Emergency Notification and Evacuation

1. Emergency Notification and Evacuation Prepared by: The Spartanburg County Office of Emergency Management

2. Session Overview • Emergency Notification • EAS Radio and TV stations • Other Means of Communication • What to do if you are notified of an emergency • Protective Actions • Shelter in Place • Prepare to Evacuate • Evacuate • Evacuate • Evacuation Routes • Returning Home

3. Notification-TV & Radio • If there is an emergency, you will be warned in one or more ways in Spartanburg County and you will be informed of the protective action(s) to take.  The following local radio or TV station will tell you what to do through the Emergency Alert System (EAS). Radio Stations • WFBC 93.7 FM • WESC 92.5 FM • WEPR 90.1 FM TV Stations • WYFF Ch 4 • WSPA Ch. 7 • WFBC Ch. 40 • WASV Ch. 62

4. Notification-Other Means • Emergency service vehicles with loud speakers will provide emergency warnings. You may be directed to tune in to a local radio or TV station to listen to the EAS for instructions. • Cable TV stations will convey emergency warnings and/or general information to those households with cable TV service. If the message is only a warning you will be instructed to tune to a EAS station • If needed, emergency personnel will go door-to-door in an attempt to notify citizens in danger • In case of terrorist attack or tornado warning, county sirens will be activated • Coming Soon!!!! If warranted, the Spartanburg County Emergency Notification System will notify all affected Spartanburg Residents

5. What to do if you’re notified!! • When notified of an emergency, do the following four things: • Stay Calm • Turn on your radio or television to an Emergency Alert System station for information and instructions • DO NOT USE THE TELEPHONE.  Telephone lines are needed for official business and your call could delay telephone warning information and/or emergency responder action • Engage in Protective Actions

6. Protective Actions • EAS instructions will tell you the protective action(s) to be taken.  The protective action could be Shelter-in-Place, Prepare-to-Evacuate, or Evacuate.  Depending on the particular circumstances of the emergency, any of the three protective actions or a combination of them may be appropriate.

7. Shelter-in-Place Shelter-in-Place:  Shelter-in-Place is a proven effective action which is the proper response for many emergencies. If you are told to shelter in place, take the following actions: • Go inside the nearest logical structure (home, school, public building, store, office building, etc.), to a room with few or no windows. • Stay calm • Turn on a radio or television to a local EAS station for information and instructions • Stay tuned to the station until the emergency is over, or until you are given instructions to evacuate. • Bring pets inside, as appropriate

8. Shelter-in-Place-Haz-Mat If the Emergency involves hazardous materials, the following actions are to be taken in addition: • Turn off heating and cooling systems • Turn off window fans and other fans. • Shut windows and doors. • Cover cracks with tape or wet rags. • If told to protect breathing, cover nose and mouth with a cloth--wet, if possible • After the All Clear signal is received, ventilate the structure.  Go outside

9. Prepare to Evacuate Prepare-to-Evacuate :  Prepare-to-Evacuate is a protective action that may be given at first or as a follow-up to Shelter-in-Place if it is appropriate for the emergency.  At the time the Prepare-to-Evacuate instruction is given, emergency management personnel will be preparing for an orderly evacuation. You should take the following actions: • Stay calm. • Unless you are instructed not to, check your personal transportation for readiness • Gather emergency supplies for you and your family in case of evacuation. Collect these crucial materials, especially food and water, well in advance of a disaster, once you are told to evacuate, you may have only minutes • Review possible evacuation procedures with your family so that everyone understands what to do and where to meet if you are separated. • Plan now where you would go if you had to evacuate • Keep fuel in your car at all times. During emergencies, filling stations may be closed. Never store extra fuel in the garage. • If you do not have a car, make transportation arrangements with friends, neighbors or your local emergency management office • Know how to shut off electricity, gas and water at main switches and valves. Make sure you have the tools you would need to do this

10. Evacuate Evacuation is a sound protective action and the proper response for many emergencies when it is best to separate the people impacted by the emergency from the emergency.  If you are told to evacuate, take the following actions: • Stay calm. • Listen to a radio or television tuned to a local EAS station. • Turn off natural gas and fuel oil utilities prior to leaving the structure to prevent secondary emergencies. • Take the necessary clothing, medication, portable radio, flashlight, and other necessary items to the designated shelter. • Lock the structure that is being left.  The area(s) evacuated will be secured by law enforcement agency personnel. • Do not attempt to go to the location of another family member in the same impacted area.  Other members of the family will be evacuated in an orderly manner if they are in an impacted area where an Evacuation protective action is ordered.

11. Evacuate (Continued) • Turn on the porch light as you leave your house or other structure to signify the structure is empty. • Use your own car for evacuation if possible.  If necessary, ask a neighbor for transportation assistance.  If neither option is available, go to a logical main street pickup point where public transportation will be provided. • If in a private vehicle, turn on the vehicle radio for further instructions. • Follow the directions of emergency response personnel if you are in a private vehicle.  All vehicles will be guided to a shelter. • Upon the receipt of the All Clear signal, you will be allowed to return to your home or other location from which you were evacuated.  If you came by public transportation, you will be returned by the same method. • If the emergency involved a hazardous material, upon returning to your home or other location ventilate the structure before remaining inside.

12. Evacuation Routes Evacuation routes will be determined by the appropriate emergency management official(s) at the time of the evacuation action decision.  The following major thoroughfares and streets will be utilized whenever possible: • I-85 North or South • I-26 East or West

13. Returning Home When told to return home, please take the following actions: 1. Do not return to the emergency site until authorities say it is safe. 2. Continue listening to the radio for information and instructions. 3. Use extreme caution when entering buildings, structures may have been damaged or weakened. Beware of poisonous snakes in flooded structures and debris. 4. Do not take lanterns, torches or any kind of flame into a damaged building. There may be leaking gas or other flammable materials present. Use battery-operated flashlights for light. 5. If you smell leaking gas, turn off the main gas valve at the meter. * Do not turn on lights--they can produce sparks that will ignite the gas. * Leave the house immediately and notify the gas company or the police. * Do not reenter the house until all odor of gas is gone.

14. Returning Home 6. Notify the power company or fire department if you see fallen or damaged electrical wires. 7. If appliances are wet, turn off the main electrical power switch in you home before you unplug them. Dry out appliances, wall switches and sockets before you plug them in again--call utility companies for guidance. 8. Check food and water supplies for contamination and spoilage before using them. Follow specific instructions from your local health department or agriculture extension agency. 9. Wear sturdy shoes when walking through debris or broken glass, and use heavy gloves when removing debris. 10. After the emergency has passed, telephone or telegraph your family and friends to tell them you are safe.

15. Questions or Comments