Emergency Operations Plan

Record of Promulgation

List of Abbreviations

Purpose

 * 1) To enable Newark Manor Nursing Home to provide timely, integrated, and coordinated responses to emergency situations involving or impacting the facility.
 * 2) To describe the roles and responsibilities of Newark Manor Nursing Home in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from the impacts of all hazards.
 * 3) To describe the coordination within Newark Manor Nursing Home and other stakeholder groups necessary to provide services to those affected by the impacts of all hazards.

Scope

 * 1) This plan applies to Newark Manor Nursing Home as a facility.
 * 2) Nothing in this plan will alter or prevent Newark Manor Nursing Home from conducting its normal operations or will be construed in a manner that limits the use of good judgment and common sense in incidents not covered by the plan.

Policy

 * 1) It is the policy of Newark Manor Nursing Home to be prepared to respond to a natural, man-made, or other public health emergency or disaster incident in a manner that protects the health and safety of its residents, visitors, and staff, and that is coordinated with a community-wide response to a public health emergency or disaster incident. All employees will know and be prepared to fulfill their duties and responsibilities as part of a team effort to provide the best possible emergency care in any situation.  Supervisors at each level of the organization will ensure that employees are aware of their responsibilities.

= Situation and Assumptions =

Situation

 * 1) All areas of Delaware are vulnerable to hazards.  See the State of Delaware Hazard Mitigation Plan for a detailed analysis of all statewide hazard vulnerabilities. The Hazard Vulnerability Analysis (HVA) provides a general overview of the types of hazards in the state and aid in planning and preparedness activities.
 * 2) The primary hazards for New Castle County include the following:
 * 3) Pandemic  A. A pandemic incident is the top planning priority for New Castle County, due to its impact on the healthcare services and its high probability. The demand for primary care doctors will increase, along with the need for hospital beds that are set up and staffed. This hazard is also ranked first due to its possible continual impact on DPH for more than 14 days. At‐risk populations will also need to be carefully considered in the planning process.
 * 4) Tornado  A. A tornado was ranked second in the planning priority category due to a high human impact. The number of fatalities, emergency room visits, and trauma center injuries will greatly increase after a tornado. Along with these factors, this hazard will have a large impact on the community and will cause interruptions within healthcare services.
 * 5) Hazardous Materials Release  A. A hazardous materials release was scored third in planning priority due to a high human impact score. The scores for mortality and emergency department visits were at least 150 times greater than the baseline data. The community impact score was also higher in business continuity, population disruption, and environment impact. All three would be interrupted for at least 14 days, resulting in an increased score.
 * 6) Radiation Dispersal Release  A. When reviewing the results of an RDD incident, it is evident that this hazard is a planning priority for New Castle County due to its anticipated impact on the community, particularly in the areas of business continuity and population displacement. There was also a large mental health impact score, along with a high at‐risk population score.
 * 7) Biological Terrorism  A. Biological terrorism is ranked fifth in planning priority due to an extremely high human impact score. The number of fatalities will be 139 times greater than the baseline data, along with a greater increase in the number of EMS transports and emergency department visits. Due to these high numbers, healthcare services and public health service will also be impacted. Healthcare facilities and providers have specific vulnerabilities that have been analyzed by the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Section, Office of Preparedness. For hazards specific to healthcare facilities and Delaware State Emergency Operations Plan Emergency Support Function #8: Health and Medical (ESF #8) of the Delaware State Emergency Operations Plan (DE SEOP), please consult Appendix 3: Hazard Vulnerability Analysis in this plan.
 * 8) All disaster incidents are the responsibility of the local jurisdiction, and thus Newark Manor is expected to be prepared for any public health emergency or disaster incident and be self-sufficient for at least 72 to 96 hours after the onset of the public health emergency or disaster incident.
 * 9) The Incident Command System (ICS) is a management system for disaster incidents that employs a logical management structure, defined responsibilities, clear reporting channels, and a common nomenclature to help unify healthcare facilities with other emergency responders. It is a management system made up of positions on an organizational chart.  Each position has a specific mission to address in a disaster incident, with a corresponding checklist of duties. ICS includes forms to enhance this overall system and promote accountability.
 * 10) According to the Delaware Code Title 16, Section 6701A—Authority of Fire Officers-in-Charge, there may only be one incident commander (IC) for a disaster incident. A facility IC will only have authority within the confines of the facility or facilities under his/her direct supervision. Activities external to the facility will fall under responsibility of the local response agency’s IC.

Assumptions

 * 1) A public health emergency or disaster incident may occur at any time, and pre-disaster warning time may vary from no warning time to several days.
 * 2) Public health emergencies or disaster incidents within and/or outside of the facility may impact the facility and require activation of this plan.
 * 3) Public health emergencies or disaster incidents may occur simultaneously in more than one part of a facility.
 * 4) A public health emergency or disaster incident may be of such magnitude that response and recovery requirements exceed facility resources so that assistance from the host county and/or the state may be necessary.
 * 5) A public health emergency or disaster incident may cause shortages, in the local area, of a wide variety of necessary supplies.
 * 6) Throughout the course of a public health			emergency or disaster incident, Newark Manor Nursing Home will maintain essential services to its residents.
 * 7) The external human or material resources			identified in the response strategy may not be available for 24 to			72 hours following a public health emergency or disaster incident			due to jurisdiction-specific considerations of resource management			in times of crisis(es).
 * 8) All operational personnel are trained on			the EOP and their role within this plan.
 * 9) Newark Manor Nursing Home staff is aware			of the hazards faced at the facility, have documented these			hazards, and where possible, have taken mitigation actions to			protect the facility.
 * 10) Newark Manor Nursing Home staff work			with their residents and residents’ families to assist in			educating them on personal preparedness.
 * 11) Actions in this plan attributed to a			specific person may be delegated to another per the Newark Manor			Nursing Home standard operating procedures as outlined in the			facility Policy Manual.