EMERGENCY Response Exercises

Testing the effectiveness of your emergency management plans

 

Planning for emergencies is only as effective when those plans are tested and audited. Discover the ways your facility can do this effectively to meet compliance.

 

Read Now

Overview

What are emergency response exercises?

Emergency response exercises are a site-specific exercises implemented to determine the effectiveness of emergency response procedures both when developed and on an on-going basis. These exercises are developed by the EPC in collaboration with facility owners, managers, occupiers, and employers of the facility.  

All emergency response exercises must: 

fire evacuation plan

Be consistent with the identified emergencies in the emergency plan.

fire warden training

Identify simple objectives and outcomes for emergency response procedures.

emergency evacuation training

Appoint observers to record the details of the emergency response exercise.

emergency evacuation procedures

Should be prefixed by an announcement that it is an exercise only.

emergency plan

Include a debrief once the exercise is over.

Emergency Preparedness

Have a report recorded sent to the Emergency Planning Committee (EPC), including any deficiencies in the exercise that were identified.

evacuation diagram

 

Specifications

How should emergency response exercises be tested?

 

Once emergency response exercises have received the proper confirmations of their effectiveness, they should be tested within 12 months.

The first emergency response exercise that should be tested is the evacuation exercise of the facility. The exercise should be arranged for a certain time, which occupants are made aware of to ensure there are as many occupants in the facility as possible for the exercise.

If the facility is particularly large, then a partial evacuation may be undertaken to test the ECO in the first instance.

 

fire extinguisher types

 

Required Intervals

How often are you required to undertake these exercises?

 

After the implementation phase (i.e. first exercise is conducted), a program of site-specific emergency response exercises should be developed for each facility. All areas of a facility should participate in at least one emergency response exercise involving an evacuation each year. 

All occupants of the floor/area involved in an emergency response should take part, unless the EPC grants a written exemption before it is carried out. 

If an actual emergency occurs during an emergency response exercise, a pre-determined word by the EPC, for example “NO DUFF”, should be communicated to all ECO members. This phrase will signal the end of the exercise and the ECO must standby for further instructions.  

 

 

establishing your exercises

Have you defined your emergency response exercises?

 

The Emergency Planning Committee plays an extremely important part in ensuring your facilities emergency compliance.

First 5 Minutes provides a wealth of services & training to assist you on your journey to emergency compliance.

Learn more about our Emergency Planning Committee services.

 

your compliance benchmark

Discover the intricacies of Emergency Preparedness – and exactly where your lacking in compliance

Here’s our at-a-glance look at the sections of Australian Standard 3745:2010 Planning for Emergencies in Facilities that your facility should continue to consider and stay on top of to maintain your compliance.

fire warden training

Definitions

To assist with reading our fundamental guide to Emergency compliance, we’ve prepared a list of definitions for terms you may not be familiar with.

Read Now

 

emergency evacuation training

Emergency Planning Committee

The Emergency Planning Committee is a group of individuals who are responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of the emergency plan, emergency response procedures and related training of a facility and its occupants.

Read Now

emergency evacuation procedures

Emergency Plan

The Emergency Plan is the master document which contains the organisational arrangements, systems, strategies, and procedures relating to the response and management of emergencies in a facility.

Read Now

 

emergency plan

Emergency Evacuation Diagram

Emergency evacuation diagrams contain the emergency evacuation and emergency response information about a facility, including a representation of a floor or area in pictorial form.

Read Now

 

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Response Procedures

An emergency response procedure refers to the documentation containing all assigned responsibilities, actions and procedures within the emergency plan, to respond and manage emergencies.

Read Now

 

evacuation diagram

Emergency Control Organisation

Ensure your Chief Wardens and Wardens are prepared to take command and coordinate all aspects of an emergency. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of emergency procedures, from assessing risk that may be present in the workplace to effectively planning for all types of emergencies.

Read Now

 

evacuation plan

Emergency Preparedness Training

Training your facilities occupants will always be necessary for compliance, however the kind of training required differs based on that occupants role.

Read Now