EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

What will you do when a catastrophe strikes? How do you prepare your homeowners for an emergency?

The resource material available on this page is a great start to planning for everything from the low probability worst-case scenario to handling common concerns that arise as part of multi-family residential living and also offer ideas for emergencies related to single-family homes spread across many acres.

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE:

Resident-facing material should be kept to "grab and go" lengths of 1 to 2 pages maximum. Include a QR code that links to additional material.
Comprehensive emergency preparedness plans can be quite lengthy (as you'll find in some of the examples below). These plans typically detail the exact equipment, locations, personnel and procedures relevant to address any emergency situation.

TYPES OF PREPARATION:

Individual Home / Unit: Steps and supplies residents should prepare in advance within their home.
Property-Wide: Steps and supplies properties should prepare in advance for the benefit of all residents, staff and visitors.

EXAMPLES: EMERGENT EVENTS

Medical | Fire | Major Water / Sewer Discharge / Backup / Leak | Power Failure | Natural Gas Leak or Explosion | CO2 Alarms
Earthquake | Tsunami | Acts of Terrorism
Active Shooter | Active Burglary

EXAMPLES: URGENT EVENTS

Lack of Air Conditioning (A/C) in the summer months | Lack of Heat in the winter months | Minor Leaks

INDEMNIFICATION

Does your community designate residents and staff to assist in case of emergency? Washington State (and others) offer legal immunity to volunteers who act in good faith. RCW 4.24.400:

No building warden, who acts in good faith, with or without compensation, shall be personally liable for civil damages arising from his or her negligent acts or omissions during the course of assigned duties in assisting others to evacuate industrial, commercial, governmental or multi-unit residential buildings or in attempting to control or alleviate a hazard to the building or its occupants caused by fire, earthquake or other threat to life or limb.

The term "building warden" means an individual who is assigned to take charge of the occupants on a floor or in an area of a building during an emergency in accordance with a predetermined fire safety or evacuation plan…This section shall not apply to any acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or wilful or wanton misconduct.

General Emergency Preparedness

TWO-PAGE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS HANDOUT

EXAMPLE: EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 2-PAGER

EXAMPLE MANUAL:

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

ADDITIONAL

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

PLAN EXAMPLES

MAKE IT THROUGH

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

REMEMBER

Residents will NOT consult a 30 page binder in an emergency.

Your community should prepare and disseminate a double-sided, laminated, letter or legal sized reference document and disseminate it to all residents.