09:21:00 Emergency Preparedness Training and Evaluation

PURPOSE

To establish a method of emergency preparedness training, testing and evaluation that assess the written emergency preparedness plan. It will also test and evaluate the activation of Building Action Plans (BEAPs), actions and response of the College Emergency Response Management Team and the College Emergency Response Team (CERT).

POLICY

It is the policy of Walters State Community College to provide opportunities at intervals throughout the year for CERMT and CERT to participate in tabletop exercises and drills. The director of Campus Police, Emergency Preparedness, and Campus Safety Survey Administrator will be responsible for arranging training opportunities.

EXERCISE PROCEDURES

Tabletop exercises, simulated emergencies and drills are designed to provide a “risk free” environment for College Emergency Response Teams to train and practice prevention, response and recovery activities through demonstrations and application of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Additionally, this “risk free” environment provides an opportunity to assess the institutional plan as well as departmental plans, procedures, and policies.

Training and review of the existing College Emergency Preparedness Plan and drills will take place on a regular basis. The director of Campus Police and Emergency Preparedness, in conjunction with the executive policy group and members of the College Emergency Response Management Team and the College Emergency Response Team, will determine the training schedule. A yearly training schedule will be coordinated and submitted for administrative approval. Building coordinators will be responsible for arranging and conducting regular review of specific building plans with their building staff. Learning outcomes will be documented by administering a written exam or performing and documenting a drill in which team members will participate.

Training activities may include:

1. Review of specific building plans or the overall plan for the campus.
2. Orientation and education sessions to provide information, answer questions and identify issues.  (Separate training sessions for the College Emergency Response Management Team, building coordinators and floor coordinators).
3. Incident scenario exercises to allow the College Emergency Response Management Team and College Emergency Response Team to meet and discuss their roles in emergency scenarios.
4. Walk-through drills to allow the College Emergency Response Team members to practice their emergency response functions.
5. Evacuation, relocation, lockdown, and sheltering-in-place drills to enable personnel to execute the Emergency Preparedness Plan.
6. Functional drills which test specific functions, such as emergency notifications, warning, and communications procedures and equipment to include identification of problem areas.
7. Full-scale exercises to closely simulate an actual emergency involving as many internal and external parties, such as emergency responders, as possible.
8. Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training to provide knowledge on how to utilize an AED.
9. Evacu-trac chair training (for the transport of disabled to evacuation/relocation areas) to provide knowledge on how to utilize the Evacu-trac chair.
10. Two-way radio training to provide knowledge on how to operate and communicate using the two-way radio.
11. Weather alert radio training to provide training on how to operate the weather alert radio and respond to weather alerts received.
12. Fire extinguisher training to provide knowledge of how to properly use a fire extinguisher.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TRAINING EVALUATION

Learning outcomes of emergency preparedness training will be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure retention of the emergency preparedness policy and procedures. Training modules outlining the objective of the specified drill will be developed and disseminated to the drill assessment team for evaluation. Training will be evaluated as follows:

1. Training exam may be written or oral
2. Instructor evaluation
3. Drill evaluations for evacuation, relocation, lockdown, and sheltering-in-place drills 
4. Members of the drill assessment team will complete drill evaluation modules 

Each form of evaluation is intended to pinpoint any issues of emergency preparedness, which need to be further addressed, corrected, or modified. The drill evaluation module criteria may be modified and changed depending on the type of observations, which are needed.

10/19