Disaster Procedures

After completing this module you will:

Understand the disaster procedure

Understand the emergency plan unique to each client


Instructions:

1. This is a self-study lesson that you can complete at your own pace. Take your time and think about the information.
2. Feel free to make notes.
3. Once you have completed all (4) required modules,  you will take an online test about the information covered in each lesson.
4. After completing the (4) required lessons, and passing the test, you will receive two (10) education credits.  

What is Disaster?

An accident that causes great distress or destruction.  A disaster is a situation or event which overwhelms a local city, necessitating a request to a national or international level for outside assistance  

Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Safety and Emergency Preparedness are issues that face all of us on a daily basis. The first visit to the home of your client gives you the opportunity to investigate safety issues and report immediately any concerns that cannot be easily corrected.

As far as obvious safety issues, what should you be looking for?

• Furniture or other items that can obstruct the clients walkway
• Items that could cause you or your client to fall. Some of these could include:                      
• Electrical wires
• Magazine racks 
• Area rugs 
• Broken or lightweight chairs 
• Highly polished floors 
• Stairs without safety tape and / or railings 

• Lack of smoke detectors or those that need batteries
• Lack of fire extinguisher
• Overloaded electrical outlets
• Assistive equipment that needs repair (broken or frayed straps on braces or slings, worn rubber tips on canes, walkers, and crutches, broken brakes on wheel chairs)
• No hand rails in bathroom or next to the bed
• Family or client smoking or using other flammable chemicals (nail polish remover) when oxygen is in use. 

If you have a client who has memory loss and / or is disoriented, you may have to secure specific items for their safety. These may include:

• Chemicals (e.g., cleaning supplies, paints, insecticides, aerosol cans)
• Medications
• Anything that could be used as a weapon (e.g., guns, knives, scissors)
• Fragile or breakable items
• Stove knobs
• Electrical outlets that may need covering

Although it is not your responsibility to reorganize the house, some basic steps can be taken to ensure safety. Discuss with your supervisor any issues that you feel are a safety threat to you or your client that cannot be easily solved. For example, the client may need:

• Safety handrails installed in the bathroom.
• A raised toilet seat
• Locks on doors that they cannot open
• A bed trapeze, electric chair or mechanical life for mobility 

Emergency Preparedness 
What people do before a disaster can make a dramatic difference in their ability to cope with and recover from a disaster, as well as their ability to protect other household members and family possessions from avoidable losses. 

Households that are prepared can reduce the fear, anxiety, and losses that surround a disaster. They can be ready to evacuate their homes, survive a period of confinement to the home, make their stays in public shelters more comfortable, and take care of their basic medical needs. They can even save each others’ lives.

Knowing the Warning System

To warn their citizens of an emergency, some communities use sirens or loudspeakers; others rely on officials going door-to-door or on messages delivered by local TV or radio stations. It is important to know what alarms sound like, what they mean, and what actions should be taken when they are heard.

Shelter-In-Place

What Shelter-In-Place means: One of the instructions you may be given in an emergency where hazardous materials or chemicals may have been released is to shelter-in-place. This is a precaution aimed to keep you safe while remaining indoors. (This is not the same thing as going to shelter in case of a storm.) Shelter-in-place means selecting a small, interior room, with no or few windows, and taking refuge there. It does not mean sealing off your entire home. If you are told to shelter-in-place, follow the instructions provided in this section.

Why you might need to Shelter-In-Place: Chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants may be released accidentally or intentionally into the environment. Should this occur, information will be provided by local authorities on television and radio stations on how to protect you and your client. Because information will most likely be provided on television and radio, it is important to keep a TV or radio on during the day. The important thing is for you to follow instructions of local authorities and know what to do if they advise you to shelter-in-place. 

How to Shelter in Place at home:

• Close and lock all windows and exterior doors
• If you are told there is danger of explosion, close the window shades, blinds, or curtains.
• Turn off all fans, heating and air conditioning systems.
• Close the fireplace damper. • Get the family disaster supplies kit and make sure the radio is working.
• Go to an interior room without windows that’s above ground level. In the case of a chemical threat, an above-ground location is preferable because some chemicals are heavier than air, and may seep into basements even if the windows are closed.
• Bring pets with you, and be sure to bring additional food and water supplies for them.
• It is ideal to have a hard-wired telephone in the room you select. Call your emergency contact and have the phone available if you need to report a life threatening condition.
  
  

Keep in Mind! Cellular telephone equipment may be overwhelmed or damaged during an emergency.

• Use duct tape and plastic sheeting (heavier than food wrap) to seal all cracks around the door and any vents into the room.
• Keep listening to your radio or television until you are told all is safe or you are told to evacuate. Local officials may call for evacuation in specific areas at greatest risk in your community.
  

Other Emergencies
There may be other emergencies for which workers must be prepared. Besides fire, there can be power outages, tornadoes, and flooding. Perhaps your client may choke, stop breathing, or fall.

• Situations may require you to take immediate action. Below are some questions that you need to discuss with your supervisor, the client and his/her family:
• If the client cannot ambulate, how will you quickly get him/her out of the home?
• If the home is located on multi-levels and the elevator cannot be used, how will you get them down stairs to safety?
• Do you know your organizations policy when a client falls?
• If a client stops breathing, do you know where their important papers and / or Advanced Directive agreement is located?
  

On the first day of an assignment, the worker should discuss with the client and family what actions should be taken if an emergency occurs. They need to know where shut-off valves, flash lights, fire extinguishers, disaster kits and appropriate telephone numbers are located. They need to know the company’s policy on proper procedures to be taken during emergencies and disasters. 

You have completed the Disaster Procedures Module!

Please complete the remaining required modules before taking the online test.