MAIMONIDES MEDICAL CENTER CODE: AD-047 (Reissued) ORIGINALLY ISUED: June 17, 1996 SUBJECT: SNOW/TRANSIT ALERTS AND EMERGENCY PLANS DEFINITIONS: I. POLICY: SNOW ALERT: occurs when potential exists for a snow emergency; staffing plans will be evaluated by department heads, medical staff will triage all inpatients and discharge appropriately, and a planning meeting may be scheduled. SNOW EMERGENCY: occurs when public transportation is disrupted and constitutes enactment of this policy staring with the establishment of an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Room 2C, Administration Building 2nd floor (or alternate EOC). In order to ensure continued care of patients in the event of a Snow or Transportation Emergency, necessary measures will be taken to ensure adequate personnel coverage. A Snow Emergency will exist when it appears that all public Transportation servicing the hospital will be disrupted. Since identical plans will be activated in the event of a Transit Strike, all further reference to the Snow Plan will apply to a Transit Strike as well. In the event that all public transportation is disrupted; the external disaster beeper system will be enacted and HICS activation will commence. Refer to the Emergency Operations Plan for additional information. II. RESPONSIBILITY: A. The Incident Commander in collaboration with the Command Staff and Section Chiefs is responsible for declaring, coordinating and implementing plans for a snow emergency. In addition, he/she will be assisted by the following persons: 1. The Medical Director or designee shall ensure that adequate medical care is provided. This will be done in collaboration with the Senior Vice President of Nursing and Operations or designee to see that all patient care units have adequate coverage. The Medical Director will be assisted by all Directors of Clinical Services and full time physicians who are available. 2. The VP of Support Services or designee will be responsible to ascertain the needs for accommodations, in addition to determining the parameters of Page 1 of 6
transportation initiatives regarding essential and non-essential staff, and or services. This will be done in concert with the Medical Director, Senior VP of Nursing and Operations, Senior-on-call and the Incident Commander or their designee(s). 3. The Senior Vice President of Human Resources or designee will be responsible for providing an updated list of all active personnel, sorted by department and geographical location, to facilitate transportation needs at the EOC. 4 The employees are responsible to report to work via personal or public transportation. In the event of a complete disruption of public transportation, Maimonides Medical Center will initiate the emergency transportation plan. (Employees may access the Employee Info Line at ext. 6810 or the EOC at 6800 for information). 5. In the event of a snow alert/transit emergency, the following hospital personnel and outside vendors will assist in transporting hospital personnel, where possible: Mail Messenger (ext. 7175) Security (ext. 7733 or ext 6234) Other (MMC Ambulance Department, Hatzolah EMS) Coordinate with ER B. On weekends and off hours the Incident Commander will consult with the Senior-on-call staff, which will in turn notify the President and/or Chief Operating Officer. C. The Communication system will be utilized as follows: 1. When potential for an emergency exists a snow alert will be called utilizing the disaster beeper system; the beepers will display HICS SNOW ALERT. Additional messaging will be provided through the MMC-USERS email group. Department heads and others are to evaluate staffing needs; physicians are to triage and discharge patients, and a planning meeting may be scheduled. 2. As soon as a HICS snow emergency is declared, operators will be instructed to activate the paging system to the defined HICS group; the pagers will display HICS SNOW EMERGENCY. 3. The MIS and Public Communications Department will prepare the EOC with telephones (6800), computers, printers and fax machines (Fax # (718) 635-7160.) Page 2 of 6
4. The Incident Commander (or designee) will issue the all clear, when the event has concluded, as appropriate, which will be sent via the paging system, to display: HICS SNOW ALERT All Clear. D. Each Director of Service and Department Head is responsible for developing a Departmental Snow or Transit Strike Plan, using the guidelines provided in this policy. This plan should designate priorities and be geared towards ensuring continued patient care service. They should contain lists of personnel living in the immediate vicinity of the hospital as well as plans for the use of car pools. The Vice President for Human Resources will be responsible for providing a list of employee s willing to drive and car pool. E. Each Director or his/her designee is responsible for enacting their departmental plan. III. PROCEDURES: A. Steps to be followed in the Event of a HICS Snow Emergency: 1. Incident Commander (or designee) conducts the planning meeting (time permitting) and declares the emergency, 2. The Telephone Operator is called 3. The Telephone Operator activates the emergency paging system 4. The following Emergency Operations Center is established: AREA POST LOCATION PERSONNEL OR DESIGNEE A Emergency Operations Center Room 2C Administration Building 2ndt Floor Emergency Management V.P. for Support Services Dept. Heads as required or designee V.P. Nursing and Operations or designee FUNCTION I. Assessment and allocation of staffing. Coordination of staff accommodations. II. Coordination and dispatch of transportation services. III. Provisions for space for employees awaiting transportation Page 3 of 6
B. Personnel Assignments C. Transportation 1. No Department Head or Director of Service has the authority to close his or her area without prior approval of the Incident Commander (or designee). 2. All personnel will remain on duty in their respective departments unless otherwise instructed. 3. All personnel assigned to areas, which are not directly involved in patient care (Payroll, Purchasing, etc.) shall report for duty as scheduled. Department Heads must alert the EOC if any employees are available for assignment elsewhere in the Medical Center to assist in direct patient care, and support activities. NOTE: Essential staff who are deemed high priority by nature of skills and responsibilities should communicate with the EOC to expedite alternate transportation arrangements, where possible. 4. Staffing assignments may be rearranged to meet operational needs. Staff whose assignments have been changed will be contacted. 5. It shall be left to the discretion of the individual Department Heads to decide whether or not to expand shifts. Transportation mode will be determined by the Emergency Operations Center utilizing Maimonides Medical Center 4x4 Vehicles, Management Staff Vehicles, Ambulances, and others. In the event of a snow alert/transportation emergency, the following locations will be considered to serve as pick-up points and drop-offs for hospital employees: 36 th and 4 th Avenue Street Train Station 39 th Street and 9 th Avenue 18 th Avenue and McDonald Avenue Train Station Long Island Rail Road-Atlantic and Flatbush Avenue Page 4 of 6
D. Payment of Personnel 1. Employees on Duty a. Employees on duty are expected to complete their scheduled shifts and be available for the succeeding shift based upon operational needs of the Medical Center. b. If employees request permission to leave prior to the end of a shift, requests may be granted only when operations of the Medical Center will not be adversely affected and prior approval has been received from the Department Head. When such approval has been given by the Department Head, the employee will be informed that the remaining time may be charged to vacation. 2. Employees Reporting to Work a. Employees are expected to make arrangements that will ensure arrival at the beginning of the scheduled shift. However, it is understood that some lateness may occur despite reasonable efforts; therefore, employees will be given an opportunity to work for a sufficient time beyond the end of the shift to allow for full payment of the shift. b. Employees are expected to be available for succeeding shifts based upon operational requirements of the Medical Center. 3) Employees Not Reporting to Work E) Staff Accommodations: a. Some employees may not be able to report to work due to extreme transportation difficulties. In such cases, the Department must be contacted; attempts will be made to make other arrangements, e.g. reporting for succeeding shifts. Where no alternatives are available, absence may be charged to vacation or holiday. a. The EOC will coordinate sleeping arrangements for personnel who find it necessary to stay within the Medical Center. b. All requests for sleeping accommodations should be directed to EOC; accommodations will be provided by bed availability. Page 5 of 6
F. Snow Removal c. Admitting should alert the EOC as to the empty beds available for personnel, and the numbers of such rooms. d. Environmental Services should also set up sleeping accommodations, alternate spaces, e.g. Saltzman Auditorium as determined necessary. e. Employees who live nearby, having extra accommodations, should be encouraged to offer assistance to fellow employees. f. The Incident Commander will consider expanding the hours of operations for the Cafeteria and Kitchen to provide opportunities for nourishment for staff who cannot return home due to the emergency event. Environmental Services will provide for maintenance of access routes in a snow emergency, to all entrances of the medical center, and notification of contractors. G. Expenses Any additional costs incurred as a result of the snow emergency should be coordinated through the Incident Commander and/or Finance Section Chief. IV: CONTROLS The Chief Operating Officer will evaluate the plan when in effect and make appropriate recommendations for any revisions that are deemed necessary. Kenneth D. Gibbs President & CEO REFERENCE: None INDEX: Snow alert/emergency Plan and Transit Emergencies Safety Manual ORIGINATING DEPARMTENT: Supp Svc Security/Safety Page 6 of 6