Safety Update

Emergency Preparedness

July 10, 2008

Andrew Ackerman
NSLS ESH/Q Manager
ackerman@bnl.gov

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As I write this, the Laboratory is participating in drills and assessment of emergency preparedness on site. The NSLS is well prepared for an emergency event as our staff members, along with the BNL Emergency Services staff, have put considerable effort into that preparation. Emergency response at the NSLS is complicated.

An obvious important part of the program is maintaining strong communication both during an event and when planning event response. With so many visitors and so many people moving in and out of the building, assuring that everyone knows what to do during an event is a challenge. Information that everyone must know follows:

There are two audible alerts that could be heard at NSLS – the building fire bells and the site-wide siren. Response to these two alarms is different:

• Building fire bells. When the building fire bells sound, you are to leave the building at the nearest exit and proceed outside to the assembly area in front of the building. Make sure your work area is in a safe condition, take your coat and car keys, and evacuate. Please assemble as requested as we cannot know who is in the building at any given time and will try to account for people at the assembly area.
• Site-wide siren. This alarm sounds like an air raid siren or the siren used in nearby towns for volunteer fireman response. It is tested every Monday at noon. During an emergency, it can sound in a continuous or intermittent manner. Expected response is as follows:
  • Continuous site-wide siren. Personnel are to remain in the building and proceed to the front lobby for instruction. We have radios for communication with BNL Emergency Services and will be told to either evacuate the site or “shelter in place.” The NSLS shelter in place location is along the corridor of the VUV floor.
  • Intermittent site-wide siren. Personnel are to proceed to their cars and evacuate the site.

The response we are all most likely to need is building evacuation when the building fire bells sound. Those bells are activated by smoke detectors and pull boxes and as we analyze likely occurrences, a building evacuation because of smoke, fire, or a spill are all plausible occurrences that could result in personnel evacuation from the building. A shelter in place response is less likely, but could be needed for severe weather such as a hurricane or tornado. We have never needed a shelter in place response, but are prepared. And last, is the site-wide evacuation response. Again, weather might result in this response, but the most likely event that would cause a site evacuation is a brush fire that is threatening the Laboratory.

There is much more to know about the NSLS emergency response plan, but if everyone is aware of the information above and cooperates with NSLS Operations Staff during an emergency, our ability to manage events will be much improved. The NSLS Department’s Local Emergency Coordinator is Bob Chmiel. He knows the NSLS planning for events best and is available to anyone interested in more details.