Emergency Action PlansPlan for the Worst, Hope for the Best

Introduction• Bob Hertel, VIKTOR

• Incentive Travel & Meeting

Planning• Recently rewrote Emergency

Action Plan• Fred Isaacs III

• Director of Rooms at MotorCity

Casino Hotel• Heavily involved in hotels’

emergency planning• Not security or legal professionals

(Disclaimer)

Agenda• General comments• EAP considerations• The VIKTOR plan• Discussion

Why an EAP?• Safety is #1• Mitigate liability

• You• Your company• Your client

• Post-emergency validation

EAP Considerations• Size of group• Purpose of event• Location of event• EMS pre-planning• Facility’s plan• Weather conditions• Learn from others’ mistakes

VIKTOR Plan• Communication is key• EAP team• ONE point of contact• One physical area for information• Checklists• Incident report form

Medical Emergencies

• Varying degrees• Staff should be first-aid / CRP

trained• 911 (112 in the European Union)• Offer assistance• Defer to professionals• Fill out incident report ASAP• MedEx

Death of an Attendee• Mostly an international conern• Bureau of Consular Affairs• MedEx• Register death in country• Does airline require embalming• Contact info for local funeral home• Communicating to other attendees

Severe Weather

• Be aware of impending weather• Watch vs. warning• Listen to local authorities• Lean on hotel’s plan• Get pax to shelter• Secure extra nights• Is evacuation necessary?• Work with DMC / ground supplier

Power Outage• Poor management could cause

injury• Actions will vary depending on

room conditions• Ask pax to stay in place• Internal or power company?• Is evacuation in order?• Ambient light / flash lights• Keep pax calm• Use communication plan

Civil Disturbance

• Range from small group to large-

scale public uprising• Contact authorities immediately• Move pax to safety and lock doors• Secure valuables if safe to do so• Work with security / police to

assess best course of action• Communicate to pax• Monitor news and social media• Evacuation necessary?

Transportation Strike / Stoppage• Work with local suppliers• Get creative• Gain client approval for extra costs• Secure extra nights at hotel• Plan extra meal functions

Earthquake

• Little warning• Few are life-threatening• Keep pax calm• Stay away from walls, windows &

stairs• Use tables for shelter• Move away from building, trees,

power lines if outdoor• After tremors end safely evacuate

if necessary• Find alternate lodging if necessary

Fire• Varying degrees• Take alarms seriously• Attempt to extinguish small-

scale fire if safe to do so• Alert security / fire department• Cordon off area

Large-Scale Fire• Pull alarm• Evacuate pax orderly• Attempt to control if

reasonable• Do not return until instructed• Survey situation• Move pax to new hotel• Secure transportation• Shopping shuttles• Plan new meal functions• Consider how tours / activities

are affected

Additional Parts of the Plan

Contact information• Staff• Client• Hotel security• Ground supplier / DMC• Local airport• Local police• Local bus station• Local hospital• Local rail station• Local Car rental• US Embassy / Consulate / DOS

Additional Parts of the Plan

Hotel / Medical• Clinic• 24-Hour pharmacy• Hotel’s first-aid location• Backup generator• Emergency paging system• Is phone on backup power

Additional Parts of the Plan

Air• Air team / partner needs specific

information• Avoid unnecessary back-and-forth• Have form in onsite documents

Additional Parts of the Plan

International Programs• State Department website

http://www.state.gov/• Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

(STEP)

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/registra

tion/registration_4789.html • Facebook /TravelGov• Twitter @TravelGov

Conclusion

• MUST have a plan• MUST know the plan• MUST review plan regularly• MUST make sure staff knows the plan• MUST have plan available onsite

Thank You!

Bob Hertel231-947-0882

Bob@VIKTORwithaK.com