Example Of Leadership In Disaster Recovery Research Paper

Executive Summary

This paper is focused on developing an emergency management plan to guide the response to be taken during business or industrial fires. Fires in industrial or business premises can be very devastating hence it is important that a comprehensive plan to counter them is put in place. The analysis involved conducting a literature review of the components of emergency management and incorporating these in emergencies that involve fires in business and industrial premises. The literature review brings to the fore the components that are essential in disaster management. The analysis and discussion enable us to appreciate the essence of incorporating fire management programs in business and industrial premises.

Introduction

This paper explores the steps to be followed in developing an emergency management plan for a company.
Every year, emergencies cause businesses and industry to lose some of their valued employees through deaths and sizable amounts of their investments through destruction of property (Cote, 2008). A fire emergency in a business environment is any unplanned occurrence of fires that can cause injuries to customers, employees or the public. Moreover, fires in a commercial environment can result in disruption of operations, environmental or physical damage, or closure of the business. All these outcomes of fires in a business environment threaten the financial capability of the facility or its public image. Instances of fires gutting sections of manufacturing plants or commercial offices are very common, and most often they result in unnecessary deaths and loss of property. However, industry and business have the potential to reduce injuries and damages that result from fires and rebound quickly to normal operations if they develop their emergency plans ahead.

Analysis of a Fire Emergency Management Plan

Fire is one of the most common of all hazards, and each fire result in numerous deaths and huge financial losses to damage property. Fires occur more often in businesses that deal with the packaging and sale of flammable natural gas, production of explosives, manufacturing and sale corrosives products like acids and alkalis, and due to electrical failures. For example, natural gas leakages put a manufacturing plant at a high risk of catching fires which may be hard to control or contain.

Fire Mitigation

This involves putting measures in place that will prevent the onset of fires in a business environment or reduce its impacts should they occur (FEMA, 1993). These measures include installation of smoke detectors and ensuring monthly testing so as to ensure that they are in perfect condition or that they are working correctly. Moreover, business facilities should be inspected for any fire hazards, and the insurance provider’s recommendations sought on fire prevention and protection measures for the facility. Moreover, procedures for the safe handling and storage of flammable gases and liquids should be established, and procedures that prevent the accumulation of flammable materials in the business and industrial facilities (Wahle and Beatty, 1993). This is geared towards avoiding the flammable gases from catching fires thus threatening the lives of employee and properties of the business. To further mitigate the possibility of fires occurring, safe disposal of smoking materials should be provided, and fire extinguishers placed in the right locations. It is prudent that a fire horses, sprinkler systems and fire-resistant doors and walls are installed so as to be used in checking the spread of fire whenever it occurs. Additionally, all utility shutoffs should be identified and marked to ensure quick shutting off of gas, water, or electrical power by fire wardens or the employees who will respond to this eventuality.

Fire Disaster Preparedness

Preparedness activities prepare the employees and the entire community to respond effectively when a fire disaster occurs (FEMA, 1993). The initial stage for this is the management of the industrial or commercial facility meeting with the fire department managers to discuss the capabilities of the employees to respond to fire disasters effectively. During the discussion, processes and substances that increase the risk of fire erupting or which can contaminate the environment in a fire are identified. The identification is important because it is a precursor on how to handle the materials. Moreover, the management of business should distribute information on fire safety to employees. This information includes nuggets like how to prevent fires in the workplace, how to evacuate from the facility, how to contain fires, and where to report instances of a fire in a business or industrial facility. In addition, evacuation drills should be conducted to familiarize employees on how to evacuate buildings during fire emergencies (Wahle and Beatty, 1993). Moreover, a company should establish a system that provides a warning to personnel of fires so as to heighten their response. It is also important that key personnel like fire wardens are familiar with the entire fire safety systems.

Response to Fire Disasters

Response to emergency management refers to employment of emergency procedures and resources as per the guidance of the plans to save lives, the environment, and properties of the business or industrial entity (FEMA, 1993). With the emergence of fires, all personnel should be evacuated immediately to primary assembly areas once the fire alarm sounds. The occupants should be redirected to use stairs to exit the premises. At no instance should the occupants use elevators. Only designated personnel like fire wardens should be trained in use of fire extinguishers hence those in the immediate area of fire should try to control it. If they fail to put off the fire, the fire alarm should immediately be sounded to alert everyone to evacuate the building immediately by crawling on their knees and hands when escaping smoke-filled or hot areas. In addition, a fire-fighting team should be trained to fight fires which can be controlled without necessarily putting on protective equipment or breathing masks. A fire that exceeds this level should be accompanied by immediate evacuation. Moreover, as a response measure, a fire-fighting team should be trained and sufficiently equipped to counter structural fires using breathing masks and protective equipment (Cote, 2008). Elsewhere, the evacuation team should account for all personnel and visitors in the assembly areas. Everyone should be accounted for, and injuries should be attended to immediately.

Recovery from a Fire Disaster

Recovery refers to long-term actions taken after a fire disaster has occurred so as to restore normalcy in the business or industrial premises. The actions include clean-up of disaster debris, rebuilding of the premises, and psychological and financial support to the injured.

Discussion

This event fits perfectly in an emergency management framework because industrial fires are unplanned events that can result in injuries and deaths to personnel. In addition, they can cause shutdown of business or manufacturing plant and massive financial loss to the company. On the other hand, a risk is an uncertainty which may be rampant in a business.
A fire emergency in business and industrial premises is a scenario that every business entity should put in mind. Occurrence of fires in these premises is possible, and this calls for its mitigation, preparedness of everybody, and ensuring effective response. The effects of this emergency can be disastrous because it can lead to death of employees and razing down of property of the firms. This calls for business entities to insure their premises against fire so as to be able to recoup money to renovate razed down buildings or construct new ones altogether. Moreover, it is fundamental that all employees are prepared for any fire eventuality to avoid deaths. The last thing a business entity would want is to lose its valued employees through accidental fires.

Conclusions and Recommendations

This response to the fire emergency is effective because it focuses both on timely and safe evacuation of occupants of the premises and putting out the fire to reduce continuous destruction of property or endangering of lives of those trapped in the buildings. Moreover, the emergency management plan would work effectively because it very extensive and incorporates numerous initiatives in the preparedness, mitigation, response  as well as the recovery stages of managing fire disasters. Managing fires in business and industrial premises is not an easy task. It requires concerted efforts from many stakeholders for it to be successful. In addition, it requires vigilance and incorporation of safe practices within these premises. To make management of fire emergencies more effective in the future, several improvements need to be made to the plan. These improvements include making safety training of employees a compulsory component of their induction so that they are equipped with skills in prevention of fires and the effective response to any fire eventuality. Moreover, a strong well-equipped team should always be on standby to counter fires that may emerge in business premises.

References

Cote, A. E., Grant, C. C., Hall, J. R., Powell, P. A., & Solomon, R. E. (Eds.). (2008). Fire protection handbook (Vol. 2). National Fire Protection Assoc.
Federal Emergency Management Agency. (1993). Electronic Encyclopedia of CD and EM. Retrieved March 22, 2015, from https://facultystaff.richmond.edu/~wgreen/Ecd4phases.htm
Wahle, T., & Beatty, G. (1993). Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry. Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.fema.gov/pdf/business/guide/bizindst.pdf