Crisis Management Plan

Preface
The Crisis Management Plan is a guide for a coordinated response to major emergencies on 4T programs. The plan creates a framework for an effective and efficient response. Each emergency is unique so the plan is not prescriptive; instead it prepares us to act by identifying issues, organization and communication.

What is a Major Emergency?
For purposes of this plan, an emergency is any circumstance that poses a genuine risk to, or that has already disturbed, the safety and well-being of program participants. Emergencies can include, though not limited to, the following types of events and incidents:

• Violent robbery
• Physical assault
• Sexual assault or rape
  
• Significant accident and/or injury
  
• Serious illness, physical or emotional
  
• Local political crisis
  
• Terrorist threat or attack
  
• Any legal action involving a participant
  
• Disappearance of a participant
  
• Natural Disaster
  

Activation of the Plan
When an emergency arises, the 4T guide leading the program or event will inform the senior 4T staff member in charge of the program who will determine if it is appropriate to contact the 4T President to activate the Crisis Management Plan. The authority to declare a major emergency rests with the President, or in his absence or in the event communication can not be established within a timely manner, the senior 4T staff member in charge. If a major emergency is declared, the President will determine where the Crisis Management Center(s) will be located. Crisis Management Committee members will be notified as the situation warrants.

Crisis Management Committee Members

• The membership of the Crisis Management Committee is as follows:
  
• 4T President, Committee Chair
  
• Medical Director
  
• Legal Director
  
• 4T Senior Program Staff Member
  
• Sponsoring Organization Senior Staff Member

Note: The Chair may add other members as necessary. In the absence of the President, the 4T Senior Program Staff Member will chair the committee. If any other member of the committee is not available, the Chair may appoint a replacement.

Crisis Management Center
At the time an event or incident is declared a major emergency, the President will identify a Crisis Management Center. The location of the Center will be decided upon by consideration of several factors including proximity to incident, communication infrastructure, availability of emergency resources, and timeline for evacuation (when necessary).

Responsibility of the Committee
It is the responsibility of the Crisis Management Committee to determine what actions to take during an emergency, but the following priorities will guide the committee's decisions. The priorities address emergency response, they do not cover the program's continuation that is planned and activated at the program staff level.

Priority 1 - Life Safety Issues

Emergency Response
4T employs use of the Patient Assessment System (P.A.S.) as developed by Wilderness Medical Associates when dealing with all emergencies involving program participants and staff.

I. Scene Size-Up

a. Safety of responders, bystanders, patients.
b. Numbers of responders, bystanders, patients. Triage.
c. Mechanism of Injury (M.O.I.) Assessment.

II. Secondary Survey of Patients

a. Respiratory System.
b. Circulatory System.
c. Nervous System.

III. Focused History & Physical Exam of Patients

a. S.A.M.P.L.E. patient history.
b. Vital Signs.
c. Head-to-Toe check.

Evacuation of a Building
An individual building may need to be evacuated for any of several reasons, such as fire, a hazardous material spill or a gas leak. Each building will have an evacuation plan that includes an emergency assembly point. Assembly points provide a place for occupants to group and receive instructions. Emergency assembly points are selected using the following criteria:

• The area is away from buildings, power lines, poles and trees that could fall and injure people below.
  
• The area is large enough to hold all occupants of the building.
  
• The location is easily and safely accessible.
  
• The area is accessible to emergency personnel, but does not block access to roadways, fire hydrants, and so forth.

If a residential building is not habitable, 4T staff will determine where to relocated participants. For non-residential buildings, 4T staff in consultation with sponsoring organization staff will determine how to relocate participants.

Search & Rescue
Should it be necessary, 4T staff will organize search and rescue efforts in coordination with appropriate individuals and organizations from both the private and public sector.

Identification of Shelters
Should buildings be deemed unusable, it may be necessary to establish shelters for participants in other areas or regions of the country. 4T staff will manage such an effort with assistance from sponsoring organization staff.

Communication Systems
4T staff will survey communication systems, including telephones, email, cable channel and radio stations. 4T staff are generally in communication with each other and sponsoring organization staff via two-way radios and cell phones on all tours.

Medical Aid
The 4T staff member with senior ranking medical training, in consultation with sponsoring organization staff, will coordinate medical and psychological aid.

Priority 2 - Preservation of Property

Damage Assessment
All affected facilities will be evaluated for damage to determine if the buildings are usable. Crisis management, medical and residential areas will be evaluated first. Results and recommendations will be summarized and reported to the Crisis Management Committee.

Utilities Survey
4T staff will coordinate a survey of gas, electric, water, and sewer utilities, and report appropriate decisions to the Crisis Management Committee.

Priority 3 - Stabilization

Under the direction of the Crisis Management Committee, it will be necessary to address several critical areas including:

• Are adequate food, water and shelter available?
  
• Are utilities working sufficiently?
  
• Are communication systems working?
  
• Is adequate counseling available?

Each will need to be addressed as the program moves from crisis to recovery. The Crisis Management Committee will continue leading stabilization efforts until the 4T President determines it is prudent to deactivate the committee.

Priority 4 - Recovery Plan

Following stabilization, the program will move from stabilization to recovery of normal operation of events and activities. The President and senior 4T staff will direct those efforts.