2011
Online
info
Helpful websites to keep you informed: www.miami.edu/prepare UM general hurricane resource www.hurricaneupdate.med.miami.edu Miller School hurricane resource www.rsmas.miami.edu/resources/environment/tropical-storms Tropical storm updates from the UM Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science www.nhc.noaa.gov National Hurricane Center www.floridadisaster.org f or faculty and staf f of t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f m i a m i l eon a r d m . M i l l e r s c hoo l of m e d i c i n e
Florida Division of Emergency Management
U PDATE Y O U R CONTACT IN F ORMATION F OR H U RRICANE SEASON
Essential Emergency Items Below are some quick
Secure Safety with an Office Plan
guidelines and important
Hurricane season is here,
items to keep on hand to
and now is the time to prepare for potential storms. All employees should make sure their contact and emergency information is correct by updating their profile at myUM. Simply visit www.miami.edu/myUM, and on the right under the “Personal & Biographical Info” section, click “Personal, Address and Emergency/Evacuation Information.” When a situation warrants, mass emails containing emergency information will be sent. Voice and text messages also will be sent via the Emergency Notification Network (ENN). Supervisors and unit emergency planners should confirm through the UReady system that their unit’s continuity plan is up-to-date and that all relevant emergency plans and policies are readily accessible. Each unit’s human resources representative should download contact and emergency information from the Prepare Data Warehouse, and keep printed copies in multiple locations. Be sure to outline evacuation guidelines and list emergency responsibilities assigned to each employee. For insurance purposes, all capital equipment should be photographed, documented, and regularly updated on a comprehensive list. Ensure all employees have the Miller School Rumor Control /Hurricane Hotline number (305-243-6079), and hold a mandatory staff meeting to
ensure safety during any emergency, including a hurricane. Materials for office equipment protection can be purchased through Physical Plant, 305-243-6019. For the Office Hold a meeting to review and distribute unit emergency and continuity plans Take inventory of emergency supplies (see “Keep on Hand” checklist below) Clear desktops Back up important computer files Unplug electrical equipment Move equipment away from windows Cover files, equipment, and furniture with plastic tarp and masking tape Secure all doors and windows Take home personal belongings Checklist for the home Plan an evacuation route Avoid low-lying areas Secure loose yard debris Secure garage doors and awnings Reinforce windows with boards
distribute and discuss the preparedness and continuity plan. If essential employees have not been identified, select them at this meeting and communicate their role clearly to them and the entire staff to avoid confusion about who will remain or return as a storm approaches. Use the meeting to address special circumstances of employees, such as family matters or transportation issues. Also, appoint an alternate to the supervisor in case of absence. If a hurricane or tropical storm warning is issued, hold an additional staff meeting to review these guidelines. All essential employees who will need to remain on campus during a storm are required to receive special approval in advance through security. Contact Security Emergency Management at 305-243-9466 for the request form. Back up all computer files and gather all necessary emergency supplies, including plastic tarp and tape for covering office equipment; the materials can be purchased from Physical Plant by calling 305-243-6019. Workers at construction sites should make sure all equipment and materials are properly secured. Immediately following the storm, all employees should call a designated contact person or supervisor to verify safety and begin recovery efforts. All
students, faculty, or staff who evacuate to another area should notify the University of their relocation and new contact information by going to recover.miami.edu. This post-hurricane online “check-in” site will help us determine who is safe and where they are residing. Remember that a hurricane is just one potential disaster for which we should all be prepared. With a comprehensive plan in place, your office will be ready to handle any emergency. The Office of Emergency Management and the Miller School have a full-time emergency manager to assist units with emergency and continuity planning, training, and specialized communications. For more information, call 305-243-9466.
or shutters Turn off pool equipment; do not drain your pool Stock non-perishable foods and
Additional Preparations for Research Personnel
bottled water
In the event of a hurricane,
Fill your car’s gas tank
safeguarding your life’s work, personnel, and laboratories is vital for your continued research. Aside from securing your workspace, critical steps should be taken to minimize disruption and downtime after a storm. This includes preparing lab equipment, storing samples, securing your data, and updating your emergency phone tree. Critical equipment, such as freezers and incubators, must be labeled with contact information and registered through the Department of Security’s Critical Equipment Registration and Alarm Monitoring website. Inventory the contents of each freezer and cold room. For insurance purposes and FEMA reporting, take digital photos of your equipment. It is important to label and
Keep on hand First-aid kit Necessary prescription drugs Batteries Flashlights Battery-powered radio Candles/matches Manual can opener Masking and duct tape Generator Ropes Cash Pet-care items Important personal documents (store in waterproof container)
secure all hazardous agents in cabinets and retain relevant EHS forms. All fume hoods must be emptied; they are not secure areas during a storm. Be cautious when starting equipment that operates in multi-day cycles, as both line and emergency power could be lost mid-cycle. Non-essential equipment should be unplugged from both emergency and non-emergency power outlets to prevent possible damage to the equipment and reduce the strain on electrical circuits. Plugging equipment into emergency power outlets with extension cords will overload the circuit and shut down all emergency power for the building. Consider sending critical samples out of the area through pre-existing arrangements with bio-repositories and non-local
collaborators/colleagues. If you do not currently have any arrangements, you may establish such through a Universityapproved vendor. If your work includes animal models, the Division of Veterinary Resources requests that you work with them to identify irreplaceable lines. In the research community, only preapproved (by the director of security) essential personnel may remain on campus during a storm. For lab and office preparation, hurricane packs are available for purchase from the Office of Research and Physical Plant. Principal investigators and laboratory managers should meet with their staff prior to an event and discuss preparations. Detailed checklists for pre- and postdisaster preparedness are available online.
Hurricane Tracking Map 50°N
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Numbers to Know
Patient Care
Your Supervisor Home Beeper Cellular Miller School of Medicine Hurricane Hotline 305-243-6079 Department of Security (Emergency) 305-243-6000 (Non-Emergency) 305-243-SAFE or 305-243-7233
Ou r C l i n i c s a n d H o s p i ta l s The University of Miami Health System (UHealth) mission of
M.D., senior vice president for medical
providing quality patient care makes the institution unique
affairs and dean, and CEO of UHealth.
among the University’s programs and calls for special concerns
“Not only are we responsible for their
in the event of an approaching hurricane. Emergency
health and safety in our clinics every
announcements issued from the Miller School and its hospitals
day, our mission dictates that we do
and clinics may differ from statements released by the Coral
all we can to keep our community
Gables and Rosenstiel campuses.
from harm in all situations, especially
For Miller School faculty and staff, announcements from
during an emergency.”
Miller School leadership and updates from the Miller School’s Hurricane Hotline (305-243-6079) are the most reliable sources
University of Miami Hospital
Hurricane Hotline
for information on developments on the medical campus
During a “warning” level of a hurricane or tropical storm
305-689-5900
during an emergency.
threat, University of Miami Hospital will continue to operate
University of Miami Hospital
Miami-Dade County
Emergency office plans for clinical departments at the
under its established Hurricane and Tropical Storm Emergency
Emergency Management
Miller School should include a list of essential employees who
Response Plan. Department directors will brief hospital
305-468-5400
will remain on site to address patient needs as a hurricane
employees on their department’s proper procedures and their
approaches. If Miller School leaders announce that clinics will
specific responsibilities in the event of a hurricane.
Broward County Hurricane Hotline 954-831-4000 American Red Cross Greater Miami/Keys 305-644-1200 Broward County 954-797-3800
be closed due to conditions that make it unsafe to travel or
Instructional announcements and incident status informa-
dangerous for essential employees to remain on campus,
tion addressed through the University of Miami Hospital
every effort must be made to contact patients and reschedule
Employee Hotline (305-689-5900) will be the best source of
appointments.
information for hospital employees. In addition, incident
“A commitment to our patients is one of the top priorities at the medical school,” says Pascal J. Goldschmidt,
information also will be available online at the University of Miami Hospital’s Web page, www.umiamihospital.com.
Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D. Executive Editor Christine Morris Associate Vice President for Communications
Office of Communications, RMSB 1149A Phone: 305-243-3249 • Fax: 305-243-5681
Editor Jenny Prather Contributors Anthony Artrip Ron Bogue John Pepper Design and Production Division of University Communications Published by the Office of Communications, Miller School of Medicine. The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Copyright 2011, University of Miami 10-337