion and always occurring and these may impact the plan. prevent the spread of rumors, misinformation and false narratives. 30 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

AFTER In addition to keeping the business resilient, Vivian Marinelli is the employees may also need help recovering. The Senior Director of Crisis Picking up the Pieces effects of disasters often impact both work and Management Services home life, taking a devastating toll on one’s physical for FEI Behavioral Getting your organization up and running again and mental health. Flexibility with work schedules, Health. Vivian holds a after a disaster is critical, but this may be difficult allowing time off and providing an employee Doctorate in Clinical Psychology if your physical location has been damaged or assistance program (EAP) will help staff adjust and is a Licensed Psychologist compromised. During the response, part of the to the changes in their lives. Hiring a third-party in Wisconsin. She brings over 20 planning should include identifying what might EAP service that provides access to counseling, years of work in direct clinical be necessary for critical operations to resume, management consultation and local disaster services specializing in trauma but also to be fully operational again. Resources resources will ensure support for employees before, and grief counseling to her should be vetted and listed in your BC/DR during and after a disaster. Hiring an outside third- position which focuses on assisting Plan. Also, many companies are providing the party that will work with your HR and management individuals involved in critical means for employees to work remotely. If that will optimize the level of support for your staff. incidents. As the Senior Director is a possibility for your company, testing this of Crisis Management Services, throughout the year is a good practice. For many Disasters, both natural and man-made, are she is responsible for leading organizations, this will not be a possibility, and unavoidable forces: businesses must prepare and directing a full complement for those, identifying an alternate work site or themselves to safeguard their employees, and the of emergency support services relocating your staff will be necessary. best defense is a good offense. Organizations with for corporate customers. Vivian a strong disaster response plan are best-suited to has been the principal architect respond to a disaster and recover as efficiently and in designing, developing and effectively as possible. continuing to oversee a highly successful team of specialists FEI has a 40-year history in enhancing workforce resiliency by offering a full spectrum of solutions, from EAP focused on supporting the and organizational development to workplace violence prevention and crisis management. One of the most critical needs of individuals, successful social enterprises in America, FEI is wholly owned by the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, families and communities during a national network of social sector organizations working to achieve its vision of a healthy and equitable society. disasters. She is recognized as a subject matter expert in community and organizational emergency response. VPP Voluntary Protection Programs is much more than a statement of principles and standards, An OSHA Cooperative Program it’s the way we do business. Leader—Autumn 2019 31 www.MarathonPetroleum.com vpppa.org

When Strikes... By Lydia Baugh, International Safety Equipment Association 32 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

If only we had a crystal ball that would tell us exactly when a natural disaster will occur. Weather forecasters do their best, but they can’t know when an earthquake is about to rumble, or a forest fire is about to spark out of control. And those fortune-telling apps on our smartphones are about as helpful as the latest “Sharknado” movie. Autumn has actually brought us some of the worst disasters, including the Camp Fire around Paradise, California, which started in November 2018, and Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. But since we never know what disaster might be around the corner throughout the year, we’re left with the Boy Scout motto for guidance: Be prepared. Do You Have the Right Protective Equipment? Remembering out-of-mind approach to So, what types of PPE should Personal Protective PPE preparedness. we keep at the ready? After all, Equipment few people over the age of 10 will When disaster strikes, we have a superhero’s cape hanging T he piece of preparedness wade in—sometimes literally— from their wall—Comic-Con that’s often overlooked to whatever nature throws at us, habitués notwithstanding. is also one of the most and bare-handedly grapple with important: personal protective rescues and cleanups, barely There’s a two-part answer to equipment (PPE). People might giving a thought to what might that question. First, think about remember to throw a first-aid be lurking in the air, the water, or the types of disasters your area kit in their car or store a case under that stack of drywall and is prone to, as well as the types of bottled water in their closet. lumber that used to be a house. of hazards those events will But protective apparel, like the likely present. (Note that man- right gloves, boots or waders? We tend to respond emotionally made calamities could pose as Not so much. Other than first- rather than rationally in a crisis, many risks as Mother Nature’s, responders and healthcare and that’s understandable. We and that some of these events workers, who are hopefully want to be Superman or Wonder and hazards can co-occur and equipped appropriately by Woman and jump in to save the overlap.) Second, think about the their respective agencies, most day, or at least help our neighbors. parts of your body that are likely to of us take an out-of-sight/ But even Superman and Wonder be harmed from various hazards. Woman wore special suits. vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 33

Disasters Water Fire Wind & Risks H2O is a tricky adversary. Fire is equally tricky, for two We touched on hurricanes, but Let’s start with a quick In liquid form, it can overflow reasons. It can grow from a spark tornadoes and derechos also overview of the elements stream banks and levees, rising to a wildfire incredibly fast. And exact major damage every year. nature can throw at us up as a localized flash flood, our brains fool us—with denial According to the National Oceanic in different forms, and or spreading on a biblical (it won’t happen to us), with and Atmospheric Administration consider some of the scale. Frozen, it can pelt us as bravado (we can fight it), and (NOAA), tornadoes have been risks they pose. hail, dangerously coat roads with faulty perception (we can documented in every U.S. state, and bridges, or fall gently as outrun it). Lives are lost every and on every continent, except snowflakes that delight us year because of these factors. Antarctica. An average of 1,253 until they collect in roof- tornadoes tear through the U.S. crushing quantities. Whether it burns one building annually. As for derechos, these or levels an entire town, a fire often-destructive straight-line Hurricanes, floods and usually leaves insidious hazards winds can rip across hundreds massive snowstorms not amid its embers and ashes: live of miles. only bring copious amounts electrical wires and natural gas of water, but also often lines, items and substances Wind, of course, can amplify damage sanitation and energy turned toxic from melting in the the effects of other events to infrastructure, compounding fire’s heat, exploded batteries, lethal levels. Add wind to even an already overwhelming damaged sanitation systems, a modest snowstorm and you’ll disaster. Electric shock risks shards of glass, nails and have blizzard conditions. Wind and waterborne biological or woodscrews protruding from will literally turbocharge a small chemical contaminants are rubble and the list goes on. forest fire into a monster wildfire. common during such events. Wind and hail together keep insurance claims adjusters busy. From toppled trees to mangled wires, wind’s hazards are legion. Protecting Head Torso Eyes & Face Your Body A full-brim hard hat will help High-visibility reflective Safety glasses, goggles or even Personal protective protect your head from falling vests are vital for working in a full-face mask may be needed equipment (PPE) that objects, for example during low-light conditions. A life for protection from flying meets the criteria of earthquake aftershocks. Dropped vest or similar flotation device debris and particles, chemicals the American National objects are a big problem may be needed for work in and biohazards. ISEA offers a Standards Institute (ANSI) for workers and the general flooded areas. Wear waterproof free selection and use guide should always be used public alike, which is why the and chemical-resistant PPE for eye-and-face PPE, which during the cleanup and International Safety Equipment whenever you come in contact also addresses PPE cleaning, recovery phase of a Association (ISEA) launched with floodwater to reduce the maintenance and storage. disaster. Conducting a its Safety at Heights campaign, risk of exposure to harmful top-to-bottom inventory including an op-ed in EHS Today bacteria or chemicals. Ears of your body’s exposure to aimed at construction employers various hazards will help and workers. Hearing protection is guide your PPE choices. recommended for noise levels of 85 decibels (dB) or Important note: Before above. For every 3 dB above wearing any PPE, be sure to 85 dB, National Institute for check it for damage or worn Occupational Safety and Health areas, looking carefully for (NIOSH) recommends cutting holes, tears or abrasions. the permissible exposure time in half. ISEA’s HearingAtWork. org initiative includes helpful hearing-safety tips. 34 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

Earth (such as an earthen dam), as Airborne Disease Bottom Line well as water-saturated ground. The very ground beneath our Mudslides are not uncommon For most people, Ebola is a We don’t really need a crystal feet can turn hostile during when rain loosens hillsides scary word they hear in news ball to see that thanks to an earthquake, mudslide or where vegetation was burned stories about an outbreak of climate change, as well as other landslide. Every now and then, off in a fire. The Centers for the usually deadly disease in factors like coastal erosion and Hollywood makes a movie Disease Control and Prevention a remote village in an African development patterns, many that shakes us into sensory (CDC) attributes 25 to 50 nation. In fact, the World people are likely to have more overload while beguiling us deaths annually in the U.S. to Health Organization (WHO) disasters to prepare for and with romantic entanglements landslides and debris flows, and is responding to 19 pandemic, clean up after. We only have to and Herculean feats. The reality notes that the typical health epidemic diseases, from Ebola look at recent trends to get a of a serious earthquake is very hazards they create include to SARS to smallpox. Just this glimpse of what we’re in for. unromantic, though, with a trauma from rapidly moving past summer, WHO declared simple plot line: destruction. water and debris, as well as the latest Ebola outbreak, According to the Insurance Even a minor earthquake broken electrical, water, gas and which was already the second Information Institute (III), “The can send objects falling from sewage lines. largest in history, a global number of catastrophes rose to heights, and a big one can bring health emergency. 46 in 2017 from 42 in 2016, the down buildings and bridges, highest number of catastrophes leaving a minefield of hazards So, the rest of the world is for years with an industry loss jumbled on the ground. one airline-flight away from event threshold of $25 million.” pandemic. And, other than III observed that insured losses Landslides and debris flows some elite healthcare workers in 2017 were the highest since can be caused by earthquakes, connected to the CDC, most of the Property Claim Services unit but can also be triggered by us are utterly unprepared for of ISO began collecting insured natural erosion, the collapse the chaos and health effects of loss data in 1949. of man-made infrastructure such diseases. So, it’s all the more Hands Legs & Feet Airways & Lungs important that everyone—not only safety professionals and While basic leather or rubber Boots are recommended for While basic breathing masks specific industries, but all of gloves can improve grip and most cleanup scenarios. In may be adequate in some us—be prepared with the right offer some protection, it’s flooded areas, full waders will situations, full respirators are kinds of personal protective best to use purpose-built hand be needed. Boots and waders vital where mold, airborne equipment. PPE is a vital part protection when exposed to should be puncture-resistant, contaminants or certain diseases of how we each adapt to a specific types of hazards, such cut-resistant, waterproof and are present. Be sure to use changing planet. as impacts, cuts, punctures or sealed against contaminants. respirators approved by NIOSH. chemical/biohazard exposure. ISEA offers additional discussion Lydia Baugh is Director, External ISEA’s SafeHandsAtWork.org Knees & Elbows about respirators (see Additional Affairs, at the International Safety campaign provides tips that are Resources at right). Equipment Association. as applicable in disaster cleanups For cleanup work that as they are on a factory floor. involves kneeling or crawling, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES flexible joint guards will offer protection from abrasions The Occupational Safety and and contusions. If the risk of Health Administration (OSHA) puncture or cutting is present, maintains a very helpful tool be sure to use guards rated for called the Hurricane eMatrix. puncture and cut resistance. While the eMatrix was prepared for hurricane response and recovery workers, it has wide applicability to clean up after other types of disasters. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website offers a comprehensive Natural Disasters and Severe Weather section that provides extensive information and guidance. vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 35

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YOU SHOULD D epending on where deadlier than those that affect the CONSIDER you live or what your more well-known Tornado Alley. occupation is, you might A TORNADO not spend very much Part of the reason for this is the SHELTER time thinking about higher population density in the tornadoes and the damage they Southeast compared to the Plains. By Dale Kiefer, Triple Canopy Media can do to homes, businesses and In addition, the storms that entire communities. But maybe often bring tornadoes to this area vpppa.org you should—and if you operate shield the twisters with curtains a mid- to large-sized business, of heavy rain. This makes these there’s no maybe about it. tornadoes harder to see from afar. That’s because tornadoes, The forest-covered, hilly terrain with winds of up to 300 mph, adds to the challenge of spotting are powerful and destructive. these approaching storms ahead Their movements are wildly of time, both for residents and unpredictable and they can business owners, as well as for strike with little to no warning. the authorities charged with Strong tornadoes can tear the keeping the public informed. roofs off buildings, uproot trees and lift vehicles into the air, The bottom line is that turning all of these objects into tornadoes can potentially strike deadly flying projectiles. They anywhere and at any time, with can obliterate one structure little warning. Misconceptions while leaving a neighboring about these severe weather structure virtually untouched. events may compound the What’s more, tornadoes don’t damage they can cause. have a well-defined season like Atlantic-based hurricanes do. How Can I Protect These often-deadly storms can Myself or My Workers? occur at any time of the day, and on any day of the year. In One harmful myth about fact, every year, roughly 1,200 tornadoes is that they target tornadoes strike the United mobile home parks. They don’t, States. No state is spared from of course, but manufactured their deadly force. All 50 have housing is certainly more experienced tornadoes. vulnerable to the effects of high In other words, even if you winds than buildings made of don’t live in Kansas (and even if heavier, sturdier materials. you aren’t named Dorothy), you Because of the focus on this should still invest your energy widely-held belief that only in tornado preparedness. trailers are susceptible to damage Although many Americans from strong winds, often too associate tornadoes mostly with little attention is paid to the Great Plains, a large part protecting standing structures, of which is often referred to especially commercial buildings, colloquially as “Tornado Alley,” in areas that encounter other regions are prime targets tornadoes most frequently. for these potentially devastating natural disasters. “Dixie Alley,” There has been a wider comprising a swath of the adoption of community storm lower Mississippi Valley, often shelters in places like Alabama experiences tornadoes even and its neighboring states in recent years. This reflects a growing awareness of the need to protect residents of mobile home parks, apartment complexes and nursing homes, as well as Leader—Autumn 2019 37

occupants of other community Such costs may come about as need to use it. Above-ground facilities such as hospitals, schools a result of lost production and shelters are better in this regard, and churches from tornadoes. The an overall decrease in economic as there are no stairs to contend Federal Emergency Management activity following the storm. with in a panicked situation. But Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation below ground shelters are still Grant Program provides funding The monetary cost of effective and are available for for the installation of these installing a storm shelter is more businesses that prefer them for community shelters, largely in than offset by the potential legal aesthetic reasons. low-income rural areas. and financial risks of not having one in the event of a deadly Tornado shelters can also be Unfortunately, businesses tornado. Large companies run scaled according to occupancy. are not usually eligible for these the risk of being on the receiving And installers will work with grants, meaning that the private end of civil lawsuits brought your organization to determine sector has to procure such shelters on as a result of damages the most strategic placement for its employees on its own. wrought by severe storms. for your company’s shelters Investing in a shelter can help in order to make sure that all Fortunately, many mid- mitigate this possibility. And, employees can reach them in to large-sized companies in depending on the product or the shortest possible timeframe. tornado-prone areas have service a business provides, the begun doing just that. There storm shelter could be used as a There are even transitional is an obvious health benefit temporary base of operations in shelters that can be erected to providing a safe haven for the immediate aftermath of temporarily in remote areas to employees to take shelter a tornado. protect mobile employees such as during a severe weather event. road crews and oil field workers. Shelters can and do save lives. On the plus side, companies These shelters are sturdy enough that have storm shelters on the to withstand the 250 mph winds Nonetheless, environmental premises may recruit better of the strongest tornadoes safety and health (ES&H) talent, as they can offer the but can still be dismantled literature doesn’t devote much refuge as an employee benefit. In and redeployed to accompany space to advocating for the value addition, employers that provide work crews as they relocate. of tornado shelters for private shelters may earn positive media They are built by attaching an enterprises. According to Matt attention as a result, which is above ground shelter to a steel Williams, a former member of the always good for business. foundation filled with locally- board of directors at the National excavated soil or sand that acts as Storm Shelter Association (NSSA), Storm shelters are an ballast. Although they are mobile, “We have reached out to various effective solution for saving individual transitional shelters publications and thought leaders lives during a tornado. can still be designed and built to in the ES&H industry, but there According to FEMA, the cost of protect over 1,500 occupants. seems to be a lack of context for a safe room will increase as its starting a conversation on the number of openings increases. We don’t have the technology important and necessary role of This makes it cost prohibitive to prevent the formation of tornado shelters in ES&H plans.” to construct a regular building tornadoes. Nor do we have the according to the same standards power to halt them in their Despite this lack of attention as a storm shelter. Most tracks. And although we often from many ES&H professionals, buildings for everyday use will know when conditions are right erecting shelters not only helps require too many doors and for them to strike, much of keep workers safe; embracing windows for this to be feasible. the time we still get very little them may also be good business. notice before they do. Storm Shelters The Real Cost The best defense is a shelter of A Tornado If you own a business and are built specifically for the purpose concerned about finding a tornado of protecting people from In addition to the physical shelter that can accommodate tornadoes and the destruction destruction they bring, tornadoes your staff while also fitting nicely they can bring. For a mid- to can also wreak havoc on the at your company’s location, the large-sized business, the economy. The three costliest good news is that storm shelter consequences of not having a tornadoes in the history of the manufacturers will work with proper tornado shelter definitely U.S. have all struck within the you to custom design one or more outweigh the monetary costs of last 10 years. Each one caused units to meet your needs. getting one. damages amounting to $2 billion or more. Often, it’s the indirect The best kind of tornado Dale Kiefer writes for Triple Canopy costs of devastating storms that shelter is one that is easily Media (triplecanopymedia.com) hamper businesses the most. accessible to all of the people who based in Canton, Ohio. 38 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

32ND ANNUAL SAFETY & HEALTH CONFERENCE May 19 ~ 22, 2020 Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, 900 East Market St., San Antonio Hotel: Hilton Palacio Del Rio, 200 South Alamo, San Antonio

Being ready to react and deal with catastrophic weather conditions— disaster preparedness— is something millions of American face every year. Unfortunately for all of us, these events are becoming ever more commonplace, and are increasingly affecting us from the workplace to anyplace. EXTRESAFETY IN THE ERA OF WEATHER EVENTS 40 Leader—Autumn 2019

EME T he number of weather events reported by the National By National Safety Council Staff Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has increased 7.6 percent; from 55,760 events in 2013 to 59,985 in 2017. These include large-scale weather events that make the news like the recent Hurricane Dorian, tornadoes and wildfires, but also smaller localized conditions like flash floods and debris flows, which can present significant danger. Changes in weather and climate are making these events more frequent, and the need for all of us to be prepared to deal with them, essential. If you’ve never faced an emergency situation, be grateful, but don’t take it for granted. Complacency can be a killer. In the event of a real emergency, the more thoughtful practice you have, the more likely you will be able to react in a way that leads to better outcomes. If there is a bright spot here, it is that NOAA reports a 22 percent decrease in direct or indirect weather related deaths from 2013 to 2017. However, the number of injuries during this period have increased significantly—117 percent in four years, with a 43.4 percent jump between 2016 and 2017. That’s a large number of people who, while they may not have lost their lives, were injured while trying to evade a catastrophic weather event; far too many. A key step in disaster preparedness is heeding advanced warnings about impending events. A recent AccuWeather article1 points out that people tend to wait to see how a weather event will affect them before taking action. While people react to the imminent threat of property damage or physical harm, there are psychological underpinnings as people hesitate to act quickly, doubting they will be in the path of the next event, being fearful to leave their belongings or pets behind, or assuming they will have more time to make that decision. Meteorologists have become increasingly better at predicting impact with new and existing technology, so when local and state authorities issue warnings, they must be taken seriously. Trust that any barricades, road closures and detours have been put in place for your safety. Willfully ignoring or circumventing them can place not only your life in danger, but also the lives of first responders who will have to come to your aid. The first step of disaster preparedness is also one of the most important—having a plan of action and some basic resources ready. These “catch-alls” can cover a wide variety of climate disasters: tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and events like heatwaves and cold snaps which might not be top-of-mind when considering catastrophic weather events, but which nonetheless can be dangerous if power outages or roads are affected. Any employer should ensure that there’s a strong communication system in place to alert employees in case of a natural disaster or weather event, and a way to account for the safety or whereabouts of employees. Make sure everyone is aware of where all of the escape routes are located in your facility and what the alarms sound like for different types of emergencies. When preparing for the annual NSC Congress & Expo in San Diego this year, National Safety Council employees took charge in setting up an emergency response team, testing SMS alerts to all employees, and ensuring there was a clear plan in place in case of a natural or man-made disaster that may affect the event. As one of our keynote speakers reminded attendees, it’s better to have a plan and not need it, than not have a plan at all. Encourage employees to create a family communication plan as well. It is likely people may not be with their loved ones when a disaster hits. Therefore, having an agreed upon meeting spot is a good way to ensure that everyone can stay safe in the event of an emergency, with a backup meeting spot in a public place just in case. Make sure everybody knows vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 41

to always follow alerts or first items will be familiar to a travel Basic first aid skills can be a responder instructions. kit or car emergency kit, but this life-saving tool. In case there supply kit will also need enough is no one nearby who is trained A shelter plan is also a must. non-perishable food and water in First Aid, keep a small guide In the event of a tornado, is on hand for at least three days (download the NSC First Aid there a low floor or basement per person. For water, that means app) to help make informed accessible? Will you be able one gallon per person, per day. choices with the first aid kit until to receive updates, alerts and medical assistance arrives. If all instructions? If you are in a Dangerous weather the planning and kit prep seems basement and can’t get cellular events have always daunting, Ready.gov offers many reception, is there a radio or TV been a concern, but useful resources to help everyone with an external power source? they are becoming plan and prepare for the worst. more frequent and Equally important is having severe, ensuring Know your company’s an evacuation plan. When that employers emergency plans for each type instructions come through to must take notice of drill, often located in a safety move to a more secure area, will and take a manual or you can always ask you be able to? Don’t go back to leadership role your supervisor. It’s especially your workstation for personal in helping people important for supervisors to go items during a drill—time is of stay safe. over and reinforce this safety the essence. If the main road near information with new hires. your meeting place is impassable, In addition to food and Know where physical fire alarms do you have an alternate route? water, a basic first aid kit are located in your facility as Can you get there on foot or are with necessary medicines is well as fire extinguishers. Even if you dependent on a vehicle? essential, including a battery- you are not trained to use them, Consider that you may not have operated or crank radio, a flash assisting others to locate them your vehicle or may not be able light, extra batteries, garbage can save time in an emergency. to use it if it is damaged or bags, wet wipes, basic tools, roads are closed. extra clothes, glasses or contact Always keep evacuation lenses (if you wear them) routes clear year round, and Flash flooding events were cellphone chargers, and ideally after practicing safety drills at responsible for the most deaths extra portable battery chargers. your home or office, go over in 2017, according to NOAA. what worked well and what Flooding can also accompany This is not a comprehensive didn’t to identify strengths as or result from other weather list and it’s best to use personal well as weaknesses and look for events. Crossing flooded areas, judgement to add additional improvements so that next time in a car or on foot, can be items as necessary. Make sure to everyone is better prepared. extremely dangerous. store items in plastic bags and then pack in duffle bags or plastic Dangerous weather events Almost half of all flash flood bins. The kit needs to be easily have always been a concern, fatalities are vehicle-related, mobile and perishable items but they are becoming more according to the National should be checked regularly and frequent and severe, ensuring Weather Service. Approaching re-supplied as needed. that employers must take notice a water-covered road while and take a leadership role in driving, turn around. Just six helping people stay safe. Luckily, inches of water can stall a staying informed and receiving vehicle, and two feet can float lifesaving alerts and information most cars, trucks and SUVs. has never been more prevalent. Be especially careful around The key to keeping yourself and bridges, underpasses and your loved ones safe is knowing underground garages. the risks and being prepared to deal with them. On foot, that same 6 inches of rushing water can sweep someone For more information on disaster preparedness, visit: www.nsc.org/ right off their feet, so avoid home-safety/safety-topics/emergency-preparedness/ walking in water above the ankle. Watch for downed power lines For more information about the NSC First Aid app, visit: www.nsc.org/ and live wires. Remember to heed safety-training/first-aid/app any barricades or instructions to avoid flooded areas; they are in For more data on weather fatalities and injuries visit: injuryfacts.nsc. place for our safety. org/home-and-community/safety-topics/weather-related-deaths- and-injuries/ An emergency supply kit is another essential to have RESOURCE on hand, ideally kept at your agreed meetup spot. Many of the 1 www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/psychology-of-warnings- why-do-people-ignore-weather-alerts/70000135 42 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

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From the Perspective of A FIRST RESPONDER By Lee Vernon Code3 Medical Services When Disaster Strikes— You Are on Your Own! *Author of this column, Lee Vernon, W hen it comes out what YOU should be doing to How does one prepare for started the Brotherhood of Heroes to safety, what prepare for such an incident. emergencies? It’s simple. You Foundation—a foundation do natural have to be your own rescuer. created by first responders, for first disasters (i.e. Understand that when But officially, there are three responders. You can find more floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, natural disasters initially occur, basic categories: information and donate at tornadoes, fires, etc.) mean for local first responders are going 1. Means of egress/escape www.brotherhoodofheroes.org. you, your emergency response to be overwhelmed due to the 2. First aid and security team and your facility? As a first sheer volume of calls for help, 3. Essentials for survival responder for over 27 years, I and other issues that take have lost count as to how many precedence to sustain life and Egress & Escape times I have heard people say; safety. With only so many fire, “Well, if it gets bad, we will just medical and rescue responders, This solution can help you avoid call the fire department, EMS or it doesn’t take but a few a lot of unwanted problems. If law enforcement.” emergencies to overwhelm given the opportunity, and you responders, creating a backlog are requested to do so… LEAVE! That would be great in an of several hours, or even days. Get out of the impending disaster ideal world, but here is the hard Your location and available zone if you have the ability. If you truth: You are on your own resources will dictate the kind are not there, you will not end up and we are not coming to help of response, or lack thereof, as a casualty of any chaos that you… initially. Not because first you could potentially see. takes place. If given the chance, responders don’t want to help, move to a safe place away from but because they CAN’T. That A perfect example of this the epicenter of the disaster. is probably not what you want occurred in the Bahamas after to hear, but it’s the truth of the Hurricane Dorian. Due to However, there are times you matter. However, we can figure location, minimal response may be caught by surprise, or crews, the amount of damage, there is not enough time to leave As soon as a disaster is in progress, emergency responders will be inaccessibility and lack of basic conventionally. A prime example quickly overwhelmed. Response time for emergency personnel to resources, there was a severe is the 2016 Louisiana flood. arrive could be hours to days in a worst-case scenario. delay in fire, medical and rescue Within hours of heavy nonstop response. It does not matter if rain, the rivers overflowed their the disaster is happening on banks and proceeded to flood an island, or on the mainland a large area of Baton Rouge, of the United States. There are LA, unexpectedly, resulting countless examples of incidents in useless, submerged motor that lasted days into weeks and vehicles. The only means of months, such as Hurricanes escape, or movement, was Katrina, Harvey and Michael; by boat. the California and Texas wildfires; the 2016 Baton Rouge Having multiple options as flood, and many more. The first a means to escape a situation 72 hours are some of the worst, is going to be dependent on depending on how extensive the where you live and the potential damage is, so be prepared to be disasters that you have to on your own until emergency contend with. Summers in the crews can catch up and get South feature regular hurricanes accessibility to your location. and flooding, so pickup trucks and boats are an advantage 44 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org

2016 Louisiana Flood: Prime example of You need a true trauma kit for serious A bathtub full of water will provide a inaccessibility on a massive scale where injuries, not just a regular “Boo-boo Kit” that few days, or more, of drinking water first responders were not able to quickly or doesn’t have the essentials for control of depending on the number of people and effectively respond to the demands of all severe bleeding and other serious injuries. exertion of the individuals. the emergency calls due to lack of access. if you have them. In the a first aid class or something Survival Essentials harm within hours if water is North, with months of snow, equivalent to learn how to not readily available to replace a four-wheel drive vehicle properly handle the equipment. Finally, the most important your fluid loss due to sweating. or snowmobile would be an things to consider for As far as water storage, one may advantage. You need to assess Another component that preparedness—food and water. want to keep cases of water or your area and make the right is often forgotten is security. During a disaster, food and water have some type of rainwater choice that best fits you and During a disaster, you will will become scarce within 24 storage container. Filling up your budget. have “lawlessness” that takes hours. Depending on the amount bathtubs before the water is place. Seeing how people act of devastation, it could be weeks cut off is also a viable option. The last part of the escape when they are desperate and or months before access to Something to at least get you equation is having plenty of scared is truly eye-opening. regular food and water returns. through a week until help and fuel. Spare gas cans to get you You must be able to defend supplies arrive. Clean drinking from point A to point B are an yourself, family, co-workers, Seeing how water is key in order to avoid important, and often disregarded etc. Whether you choose to have illness and dehydration. (or forgotten), aspect of disaster a firearm, knife or club—you people act when survival—that can result in need to look to your local and The aforementioned are getting trapped on the side of the state laws to determine what they are desperate simple, general things to keep road and still in harm’s way. Be is permissible. During the in mind when preparing to sure to keep fuel on hand, and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and scared is truly safely get through a disaster. As make sure it is preserved with a there were assaults and gun someone who has responded to fuel additive to keep it usable. fights in the streets. If you were eye-opening. many disasters over my career, not able to defend it, it was I can tell you that emergency First Aid & Security forcefully taken, even if that Think about the calorie personnel will be stretched meant your life was also taken. intake one will need to survive a beyond capacity very quickly. The odds of needing lifesaving On the opposite end of the disaster as you will be moving, In a worst-case scenario, the supplies is substantially high spectrum, during the flooding repairing and cleaning up. You above will at least buy you time if you cannot escape a disaster of 2016 in Baton Rouge, armed will need calories in order to if you do get stuck in a disaster. situation. Having the right gear citizens and residents were able be productive and stay healthy. and training is paramount to to keep looting and theft to a Some easy and economical In all seriousness, if you surviving a major injury, such minimum. The difference in options for food storage are do find yourself in the midst as a severe bleed, amputation being prepared to defend your protein bars, dried food, canned of a disaster, it is extremely or even a minor emergency property, self and others around items and anything else that possible that you will be on (like a cut) that can lead to you is something very serious does not require refrigeration. your own. Luck will determine a deadly infection. Having to keep in mind when preparing if that is for a brief period or for equipment like tourniquets and for a worst-case scenario. But, Water is the most important a prolonged amount of time. hemostatic gauze, to simpler again, please consult all local because we can only go I personally will not base my items like rubbing alcohol and and federal laws, and obtain roughly three days without it safety off of luck. I have seen antibiotic ointments, could any weapons in a legal and safe before we start having health what can happen when luck prove beneficial. Having the manner. Learn how to use and complications, and that is three runs out. Leave luck in Las tools alone will not make store them by a professional. days under normal non-exertive Vegas—your personal safety is you an emergency medical circumstances. If you are worth more than that. Be safe professional, so consider taking physically active, and depending and train like your life depends on the weather conditions, you on it. Because it does. could push yourself to physical vpppa.org Leader—Autumn 2019 45

Membership Corner Like us on Facebook & Follow us on Twitter: @VPPPA & Instagram: @VPPPA_Inc Meet the VPPPA Team Autumn Members of New VPPPA the Month Member Benefit: As VPPPA members, you talk to Webinar Library National Office Staff members Congratulations to our on the phone, chat with us via Autumn (September, October, We are thrilled to announce that all email and sometimes see us at November) Members of the of our previously recorded webinars regional and national events. Month: Lesli Trahan, Mark are now on our website as a member But we want our members Rauenzahn and Rene Snoel. benefit. This is free for members only. to be able to more easily put Tune into all of this great and free names with faces. Check back Want to submit someone to educational content on our website, here in future issues to see be considered as a VPPPA here: vpppa.org/education/webinars/ more VPPPA National Office Member of the Month? Email view-previously-recorded-webinars. staff member profiles. [email protected]. You can also check out all of the National Board of Name: Brielle Mroczkco previous Members of the Month Directors Update on our website. Job Title: Conference Congratulations to our new National Coordinator VPPPA Trivia & Prizes! Board of Directors members! Shelly Ettel, Bill Linneweh and Andy Youpel Nickname: Lil B or Bri Even though the Safety+ have all joined the board as Directors- Symposium is over, we are at-Large. They were elected during Length of Time with VPPPA: still celebrating our 35th the 2019 Safety+ Symposium. Since August 2017 birthday throughout the year with VPPPA trivia contests! We #VPPPAnimals Favorite Parts of Working for are posting trivia questions Contest Winner VPPPA: Being able to learn twice a month with prizes for about safety and meeting the the winners. You can find the Congratulations people so passionate about it. trivia questions at vpppa.org/ to Casper the membership/vpppabirthday. cat, and owner, Hometown: Lancaster, CA Sara Smith, for Congratulations to our winning the Alma Mater: University of winners so far: Sheri F., #VPPPAnimals California Irvine Cintas; Kim B., Acushnet Contest! Golf; Vanessa K., Nucor; Fun Facts About Me: I studied Brian B., Shermco; Joshua Name: Casper abroad in South Korea during H., Prairie State Generating high school and speak Korean. Company; Elisa C., Huber; Age: 1 Keenan M., Solvay; Nevena S., Favorite Food: Hamburgers Sherwin; Neha S., Honeywell; Favorite Toy: Active feather teaser Leischen N., Alstom Group; Favorite Movie: Jake V., Occidental Chemical Likes: He loves to cuddle, he will Pride and Prejudice Corporation; Tonya W., follow you everywhere you go in the Firestone Industrial Products/ house and he loves to sit on the couch Dream Vacation Spot: Bridgestone; Lesli T., Chevron and take pictures. He actually loves Greece or Malta Phillips Chemical; Scott Slie, the vacuum cleaner and will lay on Westlake Chemical; Donald B., the couch and let you vacuum him. Favorite Musician/Band: Aerojet Rocketdyne; Zach G., Ed Sheeran Morton Salt; Elsy P., Multi- Dislikes: Casper doesn’t like when Plastics Extrusions, Inc.; his food bowl shows the bottom of Tiffany H., Entergy. the bowl just a little bit. He will give the weirdest meow until you fix it. Why Sara Loves Safety: Safety is my primary goal at my workplace, Robins Air Force Base, GA. Safety is reassurance that I am doing everything I can so my wingmen and I make it home safe every day to our family and fur buddies. “No faster than quality and safety” is our slogan at work! 46 Leader—Autumn 2019 vpppa.org



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State-Plan Monitor Compiled By Katlyn Pagliuca Membership Manager, VPPPA, Inc. INDIANA Three regional Best Practices Meetings will be conducted in November 2019: Indiana presently has 88 sites in VPP. In 2019, the VPP leaders have been working to complete the 17 • Nucor Steel on November 7 (Crawfordsville) reapproval evaluations and four to five new site • Raytheon on November 13 (Fort Wayne) evaluations. They are also working to schedule the • Cintas #314 on November 19 (Evansville) 27 reapproval evaluations for 2020 and working with several sites so they can have a new site At these meetings, sites will present best evaluation in 2020. As of July 29, Indiana has four practices and have networking group discussions VPP Leaders, one for north, one for south and two on various topics. For more information about for central Indiana. Regional Best Practices Meetings email Beth Gonzalez [email protected]. Lisa Stephenson is the new South VPP Leader. Before taking on the VPP Leader role, IOWA she was originally hired into Indiana Department of Labor as an IOSHA Construction VPP Audits for Seasonal Operations Compliance Safety & Health Officer (CSHO) in May 2017. Lisa earned a Bachelor of Science Iowa is a huge agriculture state. Take a fall drive and degree in applied health science with a major in you will see fields of drying corn and soybeans as far safety and a minor in safety supervision. She also as the eye can see. There are several agricultural- earned a bachelor of general studies degree in related VPP sites that include Bayer (formally humanities from Indiana University Southeast in Monsanto) and Cargill. The Bayer seed corn and New Albany, Indiana. soybean sites are seasonal operations that require a unique audit approach. The sites plant in the Patricia McIntire is the newest Central VPP spring, de-tassel corn in the summer, harvest in Leader. Before taking on the VPP Leader role, she the fall and sort and package corn hybrids and was originally hired into the Indiana Department soybean varieties in the winter. In order to review of Labor as an IOSHA CSHO in October 2015. From these distinct operations, the VPP approval process there, Patricia took a promotional opportunity stretches out over several months. Currently, the and position with INSafe in January 2019. Bayer sites in Grinnell and Williamsburg are in the Patricia also has experience from various risk midst of the VPP reapproval process. management roles along with her experience at IOSHA. The 48th Annual Iowa Governor’s Safety & Health Conference took place from October 31– When you see Lisa and Patricia, welcome them November 1 in Altoona. Attendees collaborated to the VPP family. on how best to protect Iowa workers, network with colleagues, make new contacts, and continue growth as a safety and health professional. 50 Leader—Autumn 2019 Fourteen new Special Government Employees (SGEs) were trained at the SGE Class on July 30 to 31 at Cintas #388 in Indianapolis. On August 1–2, the Basis Industrial Hygiene Class was conducted at Cintas #388 in Indianapolis. vpppa.org