EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & PROCEDURES

The life safety system at 221 Main includes a fire detection and alarm system, public address (PA) system, fire sprinklers and a computerized Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) that monitors the entire building. The FACP is located in the Fire Control Center on the ground floor of the Building adjacent to the high-rise elevators, and is monitored twenty-four hours a day by an off-site monitoring company. The various alarm and smoke/heat detection devices are located throughout the building. Manual pull stations are located on every floor; one next to every stairwell exit. Water flow and tamper devices are located on each sprinkler riser at every floor level. Smoke detectors are located in the elevator lobbies, and some return air ducts and in some fan rooms, as well as some server rooms in tenant spaces.

Activation of any manual pull station will initiate the following events:

• Provide alarm indication at FACP and remote annunciator
• Activates strobes and strobe/horns on that floor
• Send alarm signal to dialer which calls the off-site monitoring company

Activation of an area smoke detector will:

• Provide alarm indication at FACP and remote annunciator
• Activate strobes and strobe/horns on that floor
• Close smoke/fire dampers in areas covered by smoke detectors
• Send alarm signal to dialer which calls the off-site monitoring company

Activation of a water flow device will:

• Provide alarm indication at FACP and remote annunciator
• Activates strobes and strobe/horns on that floor
• Send alarm signal to dialer which calls the off-site monitoring company

Activation of an elevator lobby smoke detector will:

• Provide alarm indication at FACP and remote annunciator
• Activate strobes and strobe/horns on that floor
• Recall the elevators to the ground floor
• Send alarm signal to dialer which calls the off-site monitoring company

In the event of a fire, floor occupants will be alerted by a temporal audible alarm which sounds like a loud whooping tone (or loud horn) and the strobe lights will flash. These alarms will be heard and seen on the affected floor and receiving floor (if applicable). A PA announcement will also be given. In the event of an alarm, the affected floor tenants are to relocate to another floor or evacuate the building and meet at their pre-designated location as determined by your company’s personalized emergency plan.

To assist with emergency exiting, green exit signs are located throughout the entire floor and above the stairwell exits. These exit signs will direct tenants to the nearest stairwell exit. To further assist evacuating tenants, evacuation signs are posted in every elevator lobby and at each stairwell exit. These evacuation signs indicate the locations of the stairwell exits, manual pull stations and fire extinguishers. The enclosed stairwells are rated for two hours, which will allow more than enough time for the tenants to evacuate the area. During an emergency use the stairwells; DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE THE ELEVATORS. The elevators may be recalled to the ground floor to be used by the fire department if necessary.

As required by Title 19 California Code of Regulations; California Fire Code; California Health and Safety Code; and the San Francisco Fire Code, an emergency plan shall be prepared, implemented, maintained and annually reviewed for this building. Contact the Property Management Office for full plan.

EVACUATION/FIRE DRILLS

221 Main is a relocation building. Tenants located on the 8th – 16th floors enter the stairwell and go down four floors and reenter the building (unless instructed otherwise on the public address system).  Tenants on the lobby level – 7th floor will evacuate the building and go to their company’s pre-designated meeting area.

Listen for, and follow, the instructions on the public address system. Follow the relocation symbols in the stairwell to confirm that you have relocated correctly. Floors 8-16 has a color marked in the stairwell and reads which floor to relocate to. Your relocating floor color should match the floor which you have evacuated (for example: if your floor color shows blue, your relocating floor should also show blue).

Floors 7 - Basement should evacuate the entire building using either the north or south stairwells if an alarm sounds.

Each tenant should assign at least two Floor Wardens who will help to evacuate/relocate their employees. Tenants should also submit an Emergency Evacuation Location Form and an Emergency Relocation Assistance Form (mentioned below).

ASSOCIATED FORMS (EAP PERSONNEL, ETC.)

All tenants should have the following updated forms listed below:

• Floor Warden Form: This form identifies the assigned Floor Wardens for each tenant.
• Emergency Evacuation Location Form: This form informs Building Management where all evacuated employees will meet. This information should also be discussed with tenants in case of an emergency.
• Emergency Relocation Assistance Form: This form notifies building management of any employee with a disability that will need assistance evacuating/relocating in case of an emergency.

DO'S 

• Become familiar with your work area(s)
• Eliminate extension cords and unplug small appliances when not in use
• Check electrical equipment
• Know the location of fire extinguishers
• Know the location of stairwell exits
• Keep areas clean
• Keep exits clear
• Keep exit paths clear
• Keep fire equipment clear
• Report problems to the Building Management

DON'TS 

• No Smoking in building
• Do not over use extension cords
• Do not block doors in open position
• Do not block fire equipment or exiting paths
• Do not block sprinklers
• Do not store combustible materials
• Do not stack anything within 18” of the ceiling
• Do not use an open flame for light
• Do not use unauthorized appliances such as space heaters, rice cookers or hot plates
• Do not allow trash or boxes of paper to accumulate in storage or other enclosed areas

Fire Extinguishers are located through-out the building on each floor.

To use a fire extinguisher:

• Ensure that the alarm has been sounded
• Alert your neighbors
• Check the fire extinguisher. Make sure that it is in good condition.
• Carry the fire extinguisher to the fire: Remember the acronym PASS 
  • PULL the pin
  • AIM at the base of the fire
  • SQUEEZE the handle
  • SWEEP side to side at the base of the fire
• REMEMBER TO KEEP SPACE BETWEEN THE FIRE AND YOUR EXIT DOOR.

Time is extremely important in the case of a medical emergency. Building Management recommends that all tenants keep a first aid kit unlocked and fully stocked in their suite. It is the tenant’s responsibility to also make sure that employees are aware of its location. 

If you need medical help: 

• Immediately inform the closest person to call 911 and summon medical help.
• If no one is around, immediately call 911 and request medical help.
• GIVE THE BUILDING ADDRESS, FLOOR AND SUITE NUMBERS, and YOUR PHONE NUMBER.
• Call Property Management at 415.615.0285 and report the arriving medical units or send someone to the lobby to notify building staff. Give your location and your phone number.

Upon seeing or being informed of another person in need of medical help: 

• Immediately call 911
• GIVE BUILDING ADDRESS, FLOOR or SUITE, and PHONE NUMBERS
• Make the ill person as comfortable as possible
• Make a call to the Property Management Office at 415.615.0285
• Give location and phone number
• If possible, get victim as close to the elevator as you can
• Or send someone to wait at the elevator to guide the arriving medical units.

The front desk or other building staff upon receiving information that someone in the building is in need of medical help: 

• Call 911 to ensure medical response
• Prop open front doors
• Recall one elevator for the responding medical units
• If possible, guide the medical units to the victim.

Medical tips: 

• Check breathing; clear airway
• Stop bleeding; apply direct pressure
• Cool a burn with cool running water

Note: This is intended to provide basic tips only. Please consult a first aid professional for details.

General Information 
Fortunately, the vast majority of bomb threats are false alarms. Unfortunately, it is difficult to differentiate false alarms from genuine threats. As little publicity as possible should be given to the incident, since the objective of the caller is usually to disrupt normal business functions by causing the building to be evacuated. 

There are at least two reasons why bomb threats are a serious problem: 

1. Serious personal injury can result if an explosive or fire-generating device is set off.
2. Valuable work time is lost during building evacuations.

The Management staff will endeavor to control unauthorized access to this facility. The success of the preventive strategy requires full cooperation from all tenants. All suspicious individuals or situations should be reported at once to the Management Office at 415.615.0285. 

Tenant Responsibilities 

1. Evacuation. If a non-descriptive general bomb threat is received, the building will remain open. The decision to evacuate is then the responsibility of each tenant.
2. Search office area for suspicious objects.
3. Develop a Bomb Threat Search Plan to be executed upon receipt or notification of a threat and select people to participate in it.

Building Staff Responsibilities 
The Property Manager will: 

• Assist tenants who have received a bomb threat. Requesting:
  • Specifics of the threat.
  • If 911 has been called. (If not, the Property Manager will call 911.)
  • If a bomb search has been initiated. (Since the Property Manager is unfamiliar with the daily intricate set-up of a tenant’s space, it is the tenant’s responsibility to search their own leased space for suspicious packages.)
  • If employees have been notified of the threat.
• Notify the floor wardens, security and the evacuation team.

Preventative Measures 

• Conduct regular inspections in every suite for suspicious objects. Neat offices that are free from debris and boxes can make a foreign object easier to detect.
• Encourage all employees to report any suspicious persons wandering about the offices, corridors and restrooms to the management office at 415.615.0285.
• Monitor all delivery people and repairmen while in your office. Do not leave your office unattended and unlocked for any reason. All drawers, cabinets, compartments, closets, etc. fitted with locks should be kept locked.
• Encourage all employees to comply with the building security access control measures.

Procedure 
The person who receives the bomb threat call should: 

• Get as much information from the caller as possible using The Bomb Threat Checklist as a guideline. (A copy of this checklist is at the end of this guide.)
• Dial 911 and reports the threat to the local police or fire department.
• Call the Property Management Office at 415.615.0285.

If a non-descriptive general bomb threat is received (no description of bomb, no detonation time, no location, etc.), the building will remain open. The decision to evacuate is then the responsibility of each tenant. Total evacuation may be necessary when the threat is specific in nature, the call cannot be resolved as a hoax, or a suspicious object is located. If total evacuation is necessary, instructions to do so will be provided by building management or the local police and/or fire department. 

Tenant wardens notify employees in a calm and deliberate manner. 

Carefully worded pre-planned statements can convey the urgency of the situation without causing panic. An appropriate statement might be, “Employees are directed to immediately cease work, gather their personal belongings and proceed to (the emergency stairwell or floor [x]). This is not a drill.” 

Conducting a Search 
For optimum effectiveness, the search should be conducted by individuals familiar with the area involved. Floor wardens should search their suites and building facilities personnel should search common areas and equipment rooms. 

1. Two-way radios or cell phones should not be used as they can activate a detonator.
2. Don't rush your search, you may miss something.
3. Remember, you are looking for anything “out of the ordinary" or that which “does not belong.”

Search from: 

• Floor-level to waist-level (then re-search the area from)
• Waist-level to eye-level (then re-search the area from)
• Eye-level to ceiling-level

Begin the search by circling your area and working toward the center of the room. Look for anything “out of the ordinary” or anything that “does not belong.” For example:

• Packages
• Package of cigarettes
• Boxes (lunch, shoe, etc.)
• Pieces of pipe
• Briefcases
• Thermos bottle/flask
• Suitcases
• Flashlights
• Books
• Purses/wallets

Finding a Suspicious Object:
If a suspicious object is found, do not touch it! Clear all personnel from the area immediately and notify the Police Department and the building manager, and prepare for building evacuation.

Do not evacuate your suite/floor until building management has conducted a search of the stairwells and cleared them for use. Do not use an exit located near a suspicious object. Use an alternate exit.

Once outside, proceed to the safe refuge area to avoid interfering with Police Department activities and to avoid being hit by flying glass or debris.

NOTE: If your company decides to evacuate the building, use the stairways to evacuate. The tenant warden must confirm with the Property Manager that your company has evacuated the building.

Suspicious Packages:

1. Identifying a suspicious package/mail:
   • Origin – Postmark or name of sender is unusual, unknown, or no further address is given.
   • Postage – Excessive or inadequate postage.
   • Balance – The letter is lopsided or unusually thick.
   • Weight – The letter or package seems heavy for its size.
   • Contents – Stiffness or springiness of contents; protruding wires or components; oily outer wrapping or envelope; feels like it contains powdery substance (When checking, do not bend excessively.)
   • Writing – Handwriting of sender is not familiar or indicates a foreign style not normally received by recipient. Common words or names are misspelled.
   • Rub-on block lettering
2. Handling a suspicious package/mail:
   • Do not excessively handle or open a suspicious package.
   • Immediately segregate it in an unused room or space.
   • Attempt to verify the sender and/or the legitimacy of the package (i.e. ask the recipient if he/she was expecting a package that matches the suspect’s package size and shape.)
   • If the letter or parcel remains suspect, call the Property Management Office at 415.615.0285 and 911.

If the threat is received in the form of a letter, the letter should be preserved for investigation by the Police. To preserve the evidence for possible fingerprinting by Police, minimize any handling of the letter.

CHEMICAL ATTACK

Chemical agents are poisonous vapors, aerosols, liquids and solids that have toxic effects on people, animals or plants. Chemical agents are unlikely to cause death because they dissipate quickly outdoors and are hard to produce.

Signs of a chemical release include difficulty breathing, eye irritation, loss of coordination, nausea or burning in the nose, throat and lungs. The presence of many dead insects or birds may indicate a chemical agent release.

Before a Chemical Emergency
Build an Emergency Supply Kit and include:

• Duct tape
• Scissors
• Plastic (to cover doors, windows and vents)

Make an Emergency Plan.

During a Chemical Attack

• Quickly try to figure out which areas are affected or where the chemical is coming from, if possible.
• Get away immediately.
• If the chemical is inside your building, get out of the building without passing through the contaminated area, if possible.
• If you can’t get out of the building or find clean air without passing through the affected area, move as far away as possible and shelter-in-place.

BIOLOGICAL ATTACK

Many facilities in communities around the country have received anthrax threat letters.  Most were empty envelopes; some have contained powdery substances.  The purpose of these guidelines is to recommend procedures for handling such incidents.

DO NOT PANIC

Anthrax organisms can cause infection in the skin, gastrointestinal system, or the lungs.  To do so the organism must be rubbed into abraded skin, swallowed, or inhaled as a fine, aerosolized mist.  Disease can be prevented after exposure to the anthrax spores by early treatment with the appropriate antibiotics.  Anthrax is not spread from one person to another person. 

For anthrax to be effective as a covert agent, it must be aerosolized into very small particles. This is difficult to do and requires a great deal of technical skill and special equipment.  If these small particles are inhaled, life-threatening lung infection can occur, but prompt recognition and treatment are effective.

Suspicious Unopened letter or PACKAGE MARKED WITH THREATENING MESSAGE SUCH AS “ANTHRAX”:

1. Do not shake or empty the contents of any suspicious envelope or package.
2. PLACE the envelope or package in a plastic bag or some other type of container to prevent leakage of contents.
3. If you do not have any container, then COVER the envelope or package with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove this cover.
4. Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).
5. WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.
6. What to do next…
   • If you are at HOME, then report the incident to local police.
   • If you are at WORK, then report the incident to local police, and notify your building security official or an available supervisor.
7. LIST all people who were in the room or area when this suspicious letter or package was recognized. Give this list to both the local public health authorities and law enforcement officials for follow-up investigations and advice.

Envelope with powder and powder spills out onto surface:

1. DO NOT try to CLEAN UP the powder.  COVER the spilled contents immediately with anything (e.g., clothing, paper, trash can, etc.) and do not remove this cover!
2. Then LEAVE the room and CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).
3. WASH your hands with soap and water to prevent spreading any powder to your face.
4. What to do next…
   • If you are at HOME, then report the incident to local police.
   • If you are at WORK, then report the incident to local police, and notify your building security official or an available supervisor.
5. REMOVE heavily contaminated clothing as soon as possible and place in a plastic bag, or some other container that can be sealed. This clothing bag should be given to the emergency responders for proper handling.
6. SHOWER with soap and water as soon as possible. Do Not Use Bleach Or Other Disinfectant On Your Skin.
7. If possible, list all people who were in the room or area, especially those who had actual contact with the powder. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.

QUESTION OF ROOM CONTAMINATION BY AEROSOLIZATION:
For example: small device triggered, warning that air-handling system is contaminated, or warning that a biological agent released in a public space.

1. Turn off local fans or ventilation units in the area.
2. LEAVE area immediately.
3. CLOSE the door, or section off the area to prevent others from entering (i.e., keep others away).
4. What to do next:
   • If you are at HOME, then dial “911” to report the incident to local police and the local FBI field office.
   • If you are at WORK, then dial “911” to report the incident to local police and the local FBI field office, and notify your building security official or an available supervisor.
5. SHUT down air handling system in the building, if possible.
6. If possible, list all people who were in the room or area. Give this list to both the local public health authorities so that proper instructions can be given for medical follow-up, and to law enforcement officials for further investigation.

Source: Center for Disease Control

https://emergency.cdc.gov/bioterrorism/

RADIOLOGICAL ATTACK

A Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD) combines a conventional explosive device — such as a bomb — with radioactive material. It is designed to scatter dangerous and sub-lethal amounts of radioactive material over a general area.

Such RDDs appeal to terrorists because they require limited technical knowledge to build and deploy compared to a nuclear device. The size of the affected area and the level of destruction caused by an RDD would depend on the sophistication and size of the conventional bomb and other factors. The area affected could be placed off-limits to the public for several months during cleanup efforts.

Before a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD) Event
There is no way of knowing how much warning time there will be before an attack by terrorists using a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD), so being prepared in advance and knowing what to do and when is important. To prepare for an RDD event, you should do the following:

• Build an Emergency Supply Kit with the addition of duct tape and scissors.
• Make a Family Emergency Plan.
• Find out from officials if any public buildings in your community have been designated as fallout shelters. If none have been designated, make your own list of potential shelters near your home, workplace, and school, such as basements, subways, tunnels, or the windowless center area of middle floors in high-rise buildings.
• If you live in an apartment building or high-rise, talk to the manager about the safest place in the building for sheltering and about providing for building occupants until it is safe to go out.

Taking shelter during an RDD event is absolutely necessary. There are two kinds of shelters - blast and fallout. The following describes the two kinds of shelters:

• Blast shelters are specifically constructed to offer some protection against blast pressure, initial radiation, heat, and fire. But even a blast shelter cannot withstand a direct hit from a nuclear explosion.
• Fallout shelters do not need to be specially constructed for protecting against fallout. They can be any protected space, provided that the walls and roof are thick and dense enough to absorb the radiation given off by fallout particles.

During a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD) Event
While the explosive blast will be immediately obvious, the presence of radiation will not be known until trained personnel with specialized equipment are on the scene.

If the explosion or radiological release occurs inside, get out immediately and seek safe shelter. Otherwise, if you are:

Outdoors

• Seek shelter indoors immediately in the nearest undamaged building.
• If appropriate shelter is not available, cover your nose and mouth and move as rapidly as is safe upwind, away from the location of the explosive blast. Then, seek appropriate shelter as soon as possible.
• Listen for official instructions and follow directions.

Indoors

• If you have time, turn off ventilation and heating systems, close windows, vents, fireplace dampers, exhaust fans, and clothes dryer vents.
• Retrieve your disaster supplies kit and a battery-powered radio and take them to your shelter room.
• Seek shelter immediately, preferably underground or in an interior room of a building, placing as much distance and dense shielding as possible between you and the outdoors where the radioactive material may be.
• Seal windows and external doors that do not fit snugly with duct tape to reduce infiltration of radioactive particles. Plastic sheeting will not provide shielding from radioactivity nor from blast effects of a nearby explosion.
• Listen for official instructions and follow directions.

After a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD) Event
After finding safe shelter, those who may have been exposed to radioactive material should decontaminate themselves. To do this, remove and bag your clothing (and isolate the bag away from you and others), and shower thoroughly with soap and water. Seek medical attention after officials indicate it is safe to leave shelter.

Contamination from an RDD event could affect a wide area, depending on the amount of conventional explosives used, the quantity and type of radioactive material released, and meteorological conditions.

Follow these additional guidelines after an RDD event:

• Continue listening to your radio or watch the television for instructions from local officials, whether you have evacuated or sheltered-in-place.
• Do not return to or visit an RDD incident location for any reason.

In the event of a civil disturbance or riot, the Building Management Office may find it necessary to limit or restrict access to the Building to protect occupants and property. 

General Precautions: 

• Do not go through a violent crowd to leave or enter the building
• If participants enter your Office, do not provoke an incident
• Call 911 and inform of the situation
• Call the Property Management Office
• Keep communication lines open for emergency information
  • Will be advised to shelter in place if building needs to be put on lock down. Tenant can choose to evacuate but access will not be allowed back in until situation is clear.

General Information 
In the event the building sustains a power failure, emergency lighting is available in tenant suites, common corridors and the stairwells. Power to one elevator will be available. All HVAC equipment, general lighting, receptacles, elevators and most telephone equipment will not be operational. 

Procedure 

1. The Chief Engineer or Property Manager will contact PG&E to find out the duration of the power outage.
2. Security will monitor all elevators from the security console.
3. Floor Wardens will standby for building announcements.
4. If the power is not restored within 15-30 minutes, a PA announcement will be made by building management with instructions. This delay will allow management to obtain information from PG&E about the anticipated restoration of power.

NOTE: If the electric company does not know how long the power will be out, or if power will be out for longer than one hour, the building may need to be totally evacuated. 

If total evacuation is necessary, it is conducted according to the fire procedure. (For greater detail on the fire procedure, refer to the Fire section of the Tenant Emergency Guide). 

The building is equipped with an emergency generator that is designed to start automatically in the event of loss in power. The emergency generator will supply power for emergency lighting in tenant suites & stairwells, power to the life safety equipment, and power to one elevator. 

Actions to Follow: 

• Remain calm
• Keep flashlights with extra batteries and bulbs in the office
• Do not use the elevators, use stairwell if you must exit and you will not be allowed back in until power is restored.
• Turn off or unplug electrical equipment to reduce the load on the Building when power is restored and to prevent damage from possible electrical surge
• Place absorbent materials around the base of refrigerator
• For periodic updates 6:00 am – 6:00 pm M-F please call the Property Management Office at 415.615.0285. The Property Management Office is equipped with emergency power that services the office phones and computers.
• The answering service will be provided information by Property Management if the building will be closed due to a power outage.

ELEVATOR FAILURE 
If the elevator fails and you are inside: 

• Remain calm.
• If the elevator stopped due to a mechanical problem, you will need to call for help. To make a call press the call button on the lower right elevator panel outlined in red, this will call the building security console. Give security your name, the elevator you are in (listed on the intercom) and security will notify the appropriate personnel.
• If a power failure, all elevators will stop. One bank at a time the elevators will go to the lobby and their doors will open. This will happen until all elevators are down. One elevator will be selected (usually the freight) to remain running on emergency power.
• If an earthquake, all elevators traveling will stop then travel to the nearest floor opposite the counterweight and their doors will open.

Severe weather can happen anytime, in any part of the country. Severe weather can include hazardous conditions produced by thunderstorms, including damaging winds, tornadoes, large hail, flooding and flash flooding, and winter storms associated with freezing rain, sleet, snow, and strong winds.

LIGHTNING AND THUNDERSTORMS

Lightning is a leading cause of injury and death from weather-related hazards. Although most lightning victims survive, people struck by lightning often report a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms.

Thunderstorms are dangerous storms that include lightning and can create or cause:

• Powerful winds over 50 mph
• Hail
• Flash flooding and/or tornadoes

Know Your Risk
Know your area’s risk for thunderstorms. In most places they can occur year-round and at any hour. Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.

Make an Emergency Plan
Create an emergency plan so that you and your family know what to do, where to go and what you will need to protect yourselves from the effects of a thunderstorm. Identify sturdy buildings close to where you live, work, study and play.

Stay Safe During Thunderstorms & Lightning
If you are under a thunderstorm warning:

• Move from outdoors into a building or car with a roof.
• Pay attention to alerts and warnings.
• Avoid using electronic devices connected to an electrical outlet.
• Avoid running water.
• Do not drive through flooded roadways. Just six inches of fast-moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.

Flooding is a temporary overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States. Failing to evacuate flooded areas or entering flood waters can lead to injury or death.

Floods may:

• Result from rain, snow, coastal storms, storm surges and overflows of dams and other water systems.
• Develop slowly or quickly. Flash floods can come with no warning.
• Cause outages, disrupt transportation, damage buildings, and create landslides.

Know Your Risk for Floods
Visit FEMA's Flood Map Service Center to know types of flood risk in your area.  Sign up for your community’s warning system. The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio also provide emergency alerts.

Purchase Flood Insurance
Purchase or renew a flood insurance policy. Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover flooding. It typically takes up to 30 days for a policy to go into effect so the time to buy is well before a disaster. Get flood coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Preparing for a Flood
Make a plan for your household, including your pets, so that you and your family know what to do, where to go, and what you will need to protect yourselves from flooding. Learn and practice evacuation routes, shelter plans, and flash flood response. Gather supplies, including non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, and water for several days, in case you must leave immediately or if services are cut off in your area.

In Case of Emergency
Keep important documents in a waterproof container. Create password-protected digital copies. Protect your property. Move valuables to higher levels. Declutter drains and gutters. Install check valves. Consider a sump pump with a battery.

If you are under a flood warning:

• Find safe shelter right away.
• Do not walk, swim or drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown!
• Remember, just six inches of moving water can knock you down, and one foot of moving water can sweep your vehicle away.
• Stay off bridges over fast-moving water.

Depending on the type of flooding:

• Evacuate if told to do so.
• Move to higher ground or a higher floor.
• Stay where you are.

A study conducted by the United States Geological Survey in 1999, reports that there is a 90% chance of another earthquake the size of the Loma Prieta (7.1) earthquake centered in Northern California during the next 30 years. There is also a sizable risk of seismic activity in the Pacific Northwest region that could affect other West Coast areas.

Studies indicate that following a quake of high magnitude, our emergency service agencies (Fire Department, Police, Emergency Medical Services, etc.) will be severely overwhelmed and may not be able to respond to local areas for at least 72 hours. In addition, a severe earthquake may cause interruption in transportation and/or communications, as well as damage to gas and/or power lines, sewer and/or water mains. 

Each tenant should train to be self sufficient for at least 72 hours with regard to water, food, and first aid capabilities. The following procedures provide specific information for rendering assistance, ensuring the safety of personnel and the protection of property during and following an earthquake. 

Definitions: 

• Aftershock - Earthquakes of similar or lesser intensity related to and following the main earthquake.
• Earthquake - The shaking or trembling of the crust of the earth, caused by underground volcanic forces and/or the breaking and shifting of rock beneath the surface of the earth.
• Earthquake Fault - A zone of weakness in the earth’s crust, where two crystal blocks or rock formations part.
• Epicenter - That point of the earth's surface directly above the center of the earth’s movement.
• Richter Scale/Earthquake Magnitude - The energy released by the earthquake as expressed on a scale measured in terms of magnitude.

BEFORE 

Earthquake proofing: 

• Secure larger shelves or furniture to wall or floor
• Laminate glass which can shatter
• Lower heavy objects or displays which could fall and injure or block exit ways
• Keep drawers and cabinets latched
• Secure TV’s, computers, monitors, and other expensive electronics to their bases

Supplies: 

• The building office only provides emergency supplies for the building staff. Each tenant is responsible for providing emergency supplies for their employees. For a complete list of recommended supplies, please see the enclosed list following this section.

Communications: 
Individual, tenants, or employees should prepare:

• Emergency Phone List which includes but is not limited to family, work, school, day care and friends
• Long distance message check-in phone number
• If possible, carry a cell phone

Company:

• Compile an emergency list of vendors to minimize downtime
• Compile an emergency list of employees.

Drill: 

• Know safe, take-cover locations.

DURING 

The first priority during an earthquake or aftershock is to protect yourself from falling glass or debris. At the first indication that an earthquake is occurring: 

• Remain calm – do not panic.
• Act quickly, moving away from windows and/or glass partitions.
• Take cover and protect yourself from falling glass and debris. Get underneath a sturdy desk or table and hold on to it. If you are unable to get underneath a sturdy object, move to an interior wall and sit with your back against it. Lean forward and cover the back of your head and neck with your hands to protect yourself.
• Stay put, remain in the “take cover” position for a few minutes until you are sure that the earthquake is over.
• If you are outside when the earthquake occurs and cannot immediately get to a safe place, move away from buildings, broken glass from buildings, walls, power lines, lamp post, etc., or any other object that could fall and injure you.
• Don’t rush. Many injuries result from hasty attempts to take cover.
• Do not run outside during the shaking or use the stairways or elevators. There is the hazard of injuries just outside of buildings from falling bricks and other debris.
• If you are driving when an earthquake strikes, move to the shoulder of the highway and away from bridges, overpasses, power lines and large buildings as quickly as is safe. Stay in your car and wait for the shaking to stop.
• Stay put, remain in the “take cover” position for a few minutes until you are sure that the earthquake is over.

AFTER 

Damage Assessment 

There is always the potential for a fire occurring after any earthquake. This can be caused by a ruptured gas line, electrical shorts, flammable liquids, overturned appliances and hazardous materials, etc. If a fire occurs, all available resources, personnel and fire fighting equipment should be used to extinguish the fire. 

Survey around your floor for dangerous conditions and potential safety hazards. Check for the following:

• Fires or fire hazards
• Smoke
• Loose wires
• Ruptured pipes
• Toppled furniture
• Hanging ceiling tiles
• Structural damage
• Light fixtures

Triage 
If occupants are injured, a triage area will need to be established. This is an area to sort and prioritize the treatment of those injured. If a person is seriously injured, they should be treated where they are. 

Once the order of treatment has been determined, first aid should begin immediately. Follow the instructions of the emergency team members and provide assistance as needed. 

Sanitation/Maintenance 
In the event roads are out of use and you are unable to leave the premises for an extended period of time and plumbing and sewage services are damaged or inaccessible, occupants should secure infectious waste plastic bags around the rims of the toilets. After use, the bags should be secured and placed in lined infectious waste containers. The infectious waste containers should contain spill proof lids to secure containment of infectious waste materials. 

The infectious waste containers should be removed three times per day and disposed of in the trash bins outside the building to be permanently removed by the sanitation company. Tenants are responsible for maintaining their own sanitation, hygiene and emergency supplies. 

When the situation begins to stabilize, clean up operations should begin. The first priority should be the removal of glass and debris which may cause a threat during an aftershock. These items should be piled in a specific location on each floor for removal at a later time. 

Note: There is a great need to assess the damages and to prepare documentation (when safe to do so), before clean-up operations begin. If clean-up begins too soon, useful information can be easily lost. Examples of good documentation may include the use of pictures or better yet, a video recorder to collect accurate damage information.

The below resources are prepared for you and available on the www.ready.gov website:

1. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT - Surviving an Active Shooter Event
2. Active Shooter Information Sheet
3. If you see something say something
4. Active Shooter Preparedness Resources

A pandemic is a disease outbreak that spans several countries and affects a large number of people. Pandemics are most often caused by viruses, like Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which can easily spread from person to person.

A new virus, like COVID-19, can emerge from anywhere and quickly spread around the world. It is hard to predict when or where the next new pandemic will emerge.

If a Pandemic is declared:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Keep a distance of at least six feet between yourself and people who are not part of your household.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when in public.
• Clean and disinfect high-touch objects and surfaces.
• Stay at home as much as possible to prevent the spread of disease.
• Follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How to Prepare Yourself for a Pandemic

• Learn how diseases spread to help protect yourself and others. Viruses can be spread from person to person, from a non-living object to a person and by people who are infected but don’t have any symptoms.
• Prepare for the possibility of schools, workplaces and community centers being closed. Investigate and prepare for virtual coordination for school, work (telework) and social activities.
• Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days or weeks. Supplies may include cleaning supplies, non-perishable foods, prescriptions and bottled water. Buy supplies slowly to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to buy what they need.
• Create an emergency plan so that you and your family know what to do and what you will need in case an outbreak happens. Consider how a pandemic may affect your plans for other emergencies.
• Review your health insurance policies to understand what they cover, including telemedicine options.
• Create password-protected digital copies of important documents and store in a safe place. Watch out for scams and fraud.

Stay Safe During a Pandemic

• Get vaccinated. Vaccines stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies, so vaccines actually prevent diseases.
• Take actions to prevent the spread of disease. Cover coughs and sneezes. Wear a mask in public. Stay home when sick (except to get medical care). Disinfect surfaces. Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Stay six feet away from people who are not part of your household.
• If you believe you’ve been exposed to the disease, contact your doctor, follow the quarantine instructions from medical providers and monitor your symptoms. If you’re experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 and shelter in place with a mask, if possible, until help arrives.
• Share accurate information about the disease with friends, family and people on social media. Sharing bad information about the disease or treatments for the disease may have serious health outcomes. Remember that stigma hurts everyone and can cause discrimination against people, places or nations.

Know that it’s normal to feel anxious or stressed. Engage virtually with your community through video and phone calls. Take care of your body and talk to someone if you are feeling upset.