We’ve Moved!

The NN/LM Emergency Preparedness & Response Toolkit is now being maintained on a server under the auspices of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM). The new address is http://nnlm.gov/ep/. Hope to see you there!

Simplified Approach to Service Continuity Planning

Click on the link below to view a PowerPoint presentation on service continuity planning. As the title implies, the presentation is designed to be a simple, relatively quick, approach to creating a service continuity plan. The content is based on the eight-step approach to service continuity planning document that can be found by clicking on the Service Continuity Planning tab beneath the title banner.

PowerPoint Presentation: simplified-approach-to-service-continuity-planning

5.2 Earthquake Shakes Southern Illinois

This morning a magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred in southern Illinois. This comes as a surprise to most of us, but if you take a look at the FEMA map below you will see that it struck in an area of potential earthquake activity.

U.S. Power Grid

At the NN/LM Greater Midwest Region (GMR) resource library directors’ meeting this past week, there was a discussion about the power grid for the United States. Consensus was that when looking for a backup library, you may want to consider finding a library outside your power grid. Here is a map from the Department of Energy detailing the location of the three major power grids. For further information on blackouts see How Blackouts Work from the website Howstuffworks.com.

Disaster Plan from the University of Tennessee/Memphis

Tom Singarella, Director of the University of Tennessee/Memphis Health Sciences Library and Biocommunications Center, sent his library’s Emergency and Disaster Recovery Plan, which can be used as a sample plan, especially for resource libraries. It’s a great plan, and thanks, Tom, for sending it, also many thanks to Richard Nollan, chair of their emergency preparedness committee.

University of Tennessee/Memphis Emergency and Disaster Recovery Plan

GIS for Emergency Response

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management hosted a state-wide emergency management conference in mid-March, featuring presentations by emergency planners who have successfully used GIS (Geographic Information System) techniques to assist in planning for and responding to events such as flooding, a radiological event from a nuclear power station, hazmat incidents and search-and-rescue operations.  Check here to find the list of presentations, available from the state’s site in PDF format, and see some excellent examples of the use of technology to assist in emergency response.

Tornado Drill Creates Lessons Learned

Tornado Drill, University of Virginia, March 18, 2008

The University of Virginia (UVa) held a tornado drill, which included our library, on March 18 at 9:45 AM (see this site for more information). The drill had been announced two days before it was scheduled to occur. Overall, our library’s plan functioned well, but the drill definitely served its purpose, as it tested the systems and the knowledge of staff, and effectively showed the areas that need to be improved. Our Library Director held a drill de-briefing meeting this morning, so that we could share information/observations about the exercise and what we need to do to improve our planning and training. Lessons learned from the drill:

–in our library, staff followed procedures for sheltering-in-place. Patrons were given the option to participate in the drill or not, and only one person took shelter with our staff.

–we realized that our shelter-in-place plans need to be clarified so that everyone realizes the differences between sheltering-in-place for tornadoes and sheltering from a biochemical/hazmat situation or an active shooter

–a goal of the drill was that it be completed in 3 minutes. We found that this is adequate time if the overhead PA system is working. However, if power is off when a tornado is sighted, staff will have to warn patrons in person. We have a bullhorn with a siren, and have moved it to Circulation for use in making announcements if necessary.

–we had already contacted the Office of Emergency Preparedness at UVa to request help in verifying the best shelter locations in our library, so we look forward to having their guidance

–we are investigating the purchase of signs to designate shelter-in-place spaces in the library, once our sites are verified by UVa’s Office Emergency Preparedness

PNR Emergency Preparedness & Response Training

 

The RML staff of the Pacific Northwest Region (PNR) of NN/LM and colleagues from the HSL at the University of Washington gathered on Monday, March 17, 2008 to learn about NN/LM’s National Emergency Preparedness & Response Plan.  Cathy Burroughs, Associate Director of the PNR, and Sherrilynne Fuller, Library Director, were unable to attend because of illness.

The morning meeting at the South Campus Center began with introductions and an overview of the day’s activities.  The agenda included:

• Dan’s PowerPoint presentation, giving background and details of the plan as it has been approved.  Some features added to the presentation specific to this region:
  • visual metaphor for disaster preparedness and response:  slide of a photo that Dan took in NYC’s Central Park after snow of a man walking under an umbrella (preparedness) and, in the background, the statue of Balto, the sled dog who led the team on the final leg of the mission to deliver diphtheria antitoxin from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, in 1925 (response)
  • discussion of risks present in the PNR that most other regions do not share (Pacific Southwest Region being the exception):  volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, closer proximity to avian influenza in wild bird populations (Alaska/Russia)
• discussion of regional issues:  training available from WESTPAS, difficulties for members because of long distances involved and limited funding available for travel and class costs.  Resources libraries will be supportive.  The PNR will use the term “state coordinator” instead of “regional coordinator” in rolling out the plan.
• service continuity training:  use of FEMA information to assist in assessing risks, will encourage discussion of how money for salaging materials should best be spent:  replacement cost vs salvage cost.  RML staff will assist to implement the eight-step plan throughout the region, especially through training the state coordinators

In the afternooon, the meeting moved to the Library, where a conference call was set up with the state coordinators.

• Dan gave an orientation of the existing plan to the state coordinators and facilitated discussion among the coordinators and the RML staff present at this portion of the meeting (Cathy Burroughs participated via conference call).  Kathy Murray, the state coordinator for Alaska was present in person at the afternoon meeting, and the other coordinators participated via the conference telephone.
• a table-top exercise followed the orientation session, featuring the RML staff, a hospital librarian and the state coordinators via conference call.  The exercise was carried out well and quickly, followed by some discussion.
• goal-setting:  encourage use of WESTPAS training, make URL to the toolkit available to everyone once it has been moved to the NLM server, offer assistance through consortia in the region

The consensus was that this project/initiative should be given a higher priority on the region’s web page, perhaps offering a quick link to the plan and its accompanying resources.  Also agreed:  some clarification of the DOCLINE piece is needed.  Training will be based on the 8-step service continuity plan plus the toolkit, hopefully to be developed into a class similar to the basic PubMed class offered by NLM, for use in the regions.

SE/A Emergency Preparedness & Response Training

The NN/LM SE/A RML staff, representatives from the University of Maryland HSHSL, Angela Ruffin (Director, NN/LM National Network Office) and Barbara Nicholson (Technology Librarian, NN/LM National Network Office) met at the University of Maryland HSHSL on Friday, March 14, 2008 to hear about and to discuss the NN/LM Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan. The day’s agenda included:

• discussion of regional issues to be addressed as part of the plan roll-out: use of the online toolkit, opportunities within the region for training (SOLINET), options for DOCLINE use
• identification of other risks inherent to the SE/A region besides hurricanes and severe weather: proximity to nuclear power plants, military installations, Washington, DC, terrorist acts and bioterrorism
• service continuity training: identified roles of RML staff in the planning process for the region, discussed coordination based on the eight steps recommended in the guide available from the toolkit
• table-top exercise in the afternoon using a given scenario and coordinating the appropriate response among staff present at the meeting and member librarians via conference telephone
• discussion of preparedness, response and training goals for the region

The RML staff made plans to add depth to their coverage for some functions, such as changing DOCLINE status for member libraries in an emergency. They plan to introduce the plan and encourage the development of partnerships within the regional hospital library consortia at their meetings. Details of the meeting content will be available in the final report to the National Network Office of the NN/LM.

Disaster Information Management Research Center

There is now a link to the NN/LM Emergency Preparedness & Response Toolkit from the home page of the Disaster Information Management Research Center (DIMRC).  (Click on Libraries and Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery.)  DIMRC is a component of the National Library of Medicine and provides “disaster health information resources and informatics research that will [directly benefit] public health officials, healthcare providers, special populations, and the public.”