Virginia Law

A. The center shall develop an emergency preparedness and response plan that shall address:

1. Documentation of initial and annual contact with the local emergency coordinator to determine (i) local disaster risks, (ii) community wide plans to address different disasters and emergency situations, and (iii) assistance, if any, that the local emergency management office will provide to the center in an emergency.

2. Analysis of the center's potential hazards, including severe weather, biohazard events, fire, loss of utilities, flooding, work place violence or terrorism, severe injuries, or other emergencies that would disrupt normal operation of the center.

3. Emergency management policies and procedures for the provision of:

a. Administrative direction and management of response activities;

b. Coordination of logistics during the emergency;

c. Communications;

d. Life safety of participants, staff, volunteers, and visitors;

e. Property protection;

f. Continued services to participants;

g. Community resource accessibility; and

h. Recovery and restoration.

4. Emergency response procedures for assessing the situation; protecting participants, staff, volunteers, visitors, equipment, medications, and vital records; and restoring services. Emergency response procedures shall address:

a. Alerting emergency personnel and center staff;

b. Warning and notification of participants, including sounding of alarms when appropriate;

c. Providing emergency access to secure areas and opening locked doors;

d. Conducting evacuations and sheltering in place, as appropriate, and accounting for all participants;

e. Locating and shutting off utilities when necessary;

f. Maintaining and operating emergency equipment effectively and safely;

g. Communicating with staff and community emergency responders during the emergency;

h. Conducting relocations to emergency shelters or alternative sites when necessary and accounting for all participants; and

i. Strategies for reunification of participants with their family or legal representative.

5. Supporting documents that would be needed in an emergency, including emergency call lists, building and site maps necessary to shut off utilities, and as applicable, memoranda of understanding with relocation sites and list of major resources such as suppliers of emergency equipment.

B. Staff and volunteers shall be knowledgeable in and prepared to implement the emergency preparedness plan in the event of an emergency.

C. The center shall develop and implement an orientation and semi-annual review on the emergency preparedness and response plan for all staff, participants, and volunteers with emphasis placed on an individual's respective responsibilities, except that for participants, the orientation and review may be limited to only subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection. The review shall be documented by signing and dating. The orientation and review shall cover responsibilities for:

1. Alerting emergency personnel and sounding alarms;

2. Implementing evacuation, shelter in place, and relocation procedures;

3. Using, maintaining, and operating emergency equipment;

4. Accessing emergency medical information, equipment, and medications for participants;

5. Locating and shutting off utilities; and

6. Utilizing community support services.

D. The center shall review the emergency preparedness and response plan annually or more often as needed, document the review by signing and dating the plan, and make necessary revisions. Such revisions shall be communicated to staff, participants, and volunteers and incorporated into the orientation and semi-annual review.

E. In the event of a disaster, fire, emergency, or any other condition that may jeopardize the health, safety, and welfare of participants, the center shall take appropriate action to protect the participants and to remedy the conditions as soon as possible.

F. After the disaster or emergency is stabilized, the center shall:

1. Notify participants, family members and legal representatives; and

2. Report the disaster or emergency to the regional licensing office as specified in 22VAC40-61-90.