EMERGENCY RESPONSE POLICY AND PROCEDURE
The Topsfield Town Library, like all facilities, is vulnerable to unplanned issues and disasters. Since the facility management is the responsibility of the Library Director, it is important that the Director, Library Staff and Trustees are aware of the appropriate response to unforeseen incidents that may endanger the well-being of those in the facility. These issues can be facility conditions, behavioral, or medical in nature and may occur during operating hours or after hours.
During library hours, staff may need to respond to alarm systems that would indicate a fire or an elevator entrapment. It is important that all staff know to call 911, how to exit the facility by following the How to Exit the Building procedure and how to respond to other issues outlined by staff procedural documents. An elevator entrapment can be resolved by referring to the Systems Emergency Contacts list and working with the local Fire Department and elevator company. After hours, the Director may be contacted by the contracted alarm company that receives signals for either a fire alarm or a security breach.
The following procedure outlines the best actions to take to protect staff and public, and to protect or minimize the Library facility from damage.
Facility Issues
The Library Director or senior-staff-in-charge must know how to act to secure the safety of others during a facility incident. In cases of facility disasters which may include fire, an explosion, flooding, etc., the action required is to evacuate the facility. Please follow the How to Exit the Building procedure in a calm and organized manner. Once all library patrons and staff are outside and have congregated at the designated outside location, the Library Director or senior-staff must make sure that all staff and known patrons are accounted for. Staff should not leave the property until the Director (or senior-staff) gives approval.
If a facility issue is discovered either prior to or after open hours, staff should not enter or stay in the facility. If the Director is not present at the time, he/she should be contacted by the senior-staff-in-charge for action and or advice.
The Director must work with the appropriate contacts to address the emergency by using the Systems Emergency Contact Information list.
The Director shall inform the Chairperson of the Board of Library Trustees (or a board member designee) as to the situation and how it is being addressed. It is the responsibility of the designated Trustee to inform the rest of the Board of any situation.
The Director, staff and trustees must know appropriate action to take in order to assure safety at all times. In cases of flood, fire and other dangerous conditions, securing the safety of staff and others is the main priority. Making the appropriate phone call is the only action required to protect town property.
In some cases, the Director must stay in the facility while waiting for the appropriate help to arrive. It is advised that staying alone in the facility may be dangerous and should be minimized until help can arrive. It is not advisable to enter an area of flooding or other dangers, no matter the outcome to the facility or financial concerns.
Behavior Issues
Social Incident – with possible weapon.
If an unstable visitor poses a threat to others with either actions or a weapon, such situations must be responded to quickly by the senior staff member on duty. Identifying a safe place within the Library facility is essential. If staff and patrons need to retreat, staff must guide the public calmly to a safe location within the Library. The following safe locations apply after calling 911:
· First floor Men’s bathroom can be locked from the inside and does not have windows (no landline phone available inside).
· Second floor Administration and Technical Service offices have a combination key pad lock on the door with landline phone service available inside.
· Second floor bathrooms can be locked from the inside and do not have windows (no landline phone available inside).
These are all acceptable safe locations, but the Administration office has been identified as the best location with access to phone, internet and other means of visibility.
No one is to leave the designated safe location until it is confirmed by an official police officer or the Director.
Social Incident – abusive language.
If a visitor is using profanity and aggressive tones, this must be responded to quickly. If the situation is deemed unsafe, call 911 immediately and explain the situation requesting assistance. Staff should never deal with this behavior alone. The Director or senior-staff-in-charge must be called for assistance immediately. Know where the identified safe places are located within the Library facility in case the situation escalates. If staff and patrons need to retreat, staff must guide the public calmly to a safe location within the Library.
Social Incident – exterior threat.
If the Library facility is contacted by another Town Department (Town Hall, Schools, Fire Department, Police Department) reporting that it is necessary to do a facility lock down due to a danger known on the outside, the following steps must be taken:
· If possible, lock exterior, front doors.
· Announce to all patrons to follow staff to the Second Floor Administration Office.
· Lock the door and wait for further notice from Town Officials before leaving the safe location. The Administration office has a windowless area and an area to view the outside if needed. In addition, technology and landline telephone service is available.
Medical Issues:
Calling 911 for medical assistance is always the best action to take if it is obvious that someone is in distress or injured. When in doubt, call 911 for professional emergency assistance. Staff is asked to periodically take the Fire Department’s CPR class for awareness and certification. A defibrillator is located on the wall of the Activity Room on the first floor of the library. In any medical situation, the most important action to take is calling 911.
After Hours:
The Library alarm systems for fire and security may sound after Library hours to indicate a potential issue. The monitoring alarm company responds to these signals by calling the local emergency line and the Library Director. The Library Director will communicate with the local emergency dispatch department. In addition, the Library facility may experience other incidents that require after hour visits to assess the condition of the facility and identify problems in order to make contact with vendors that can make repairs or take other appropriate action to care for the Library facility.
Fire Alarm:
If the fire alarm sounds, it may be a fire and the situation should be treated as such. The Library Director or the designated staff member will be called by the Alarm Monitoring Company. The Library Director or the designated staff member will need to return to the Library to secure the facility after the Fire Department leaves the facility. If it is not a fire, action will be necessary to contact the alarm company to assess why the alarm was falsely tripped. There may be something wrong with the system that will need to be repaired and prevent future false alarms.
In case of a fire, the Library Director or the assigned senior staff member will need to return to the Library to assess the damages and make arrangements for securing the facility, decide what, if any, services can be provided to patrons, and to plan the actions required. Fire Department personnel will take charge of identifying the cause and assessment of damages in case of a fire.
Security Alarm:
If the security alarm is tripped, it could mean a number of things: an actual security breach has occurred, the loss of power, the system malfunctioned or a human error occurred when entering or leaving the facility. The Library Director or the assigned senior staff member will be called by the Alarm Monitoring Company. Communications over the phone will help in determining why the alarm was tripped. The police, when dispatched, will communicate to the Director what was found after visiting the property. If there is any doubt about the facility condition, the Library Director or the assigned senior staff member may need to return to the library to assist police in deciding if the facility is secure and in proper order. The security alarm system will then need to be reset. If a break-in has occurred, police and the Director will work together to decide how best to secure the facility and what action must be taken.
Weather:
If it is known that extreme weather conditions or other situations exist that may require a visit during after hours, it is important that personnel are instructed not to enter the danger areas and to minimize time alone in the facility. Contacting the appropriate vendors to address the repairs needed is the essential reason for entering the facility.
