Even if your
facility is not in a hurricane area, it’s always a good time to update your
emergency preparedness plan. Below are a few things to consider:
- Does it have the correct names, titles, or
phone numbers? If you have had any personnel changes during the year make sure
the plan and all copies reflect the change.
- Do you have a list of essential personnel
that are needed at the time of an event? Does your staff know who is considered
essential?
- Do you have an identified command center?
Does this command center have emergency power? Does the staff know where the
command center is?
- Does staff know what is in the emergency plan
or the location of the plans?
These are
just some of the things you should consider when preparing for a disaster.
Check out other resources here, including AHCA’s Nursing Home Incident Command System that can work in conjunction with your emergency
preparedness plan, and CMS’s Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Nursing Facilities.