Federal Manager

’s/

Decision Maker’s

Emergency Guide

Working for America

United States Office of Personnel Management

Dear Federal Manager,

Federal employees are the backbone of the Federal Government. 

Recent reports of terrorist intentions to lash out at Americans have, 

understandably, created uncertainty with our fellow teammates. We 

all recognize that Federal office buildings are potential targets for 

those who would threaten our security. More than ever, employees 

are looking to their managers for assurance that all appropriate steps 

are being taken to offer the greatest security possible.

Managers, too, have concerns about their safety, but they have the 

added concerns about whether they are doing enough to protect 

those who work for them. This brochure is intended to provide 

Federal managers of all levels with general guidance on their 

responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect their employees. 

While this guide is general in nature, it does provide additional web 

site addresses and resources so that you can familiarize yourself with 

other information that is available.

The decisions made by a manager in response to an emergency 

will be largely informed by the preparedness decisions and protocols of an agency. It is up to each agency to design and to communicate a comprehensive plan that takes into account the threats 

that its employees are most likely to face. The General Services 

Administration is an invaluable resource for agencies as they 

develop and modify their plans.

It is my hope that this brochure can be an effective tool in educating Federal managers on their unique role, and to help them to 

take steps to protect employees and to implement the preparedness 

plans of their agency.

Sincerely,

Kay Coles James

Director

U.S. Office of Personnel Management

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The Federal Emergency Dismissal Protocol calls for the General 

Services Administration (GSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA—now an agency within the Department 

of Homeland Security) 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 other offices within the 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.

There are a variety of means in which this will be done, including the Washington Area Warning System (WAWAS), which has 

outlets in a large and growing number of Federal agencies.*

The Regional Incident Communication Coordination System 

links key agencies, Government officials and first responders in 

the D.C. region. Alert messages are sent out electronically to pagers, blackberries, personal digital assistants and computers, and 

cell phones that can accept text.

In a natural or man-made event (such as a terror incident), 

FEMA, GSA, and OPM will convene the principals for a review 

of the situation and make decisions for each of their respective 

areas of responsibility. 

Your agency’s access to confirmed reports in the event of an 

emergency will help provide your management with guidance 

appropriate to secure the safety of the building.

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 any change in 

operational status. 

The operating status of the Federal Government is always available on the web site of the Office of Personnel Management 

— www.opm.gov.

*For more information on how to obtain a WAWAS instrument contact 

FEMA.

THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

TO PROTECT CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES
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Agency Occupant Emergency Plans (OEP)

Federal agencies that 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. An Occupant Emergency Program Guide to assist in the development an OEP is 

available at www.gsa.gov

Each Federal building has unique factors that may 

affect the security measures that should be taken to 

protect employees. Some of those factors are the location of the building, proximity to other prominent 

landmarks or buildings, building design features, 

and the mission of the agencies housed within. For 

this reason, it is inadvisable to make one Governmentwide protocol which all agencies must follow. Instead, 

security measures and evacuation procedures must be 

tailored to meet the unique features of each facility.

The primary basis by which security measures are 

determined is through a facility threat assessment. 

As a part of its routine efforts, the Federal Protective 

Service (FPS) conducts recurring threat assessments 

for GSA-controlled property.* Federal agencies in 

buildings not managed by GSA should contact the 

FBI or local police for emergency preparedness and 

or threat assessments.

Employees should be encouraged to 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 agency’s OEP, employee volunteers 

are used to assist in the 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.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES

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. 

Managers who oversee individuals with special 

needs should be proactive to ensure they have the 

same level of protection as all other employees. 

Within every agency’s Occupant Emergency Plan 

(OEP), should be a component which addresses 

the concerns of employees who may need assistance during an emergency. Managers should be 

aware of these procedures and conscientious in 

communicating this information to employees with 

special needs. Further, managers should be proactive in asking employees with special needs about 

the questions and concerns these people may have 

about emergency procedures.

One practical step every manager should take 

to protect individuals with disabilities is to establish a 

“buddy” system for disabled employees. The buddy 

system should be fully integrated into the agency 

OEP. Information on setting up a buddy system can 

be found at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/ downloads/

pdf/publications/fa-154.pdf. For additional information on meeting the needs of disabled employees, 

contact the National Organization of the Disabled 

(www.nod.org).

* Federal Protective Service contact phone numbers for all states can be found at www.gsa.gov
REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES

Guidance on Telework or Other Flexibilities

Agencies must have plans in place that allow the business 

of government to continue during emergency situations. 

Designated Continuity of Operations (COOP) facilities 

may not have all the staff needed to support important 

missions and cannot accommodate enough key staff 

to facilitate maximum government operations. Not all 

key staff may be designated to report to COOP sites. 

Telework is a virtual resource solution and provides 

access to resources that may not be available otherwise.

Telework supports agency leadership in accomplishing 

the mission. Recent OPM guidance on emergency planning has emphasized the role of telework. Agencies have 

the flexibility to use teleworkers in emergency situations 

but it won’t happen spontaneously. A viable on-going 

telework program is the foundation that must be in 

place. With 21st century technology, agencies can conduct 

agency financial and other transactions with appropriate security and authentication mechanisms away from 

Federal buildings. With the appropriate remote administration of essential support systems e.g., the provision 

of help-desk support, teleworkers can help ensure the 

continuity of business operations.

To facilitate the use of telework during emergencies, 

certain steps are necessary. Agencies must:

 Develop a cadre of regularly scheduled “core” 

teleworkers

 Permit teleworkers to experience working offsite and learn to communicate electronically with 

colleagues and clients by doing it regularly. 

 Permit supervisors and managers to experience managing employees without face to face contact.

With telework in place during emergencies, experienced 

teleworkers won’t need to master new computer programs, and, managers will learn to supervise a “virtual 

workforce” by doing it under normal conditions.

To make telework a viable option during emergencies, 

agency work must be organized to facilitate electronic 

communication and eliminate paper-based processes 

whenever possible, e.g., automating reports and procedures as much as possible. Employees need to experience functioning in a “virtual office” and they need to 

be linked via computer and telephone from home or 

alternative work sites. Managers need to be comfortable 

supervising people they don’t see regularly.

Agency policy should be reviewed for clear distinctions 

between core and situational telework. Telework agreements can be tailored to the two categories: 

 Core telework—regular and recurring at least 1 day 

a week

 Situational telework—occasional and non-routine 

Situational status can sell telework to hesitant managers and employees. Several options can help encourage 

reluctant managers to use telework in their planning and 

preparation for emergencies:

 Formalizing situational telework arrangements,

 Setting a specific length of time for the trial period,

 Moving to core telework if both parties like the 

arrangement; it’s a no-risk, everybody-wins approach.

 Building emergency response contingencies into 

employees’ telework agreements,

 Including agency telework coordinators in disaster 

planning and exercises,

 Helping agency decision makers understand that 

telework is an important agency tool, not just a “nice 

to have” flexibility for employees

Designation of emergency personnel 

Agencies should designate emergency employees who 

are critical to agency operations in dismissal or closure 

situations. Each agency head has the discretion to identify 

and designate those employees that he or she judges to 

be necessary to continue agency operations in any given 

emergency situation. There are no standard definitions 

or categories in this regard, and agency heads (or their 

designees, as applicable) are free to make such determinations based on the agency’s unique mission requirements 

and/or circumstances. The designation of emergency 

employees may vary according to the particular nature 

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of an exigency. Such designations should be part of an 

agency’s emergency response/continuity of operations 

plans and should be communicated (preferably well in 

advance) to emergency employees, so that they can be 

prepared to support and sustain agency operations in 

an emergency. 

In addition, agencies may wish to identify a cadre of “mission-critical” emergency employees who are expected to 

remain in contact with their agencies at all times during 

any closure situation and may be called to work during 

emergencies dealing with national security, extended 

emergencies, or other unique situations. Agencies must 

identify the emergency situations in which “mission-critical” emergency employees will be expected to report for 

work and whether such employees must report for work 

at their regular worksites or alternative worksites.

Shelter in Place Protocols

It is possible that some types of emergency events may 

make evacuation of a Federal building dangerous. In this 

situation, an agency may decide to Shelter-In-Place (SIP). 

SIP is a protective action taken where a facility’s occupants take refuge inside an area of the building with no 

or few windows. In general, a facility will SIP when one 

of the following emergencies occurs outside the building: 

severe weather (tornado, hail, etc.), civil unrest, gunman/

sniper, or a biological, chemical or radiological threat. 

Management will decide whether to SIP Up (proceed 

to a higher level), SIP Down (proceed to a lower level), 

or SIP In (proceed to an interior area) within the facility 

after conducting a threat analysis of the situation based 

on the type of threat and its location. During a SIP event, 

occupants should pay close attention to announcements 

made on the facility’s public address system. 

The U.S. General Services Administration (http://www.

gsa.gov) provides guidance for agencies to setup an 

Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP), which would include 

SIP procedures. Once developed, the OEP should periodically be exercised to maintain training proficiency and to 

identify adjustments to the plan. The most important thing 

is to know beforehand what to do if advised to SIP. 

For additional information on SIP, contact:

American Red Cross 

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/

shelterinplace.html

Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention 

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/ planning/shelteringfacts.asp

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.ready.gov/stay_or_go.html#stay

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There have been several reports in the media about potential chemical or biological attacks against civilians. It is natural for us to fear 

the unknown. 

As a manager, employees will look to you for support in a time 

of emergency. It is important that you understand the plan your 

agency has in place to respond to terrorist events. In addition, you 

should ensure that your employees have a clear understanding of 

what they are to do in an emergency. You should rehearse your plan 

repeatedly with your employees.

The following pages provide guidance on actions that you can take 

prior to, during, and following an attack that involves chemical or 

biological weapons. This is a general guide to help you begin to 

prepare. Each agency should have an emergency plan that provides 

contingencies for what you should do during an attack.

Senior managers may want to contact the Federal Protective Service 

at the Department of Homeland Security to have them survey your 

building and recommend safety and security procedures to ensure 

that you are doing everything possible to protect your employees.

Questions to Ask about Your Preparedness

 Have you read your agency’s Occupant Emergency Plan 

(OEP)?

 In the event of an emergency evacuation, are you (or is someone in your office) able to account for all employees?

 If employee volunteers (hall monitors, etc.) are not at work, 

are others available to take their places in the event of an 

emergency?

 Do you have a protocol to shelter-in-place? Do you have supplies available if the decision is made to shelter-in-place?

 How recently have you conducted drills on evacuation and 

shelter-in-place contingencies?

 Decision Maker: What is the protocol for shutting down the 

ventilation system in the event that the external air is contaminated or threatened? Do your security professionals have to 

wait until you make the decision, or do they have authority 

to immediately protect your employees?

YOUR ROLE AS MANAGER

As a manager, you must maintain open lines of communications with employees on measures your agency has implemented to protect them. Your employees will have questions 

—be sure you are available to fully discuss their concerns about 

their safety or suggestions they may have to improve security.
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1. Educate your employees. Conduct periodic “allhands” meetings to keep employees educated. 

You know what steps you have taken to protect 

employees but they may not. By communicating 

your proactive measures, you will help to reduce 

the stress that your employees may feel.

 Be sure to educate your employees about the 

availability of Employee Assistance Programs 

(EAP) within your agency. These programs provide important resources, such as counseling, to 

help your employees and their families.

2. Communicate internally. Keep your employees 

informed with accurate information regarding 

potential threats and how they could be affected. 

There are numerous military personnel or first 

responders around each community that can 

provide informative briefings to your employees to educate them on chemical and biological 

agents and potential effects.

 Ensure that employees are familiar with the procedures in the individual and family preparedness guides. Further, they should understand 

your agency policy for reporting bomb threats, 

fire evacuations, and other emergency procedures in accordance with your local emergency 

preparedness plan. Practice these procedures 

ahead of time.

 Keep in mind that drills are a very good opportunity to educate your employees. When employees, for instance, have evacuated a building 

during a fire drill, they are more likely to be 

focused on security than if you simply stop by 

their office and talk about safety procedures. 

While employees are in the middle of a drill, 

spend some time to explain what went right and 

what went wrong. Explain what they would 

need to remember if it were a real emergency.

3. Be aware. Encourage your employees to be on the 

lookout for and to report any suspicious activity. 

Observations and awareness of the surroundings 

could prevent incidents from occurring and/or 

give responders valuable information if an event 

does occur.

4. Provide opportunities for employees to get necessary medical preparation (prescriptions, doctor’s letters, medical alert tags, and up-to-date 

immunizations) that could be vital. While there 

is no set cure all for these types of infections, good 

health preparation will aid the body’s natural 

defenses.

5. Prepare. Prepare necessary supplies in the event 

that you will have to “shelter-in-place” for a short 

time (officials expect this time would not exceed 

a few hours due to the availability of trained local 

responders and emergency services).

 While each threat is different, you should look 

at your individual situation and determine what 

your employees may need in the event they are 

unable to immediately evacuate the area. Things 

you should consider are bottled water, food in 

sealed containers, a personal bag containing 

medication or other items that may be needed 

by individual personnel, battery operated radios 

in the event of power loss, and a first aid kit. 

Maintain a list of emergency contact numbers for 

your section.

6. Take care of personal matters. Encourage your 

employees to take care of personal and legal 

requirements (wills, powers of attorney, insurance policies). People deserve the peace of mind 

of knowing that their family and loved ones will 

be taken care of in the unlikely event they are 

harmed during an attack.

7. Educate yourself. The use of Personal Protective 

Equipment (PPE), such as escape hoods, has 

been implemented by some agencies as part of 

a comprehensive plan. Factors such as building 

location and design, and the specific mission 

of the agency, significantly affect the decision 

to purchase PPE. You should check with your 

DEALING WITH THE THREAT OF TERRORISM

OR INCIDENTS PRIOR TO AN ATTACK
F e d e r a l M a n a g e r ’ s / D e c i s i o n M a k e r ’ s E m e r g e n c y G u i d e

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local security office to determine if such a requirement exists 

for your employees.

 The threat of a chemical or biological attack outside a building can also be determined in part by the effectiveness of such 

agents in your area. Weather, wind speed, and temperature 

gradients all affect the use of such weapons. Agencies located 

in climates not conducive to the use of these agents can make 

their use impractical or less likely.

 NOTE TO DECISION MAKERS: The decision to purchase PPE, such as escape hoods, should be driven by the 

Occupant Emergency Plan. You will need to address the 

health limitations of some employees who may not be able 

to wear this equipment. Additionally, there are training and 

retraining requirements for some PPE, to ensure the equipment is being used correctly. You will need to assess whether 

the real risk posed by a chemical or biological attack justifies 

the expenditure. It may be that the resources expended could 

be better used to prevent or mitigate the damage of more 

likely scenarios.

8. Communicate with employee representatives and employee 

groups. Senior managers should meet with the presidents and 

representatives of local unions and other employee groups. 

It is important they know what you are doing to protect 

employees and to listen to their concerns. It is crucial that you 

maintain two-way communication.

9. Express your appreciation. Senior managers should meet 

with employees who have volunteered to be “floor managers,” “safety monitors” or to carry out other duties during an 

emergency. These employees are truly heroes-in-waiting. You 

haven’t heard about them on the news because they have not 

been in an emergency situation. But they have volunteered to 

sacrifice their safety for the service and protection of their fellow employees. They need to hear from you that you believe 

what they are doing is noble.
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1. Follow your local emergency operations procedures. Keep 

your employees informed as to what is going on. Use batteryoperated radios or televisions, if necessary, to let your personnel know what the threat is and what is being done to ensure 

their safety.

2. Take control of the situation. It is natural to be fearful but it is 

important to be decisive. By staying calm you will help defuse 

panic. Have your employees follow the emergency procedures 

you have developed and rehearsed. This will help them feel a 

sense of safety especially if the procedures are well known to 

them. Account for your personnel as quickly as possible, and 

keep them together.

3. Lead. If your agency and first responders in your area have 

determined that employees should shelter-in-place, lead your 

employees to a designated shelter.

4. Monitor employee reaction. Watch for personnel who are 

having trouble following instructions or dealing with the situation. It can be helpful to pair them up with another employee 

with whom they feel comfortable. This will provide them 

a sense of familiarity and allow you freedom to manage the 

situation. Assist those who may be injured.

5. Modify rules that hinder progress. Agency rules and regulations are for normal operations and may not fit into your 

emergency event. Use common sense in determining which 

rules will apply and which add to the turmoil. Rules dealing 

with employees leaving work or using certain entrances and 

exits may not be appropriate. Be sure to follow your agency’s 

guidelines on the scene.

DEALING WITH THE THREAT

OF TERRORISM DURING AN ATTACK
F e d e r a l M a n a g e r ’ s / D e c i s i o n M a k e r ’ s E m e r g e n c y G u i d e

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1. Follow the directions of your local emergency responders. 

Ensure that all of your employees are accounted for and have 

been evacuated from the threat.

2. Determine what follow-on activities are required by your 

agency. Determine the operational status of the Federal 

Government for succeeding days (closings, shut downs) for 

your employees.

3. Keep in touch with your employees. Provide information and 

assistance to complete necessary reports and forms for leave, 

medical assistance, or emergency relief. Employee assistance 

programs (EAP) provide important avenues for counseling 

services and other means of assistance for employees and their 

families. Remind your team of EAP availability.

4. Be available for follow up with families. If employees have been 

injured, killed, or are missing, ensure that their families have 

been referred to the proper organizations for assistance. Follow 

your agency guidelines for dealing with death and grief.

 While dealing with these types of tragedies is difficult, 

your presence and demeanor can go a long way in assisting 

employees through the situation. Let them know you are 

concerned, and do your best to manage the situation using 

available resources and emergency services. No one expects 

you to be a hero...only to help.

DEALING WITH THE REPERCUSSIONS

OF A TERRORIST ATTACK

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 

 (www.ready.gov/ readygov_brochurev2.pdf) 

 Department of Homeland Security

 Evacuation Planning Matrix 

 (www.atlintl.com/evacmtx/)—Contact OSHA for 

username/password. 

 Occupational Safety and Health Administration

 Guidance for Protecting Building Environments 

from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or 

Radiological Attacks 

 (www.cdc.gov/niosh/bldvent/2002-139.html) 

 National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health

 Concept for CBRN Air-Purifying Escape 

Respirator Standard 

 (www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/aperconoct15.html)

 National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health

 Manager’s Handbook on Handling 

Traumatic Events 

 (www.opm.gov/emergency/)

 Office of Personnel Management

 A Federal Employee’s Emergency Guide 

 (www.opm.gov/emergency/)

 Office of Personnel Management

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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
United States Office of 

Personnel Management

1900 E Street, NW

Washington, DC 20415

202-606-1000

www.opm.gov