Briefing on School In-Place Protection (IPP)

1. Briefing on School In-Place Protection (IPP)

2. Scope • What is IPP? • Concept of IPP for Schools • School IPP Exercise Plan

3. What is In-Place Protection • Similar concept in keeping out dust and noise • involves the occupant staying indoor and shutting windows and doors • Minimise amount of exterior air entering

4. In-place protection (IPP) includes additional precautions What is In-Place Protection • e.g. switching off ventilation system • e.g. sealing all gaps with masking tape

5. What is In-Place Protection • Concept rolled out to the public in Sep 03 • Targeted at residential premises

6. Case Study • Nitro, West Virginia Dec 5, 1995 • Incident - Process vessel at a chemical plant overpressurized and released a phosphorus chloride compound which reacted with rain to form Hydrogen Chloride cloud. • Lessons - In-place protection was issued over the community’s warning system. 800 employees of a neighbouring chemical plant adopted the recommendation and no injuries were reported. • IPP implemented in past incidents….

7. Case Study • IPP implemented in past incidents…. • Corruna, Ontario, Canada Mar 16, 2000 • Incident - Hydrogen sulfide released from a refinery. • Lessons - Although fire officials advised area residents to conduct IPP, some who evacuated were exposed and complained of nausea and sore throat. Therefore, it was safer to stay indoors.

8. What Could Happen ……. Terrorist Incidents Industrial Accidents

9. Types of Protective Action Public Protective Action IPP Evacuation • Executed through Fire Emergency Plan (FEP) • Executed through In-Place Protection Plan (IPP Plan)

10. When to Implement IPP Notification to Conduct IPP In the event of a chemical incident, you will be notified by the authority to adopt in-place protection through • Public Warning System (PWS) • Radio and TV • Loudhailers • Door-to-door notification

11. Organisation for IPP Principal Vice Principal Head Ops Control Head IMT General Office staff Ops Centre Fire Extinguishing Group IPP Teams (For classes) Warden Group Area Assembly Group Liaison Group IPP Team (For canteen vendors/contract cleaners) Gate Control Team First Aid Group EBM Team IPP Team (For visitors / other students) Parents Liaison Team Min 2 staff per IPP Room Media Liaison Team

12. Warden Group Duties: • Conducts a quick sweep of common areas and toilets. Directs students to their classrooms/IPP rooms • Directs Others (visitors, students from another session or other schools) to the designated IPP rooms • Reports to their assigned IPP room and conducts IPP with the rest of the occupants • Once the “All Clear” signal is given, combs premises in search of casualties and missing persons when directed by Ops Centre • Sets up the Warden Post to manage post IPP operations

13. IPP Teams Duties: • Direct students back to their classes • Shut all windows and doors • Switch off all ventilation and air-conditioning units that draw in air from outside and electrical appliances. Minimum lights to be switched on • Conduct attendance taking and report missing persons (students) to Ops Centre • Conduct attendance taking and report attendance of Others (visitors, canteen vendors, contract workers, other students - from other session / other schools) to Ops Centre • Seal all air vents and windows with plastic sheet and masking tape • Lock and seal doors • Manage well-being of students and Others • Evacuate students to school hall after IPP is terminated • Staff to assume their emergency roles in School Emergency Organisation for post IPP activities

14. Activation for IPP Announcement by Principal Upon receipt of the warning and announcement from SCDF, the Principal will raise the alarm and announce through the PA system to notify the school to implement IPP. “Your attention, please. We have been informed there is a toxic gas release in the vicinity. You are to return to your classrooms immediately and implement In-Place Protection measures. Switch off all ventilation and air conditioning systems in your room (if any) to minimise infiltration of toxic gas. Close and seal all windows and doors. All IPP Room ICs are to bring along your mobile phone to your IPP Room. You are to remain in your room and wait for further instructions”

15. (1) • SCDF to notify public • - PWS • - Radio and TV • - Door to door notification • - Loud hailer • (2) • Raises school alarm • Instructs school to • implement IPP • (3) • Lock all gates but leave • main gate latched • Display “IPP in Progress” sign at • main gate Principal • 5) • Direct school population to • classes/identified IPP rooms • Warden Group do a quick sweep of • corridors, canteen and toilets. • (6) • Setup Operations Centre • Collate attendance • Monitor the situation • (4) • Shut down central ventilation • and air-conditioning systems • that draw in air from outside Classrooms/IPP Rooms Ops Centre • (7) • Staff to take charge • Close & seal all windows • and doors • Remain in room until “All • Clear” signal is given IPP for Schools – An Overview

16. 1 3 2 Switch off all ventilation and air-conditioning units that draw in air from outside & electrical appliances Lock doors and seal all gaps. Stuff towel at the bottom of door Close all windows and doors 6 4 5 Seal all openings and window gaps Report attendance to Ops Centre Get students or Others to sit down and manage their fear or anxiety 7 Conduct attendance taking Activities Inside IPP Room(Concurrent Activities)

17. IPP Rooms (Classes) IPP Room (Visitors and other students) IPP Room (Canteen Vendors & Contract Workers) • IPP Room ICs to report : • Missing students or staff • Students not feeling well / • traumatised / casualties • Situation in IPP room • IPP Room IC to report: • Attendance • Persons not feeling well / traumatised / casualties • Situation in IPP room Attendance & Situation Reporting • Establish communications with the IPP Room ICs • Record situations and requests in Ops Log • Manage situation • Collate attendance status • Update Missing Persons Chart. • Communications Between Ops Centre and IPP Rooms • School Intercom System • Mobile Phone • Computer using Lotus Notes • PA System Ops Centre

18. Termination of IPP Announcement by Principal Upon advice of SCDF, the Principal or Vice Principal will announce through the PA system to terminate IPP. “Attention please. We have received advice from SCDF to terminate IPP. You are to remove all masking tapes and plastic sheets and open all windows and doors. Visitors may leave the school now. All Emergency Response Group heads are to report to the Principal immediately at the General Office. Thank you”.

19. (1) • Termination of IPP • SCDF give ‘All Clear’ • instruction over radio & TV • (2) • Principal • Gives ”All Clear” • instruction • (3) • Remove plastic sheets & • masking tape • Open all windows and doors • Manage students who are • are not feeling well or traumatised • (4) • Remove “IPP In Progress” • sign board • Control movement of • personnel and vehicles Ops Centre • (6) • Operations Centre • Activate SCDF & Police • (if necessary) • Manage post IPP Activities Media Parents FA Post EBM Post (7) Manage parents • (5) • Evacuate casualties • to First Aid Post • Evacuate traumatised • students to EBM POST School Hall • (6) • Evacuate students to school hall • Conduct attendance taking • Manage well-being of students (7) Manage media Classrooms (6) Comb the school for missing students / staff Post IPP Activities (Recovery)

20. Possible After Effects of IPP

21. Sealing of IPP Rooms Organisation of Classroom 1. Student IC - to take attendance of students in IPP room. 2. Trash Bag Preparation Team - to prepare and cut trash bags for sealing. 3. Window Sealing Team(s) - to seal opening and windows in the room. Door Sealing Team(s) - to seal doors, key holes and gaps in the room.

22. Cut Trash Bag into a Single Plastic Sheet Step 1: Cut away the seam at the base of the trash bag. Step 2: Cut along the folded edge of the trash bag into a single plastic sheet.

23. Sealing Ventilation Openings Step 1: Tape both end of the plastic sheet with a small piece of masking tape to hold it in place. Step 2: Seal the edges of the plastic sheet with a long strips of masking tape.

24. Sealing Ventilation Openings Step 3: Place another plastic sheet with the edge overlapping each other. Step 4: Seal the overlapping edges with a long strips of masking tape.

25. Sealing Windows Step 1: Cover the all windows with plastic sheets with the edge overlapping each other. Step 2: Seal the overlapping edges with a long strips of masking tape.

26. Sealing Doors Step 1: Staff towels along the gap at the bottom of the door. Step 2: Seal all the door edges with long strips of masking tapes Step 3: Seal the door key hole with masking tape.

27. Classroom Completely Sealed All ventilation openings and windows are covered plastic sheets and sealed with masking tapes Doors gaps and key hole are sealed with masking tapes

28. Improvised Toilet Stack two student desks to make a partition at one corner of the classroom. Cover the desk with plastic sheet and seal with masking tape. Place two chairs side by side leaving a gap between the chairs and with the back rest against the wall. Place a trash bag (double layer) into waste paper basket and seal with masking tape on both chairs.

29. Items Required for IPP 10 rolls x Masking Tape 50 x Trash Bags 4 x Towels 6 pairs x Scissors

30. School IPP Exercise Plan Duration: 2 hrs (30 min briefing, 1 hr actual exercise and 30 min debrief) Target Group : All teachers, EAS and canteen operators except those with medical conditions No of rooms: 6 rooms No of personnel per room: ~ 15 – 18

31. School IPP Exercise Plan • Assignment of duties: • At least one HOD to be assigned to each room to act as observers. • Team leader to be appointed, who will then assign roles to members. • Appt. a photographer in each room to take pictures for debriefing and record purposes later • Testing of sealing: • Fogging will be done to test effectiveness of sealing.