A Federal Employees 
Emergency
Guide





In our time, America has been attacked.  America has been challenged.  Yet the uncertainty, and sorrow, and sacrifice of these years have not been in vain.  Millions have gained their liberty; and millions more have gained the hope of liberty that will not be denied.  The trumpet of freedom has been sounded, and that trumpet never calls retreat.

Before history is written in books, it is written in courage  the courage of honorable soldiers; the courage of oppressed peoples; the courage of free nations in difficult tasks.  Our generation is fortunate to live in a time of courage.  And we are proud to serve in freedoms cause.  

												President George W. Bush




The Role of the Federal Government to Protect Civilian Employees

The Federal Emergency Dismissal Protocol calls for the General Services Administration (GSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to consult and decide on the operating status of the Federal Government and Federal buildings during an emergency. These agencies have on-going access to critical information provided by Department of Homeland Security (DHS), law enforcement and other related agencies that inform respective decision making. Your agency is a part of the network that would immediately receive confirmed reports on any situations.

In a natural or man-made event (such as a terror incident), FEMA, GSA and OPM will convene their principals for a review of the situation and make decisions for each of their 
respective areas of responsibility.

Your agencys access to confirmed reports in the event of an emergency will help provide your management with guidance appropriate to ensure your safety.

Immediate notification of changes to the operating status of the Federal Government will be relayed to key Federal and local authorities. Following this notification, the news media, the Federal Executive Board and other outlets across the National Capital Region and the Nation will be alerted to the change in operational status. The operating status of the Federal Government is always available on the web site of the Office of Personnel Managementwww.opm.gov.





Requirement for Individual Agencies

Federal agencies which operate in buildings managed by the U.S. General Services Administration are required to establish an Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP). The OEP is a short-term emergency response program that establishes procedures for safeguarding lives and property. Within every agencys OEP, should be a component which addresses the concerns of special needs employees.

Each Federal building has unique factors which may affect the security measures that should be taken to protect employees. Some of these factors include the location of the building, proximity to other prominent landmarks or buildings, and inherent building designs which may affect the ability to prevent, or mitigate the damage of, an attack. For this reason, it is inadvisable to make one Governmentwide protocol that all agencies must follow. It is the responsibility of each agency to communicate to employees the safety procedures that are in place, based on both a safety and a threat analysis.

In instances where there is a known or suspected release of biological, chemical, or radiological agents outside an agency, authorities may strongly recommend that employees shelter-in-place. That means that rather than leave their place of work, employees will stay in their office building and wait for instructions. It is unlikely that such an event would require employees to shelter-in-place for longer than a few hours.

Safety Equipment Provided by the Federal Government

There have been questions about whether safety equipment such as escape hoods and protective suits are necessary to protect against a chemical or biological attack. It is the responsibility of each agency to determine the risks faced by its employees, develop a comprehensive strategy and assess the benefits provided by any protective equipment. These decisions will be based largely on the time it takes for an agency to evacuate the building, and other information gained through a threat assessment. Employees should check with their agencys security/safety personnel to learn the status of any protective equipment provided by their agency.

Meeting Special Needs

It is the responsibility of each agency to provide a safe working environment for all employees, including those employees with special needs.

Within every agencys Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP) should be a component which addresses the concerns of employees who may need assistance during an emergency. If you have special needs, ask your manager about the procedures in place to help you respond to an emergency.

One practical step to assist individuals with disabilities is to establish a buddy system. The buddy system should be fully integrated into the agency OEP. Information on setting up a buddy system can be found at www.usfa.fema.gov/ downloads/pdf/publications/fa-154.pdf.

Additional information on emergency preparedness for disabled employees can be found at the web site of the National Organization of the Disabled (www.nod.org).



General Information on What Employees Can do

Know Your Agencys Safety Plan

Employees should familiarize themselves with the procedures that have been put into place at their agency, as well as the means of notification that an agency will use to inform and instruct employees.

As part of every agencys OEP, employee volunteers are used to assist in effective evacuation and other duties during an emergency. During evacuation drills, employees should make a mental note of identifying garments (arm bands, caps, etc.) worn by floor team leaders, monitors and other volunteers. In the event of an actual emergency, it will be reassuring to know the individuals who are in place to assist with the evacuation.

As an employee, you may have questions about what is being done to protect your safety. Be sure to ask your manager to explain the agency procedures that are in place. In addition, pass any suggestions for improved building security to your manager. Your manager may need to contact his or her supervisor about your questions and suggestions. Be sure to follow up so that your concerns are fully addressed.

Stay Aware of Your Surroundings

Be on the look out for, and report, any suspicious activity. Observations and awareness of the surroundings may prevent incidents from occurring and/or give responders valuable information if an event does occur.

Volunteer to Help

There are many important duties that must be performed during an emergency. Every agency is required to have a plan in place to deal with serious events that may affect the safety of employees. These plans usually call for employees to volunteer to assist with evacuations, etc.

Whether it is serving as a floor manager, stairwell monitor, or keeping track of fellow employees during a crisis, volunteers are critical to protecting fellow employees. You can take additional steps to learn CPR and first aid to assist others during emergencies. It takes couragethe people who fill these positions are heroes-in-waiting. Please consider volunteering for this important service.

Create a Personal Safety Kit

There are some items which employees may wish to assemble in a personal safety kit that is stored at their work space. These could be used in the event of an attack or other emergency. Items that may be appropriate for these kits includeadditional dosages of any medication that an employee requires, bottled water, long-sleeved shirt or jacket, and emergency contact numbers. You may also think about adding such small items as snack food, an extra pair of glasses or other comfort items you think are necessary.

The Department of Homeland Security has published a guide, Preparing Makes Sense. 
Get Ready Now, which is an excellent resource for employees. It can be found at the web site address, www.ready.gov.



Biological Threats

A biological attack is the deliberate release of germs or related substances. To affect individuals adversely, these substances must usually be inhaled, be ingested, or enter through cuts in the skin. Some biological agents such as smallpox can be spread from person to person while others like anthrax do not cause contagious diseases.

Different than a conventional explosive or attack, biological attacks may not be immediately evident. Some of the normal indicators of this type of attack would be an increase in the number of illnesses reported by local health care workers or a large number of dead or sick animals throughout your area. These attacks are normally discovered by emergency response personnel in reaction to the indicators listed above.

What Should You Do?

In the event that you witness a suspicious attack using an unknown substance, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and your family. First, leave the immediate area as quickly as possible and protect yourself by finding something to place over your nose and mouth. Any layered material like a t-shirt, handkerchief, or towel may help prevent particles of the substance from entering your respiratory system. If you have a long-sleeved shirt or jacket, they would be useful in covering exposed skin. They may also prevent bacteria from entering cuts you may have. If you are indoors and the suspected attack takes place outdoors, remain inside unless told otherwise by authorities. 
Report the attack to emergency personnel.

You can also take precautionary measures such as keeping shots up-to-date and making sure you practice good personal hygiene. A healthy body will be able to better fight any potential contamination by biological agents. In the event that anyone around you becomes ill, do not automatically assume that it is from the suspected attack as many of the symptoms from these attacks resemble common illnesses. Seek the medical advice of your physician.



Chemical Threats

Chemical attacks differ from biological attacks in that a toxic gas or liquid is used to 
contaminate people or the environment. The prevalent symptoms you would experience from a chemical attack are tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, blurred vision, stinging of the eyes, or loss of coordination.

It is worth noting that the public routinely accepts the risks posed by accidental release of 
chemicals. The response to an emergency event involving chemicals, however, is the same regardless of whether the emergency is a result of intentional or unintentional actions.

What Should You Do?

If you witness a suspected chemical attack outdoors, move away from the area as quickly as possible. If you cannot leave the area, try to get inside, away from direct exposure and follow your instructions to shelter-in-place. If you are inside and an attack occurs in your building, try to leave the area if possible. If not, move to a safe location in the building and shelter-in-place.

If you suffer any of the symptoms mentioned above try to remove any clothing you can and wash your body with water or soap and water if available. Do not scrub the area, as this may wash the chemical into the skin. Seek medical assistance as soon as possible. If you see someone experiencing these symptoms, keep them away from others as much as possible, and try to keep them comfortable.

While extensive decontamination requiring disrobing is a possibility, this will normally only occur if you become a casualty of the agent or are evacuated and require medical treatment in a clean medical facility. This procedure may be required to prevent the spread of contamination.



Nuclear Explosions and Radiological Contamination

A nuclear blast consists of tremendous thermal (heat), light, and blast energy. The blast can spread radioactive waste capable of contaminating the air and surrounding landscape. While this type of attack is less likely than a biological or chemical attack, the remote possibility of its occurrence means you should be prepared.

What Should You Do?

If a nuclear explosion occurs, immediately drop and stay down until any blast wave passes over you and it is safe to get up. Debris can often cause injuries from a nuclear explosion so it is often safer to remain down until debris stops falling. Do not look at the blast. 

When it is safe to do so, seek shelter inside a building or basement. Since dirt or earth is one of the best forms of protection from radiation, put as much shelter between you and the potential contamination as possible. If it is safe to leave without going in the direction from which the blast came, you should decide whether to leave the area to minimize the amount of time you spend exposed to radiological contamination. You should always try to place as much shielding and distance between yourself and the contamination as possible and limit the amount of your exposure by leaving laterally or upwind from the area when it is safe to do so.

Dirty Bombs

Dirty bombs are regular explosives that have been combined with either radiation causing material or chemical weapons. While most news reports talk about radiological dirty bombs, chemical agents may be used as well. Blasts from these types of weapons normally look more like a regular explosion, and the contamination spread is not often immediately noticeable. While this type of attack normally spreads contamination over a more localized area, you should be prepared to follow many of the same procedures as listed above.

After experiencing any of these types of attacks, tune to your local channels for information and instructions. Emergency responders are trained and equipped to evaluate and react to threats rising from these incidents. After a nuclear blast, you may be unable to get a signal from radio or television stations for a period of time. This is expected; so be persistent.

While radioactive, biological, and chemical weapons do pose a threat, they are attacks that you, and your family or fellow employees can survive if you keep a cool head and follow the instructions given by your local responders.



Additional Resources

The following publications are excellent resources for employees and managers to study to gain a more in-depth understanding about the potential risks and steps that can be taken to mitigate the damage from an attack.

	Are You Ready? A Guide for Citizen Preparedness
	(www.fema.gov/areyouready)
	Federal Emergency Management Agency

	Occupant Emergency Program Guide
	(www.gsa.gov/attachments/GSA_PUBLICATIONS/extpub/GSA_OEP_Guide_6.doc)
	General Services Administration

	Preparing Makes Sense. Get Ready Now
	(http://www.ready.gov/readygov_brochurev2.pdf)
	Department of Homeland Security

	Managers Handbook on Handling Traumatic Events 
	Office of Personnel Management
	(www.opm.gov/emergency/)

	Federal Managers/Decision Makers Emergency Guide 
	(www.opm.gov/emergency/)
	Office of Personnel Management



Acknowledgments

Les Boord
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Lester Bush, MD
Central Intelligence Agency

Mike Byrne
Department of Homeland Security

Libby Camp
Department of Homeland Security

Duncan Campbell
Department of Homeland Security

Lucy Clark
Department of Homeland Security

Scott Deitchman, MD, MPH
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Eldon Girdner
Office of Personnel Management

Captain Elliott Grollman
Federal Protective Service

Jerome Hauer, MD
Health and Human Services

John Henshaw
Department of Labor

Paul Holbert
Office of Personnel Management

David Ippolito
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Peter Laporte
City of Washington, D.C.

Bruce Lawlor
Department of Homeland Security

Laura Lawlor
Health and Human Services

Mike Lowder
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Rich Metzler
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Ruth McCully
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Brian Montgomery
White House

Jim Rice
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Greg Rize
U.S. Secret Service

Ali Tulbah
White House

Mayor Anthony Williams
Washington, DC

Michael R. Zanotti, CEM, CBCP, NREMT-P
U.S. General Services Administration

Other agencies
Department of Homeland Security
Department of State
Department of Justice
Centers for Disease Control
Homeland Security Council
National Institutes of Health

August 2005