Planning for Specific Disasters in an Assisted Living Facility in Maryland

Planning for Specific Disasters

These are reputable resources and useful ideas and resources to help you develop a plan to deal with a broad range of disasters and emergencies.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website - This federal website offers health-specific information for a range of disasters.
The American Red Cross website offers a series of 16 pdf guides on preparing for all types of disasters. The advice is targeted at private individuals but is equally useful for small ALF operators.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website also has some guides to planning for specific disasters. Again, these are designed for individuals but are useful for small ALF operators. Applying for FEMA assistance. Disaster Aid Hotline 800-621-FEMA (3362)
Maryland weather warning from the National Weather Service - This page contains watches, warnings and advisories that are currently in effect for Maryland. The page is updated approximately every two minutes.
Disaster Planning Guide and Tool Kit - Tips on advance planning, fact sheets, checklists and survey tools to help create and test your disaster recovery. Produced by the Assisted Living Federation of America, the Guide is free for members and available for $99 for others.

Many of the disasters noted below require an evacuation plan. Your evacuation plan will depend on your facility; however, there are certain elements that should be a part of every plan. Elements of an evacuation plan - The federal government website, http://www.ready.gov, offers a series of very helpful questions to guide your development of an evacuation plan for residents and staff in the event of an emergency.

Type of Disaster	Useful information and ideas on what to include in your disaster plan
Blackouts	American Red Cross tip sheet (pdf) - General information on what to do in the event of a blackout . En Español (pdf). What You Need to Know When the Power Goes Out Unexpectedly - Information for the public from the CDC that is also useful to professionals with a focus on health issues, especially for seniors. Health Issues During Blackout Consumers Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes.
Chemical Emergencies	American Red Cross tip sheet (pdf) - General information on the different ways to be exposed to chemicals and also what to do when you’ve been exposed to what may be the ”safest" chemicals. FEMA guide - Tips on how to use common cleaning products and how to respond to a chemical emergency. Information for the public and healthcare professionals from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - includes technical as well as general practical information. FEMA guide - If your facility is within 10-20 miles of a freight line, you may need this information about what to do in case a train with hazardous materials derails.
Drought	American Red Cross tip sheet - Tips on conserving water for environmental reasons, as well as when drought conditions threaten.
Earthquakes	The first recorded earthquake in MD was in Annapolis on April 24, 1758. MD earthquake history from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) The risk of earthquakes in MD is generally low with a moderate risk of damage in western Maryland. More on MD earthquake locations from USGS American Red Cross tip sheet – Tips on what to do once the shaking starts and stops. En Español. Earthquake Safety Tips for Seniors - From the American Red Cross. FEMA guide - Tips on identifying potential hazards ahead of time to reduce injuries and property damage.
Fires	American Red Cross tip sheet (pdf) Get the information you need to keep your facility safe in the event of a fire. En Español FEMA wildfire guide - If your facility is in a wooded area, there are several safety precautions that you can take to reduce the risk of losses from wildfire. CDC information - links to several information sources including information on worker safety during cleanup. FEMA structural fire guide - An overview of the basics of what to do if the facility is on fire.
Floods	Maryland weather warning from the National Weather Service - and from the MD Emergency Management Agency, background on MD flooding CDC tips on food, water and worker cleanup safety American Red Cross tip sheet (pdf) What to do when faced with the possibility of a flood and what to do afterwards. En Español Flood Insurance and Information - see planning tips and maps of where floods occur. FEMA website: FEMA guide - If your facility is near a dam, see what to do before a dam failure, and also what to do during and after a flood. FEMA Maryland community status report (pdf) Local communities participating in the national flood program. Consumers Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes
Heat Waves	Maryland weather warning from the National Weather Service. American Red Cross tip sheet - Tips to reduce cooling costs during heat waves and ways to keep your residents cool and safe. En Español Heat Stress in the Elderly (PDF) - Advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hurricanes	Maryland weather warning from the National Weather Service American Red Cross tip sheet If your facility is on the Eastern Shore, this contains information on what the government warnings mean and how to prepare for a hurricane. En Español FEMA guide - Ideas, activities/projects and funding sources to help reduce the impacts of hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane-related information for healthcare professionals from the CDC. Preliminary observations on the evacuation of vulnerable populations due to hurricanes and other disasters from the United States Government Accountability Office. Report - Limitations in Federal evacuation assistance for health facilities should be addressed. Consumers Guide to Food Safety: Severe Storms and Hurricanes
Mudslides/Landslides	Landslides are rare in Maryland but small ones can happen in any area with steep slopes, such as the mountainous areas in Western Maryland. More on landslides How to Recognize Landslide Hazards (pdf) – a very useful fact sheet from the US Geological Survey on how to identify if the area where your facility is located might be prone to landslides. American Red Cross tip sheet - Tips on how to prepare and keep the facility and residents safe. FEMA guide - Preparing for landslides.
Terrorism	American Red Cross tip sheet - Steps to take in the event of a terrorist attack. En Español. FEMA guide - General information on terrorism and the different types of terrorism.
Severe Thunderstorms	Despite their small size, all thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm produces lightning, which kills more people each year than tornadoes. More on severe storms from the National Weather Service - Maryland weather warnings American Red Cross tip sheet - How to protect staff and residents from injury during a thunderstorm and what to do if someone is injured. En Español FEMA guide - More on thunderstorms and lightning and self-protection.
Tornadoes	Maryland ranks 33 in the frequency of tornadoes. They generally occur during spring and summer and are most likely to occur between 3:00 and 9:00 p.m. More on MD tornadoes. Maryland weather warning from the National Weather Service American Red Cross tip sheet How to assemble a disaster kit and what to do before, during, and after a tornado. En Español FEMA guide - More on what to do before, during, and after a tornado.
Winter Storms	Maryland weather warning from the National Weather Service American Red Cross tip sheet - Preparing for a winter storm, what the “watch” and “warning” terms mean. En Español FEMA guide - Protection during winter storms and extreme cold. Winter weather preparedness from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention includes information for healthcare professionals

Source: Legal Aid Bureau’s Maryland Legal Assistance Network, in partnership with the Senior Legal Helpline, and the Assisted Living Project the under a grant from the Maryland Department on Aging to the Legal Aid Bureau

Date last reviewed (no legal content): 10/15//07 (MLAN/DL/AC)