Responding to an Emergency Situation
What is the most important duties of a correctional officer during an emergency
Is to apply knowledge, training, and reasonable
judgment during an emergency.
The order of authority and responsibility that joins one level of an organization to another, and that outlines
the coordination of resources in an emergency situation.
Chain of command
What are some threats to the security of the facility,
Demonstrators, media, or high-profile inmates (such as inmates associated with a drug cartel or death-row inmates).
Types of portable fire extinguishers that are
commonly used?
1. ABC (used for ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and electrical)
2. ABCD (used for metal fires, such as magnesium fires. If a class D extinguisher is not available, you can use sand or dirt to extinguish a class D fire.)
3. K (used for kitchen fires; easier to clean up than other extinguishing agents)
4. water-based (used for ordinary combustibles)
5. CO2 (used for class B and C fires, such as flammable liquid and electrical fires; useful to protect electrical equipment, because these extinguishers leave less residue and displace oxygen. After using them, you need to exit the room quickly, especially in confined areas.)
What are some hazardous materials are used throughout a correctional facility or work detail.
cleaning agents, floor wax, bleach, laundry
detergent, fuels, pesticides, or fertilizer.
While identifying the type of emergency what is the process?
Communicate with control room staff, command post personnel, and supervisory staff to coordinate a response in line with the emergency plan.
Who will receive all communications and make all major decisions during an incident or emergency.
The command post staff
Identify common equipment used for responding to a facility assault
1. barriers, less lethal and impact weapons, electronic control devices, firearms, shields, vehicles, megaphones, restraints, chemical agents, and communication devices.
The basic steps for using a portable fire extinguisher are:
1. Pull the pin.
2. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire from a distance, usually about 10 feet.
3. Squeeze the handle.
4. Sweep the base of the flame (from side to side and front to back).
Is any threat of an explosive device, whether mechanical, incendiary, or chemical.
A bomb threat
Guidelines to follow during an evacuation include
1. Upon direction of a supervisor, move people in an orderly fashion to a safe, secure area.
2. Obtain copies of inmate rosters for identification and counting.
3. Give clear and concise commands.
4. Close or open windows and doors, if so directed, along evacuation routes if time permits.
5. Do not use elevators for evacuation.
6. Conduct an inmate count when reaching the evacuation area.
7. Account for everyone who was in the facility.
Identify the type of emergency,
Medical, fire, hazmat, or criminal act.
In the event of a facility assault, what are the standard procedures to follow?
1.Notify the appropriate staff and communicate with the response teams. Communicate the following information:
2. the area of the compound or perimeter affected
3. the nature of the assault
4. the extent of the damage to the perimeter
5. the number of assailants and weapons
6. the direction in which the assailants are traveling
What are classes of hazardous materials and the dangers associated with each class,
1. Class 1 explosives: exposure to heat, shock, or contamination could result in thermal and mechanical hazards
2. Class 2 gases: container may rupture violently under pressure (or as a result of a fire); may become flammable, poisonous, a corrosive, an asphyxiate, and an oxidizer; may cause frostbite
3. Class 3 flammable and combustible liquids: container may rupture violently from heat / fire; may be corrosive, toxic, and thermally unstable
4. Class 4 flammable solids: some are spontaneously flammable; may be water reactive, toxic, and corrosive; may be extremely difficult to extinguish
5. Class 5 oxidizing substances: supports its own combustion through using oxygen; sensitive to
heat, shock, friction, and contamination
6. Class 6 poisons and infectious substances: toxic by inhalation, ingestion, and skin and eye absorption; may be flammable
7. Class 7 radioactive substances: may cause burns and biologic effects; can cause contamination
of surroundings
8. Class 8 corrosives: causes disintegration of contacted tissues; may be fuming, water reactive, and destructive to metals
9. Class 9 Other Regulated Materials (ORM): miscellaneous
What is a natural disaster .
is an event or force of nature that has catastrophic
consequences, such as a hurricane, earthquake, tornado, flood, lightning, or wildfire
What is Incident Command System (ICS)
Is a systematic approach to command, control, and coordinate emergency response.
Post-riot procedures may include what?
1.accounting for all on-duty staff and visitors
2.checking security of the facility
3. administering first aid to the injured
4. separating ringleaders and agitators
5. performing a strip search of all involved inmates according to agency policies
6. conducting an institutional inmate count
7. debriefing staff
8. conducting a thorough investigation of the riot
9. repairing damage
What are the are five classes of fire
1. Class A: ordinary combustibles; for example, wood, cloth, paper
2. Class B: flammable liquids; for example, gasoline and diesel fuels, kerosene, propane, butane,
alcohol, motor oil, paint, paint thinners
3. Class K: subcategory of Class B (kitchen fires; cooking oils or fats)
4. Class C: electrical; for example, appliances, panels, switches
5. Class D: combustible metals; for example, magnesium, titanium, potassium, sodium
Use extreme caution when using your senses at a hazmat incident
1. vision— you may use your vision to see indicators of the presence of hazardous materials, smoke,
fire, vapor, or gas clouds; when light or visibility is poor, these signs are harder to see
2. hearing—important, especially when interacting with witnesses or identifying unusual sounds,
such as hissing from a gas leak or a tanker spill, or a bubbling sound from mixing chemicals
3. taste, touch, or smell—use of these senses risks exposure to the substance; they should not be
used intentionally in an incident.
What is a human-instigated disaster
is a consequence of technological or human hazards that brings great damage, loss, or destruction to the facility, such as chemical spills, a water main breaking, a plane crash, a train derailment, or a fire.
During response to an emergency, you may be called upon to:
1. transport
2. escort and supervise people
3. use physical force or control
4. provide first aid
5. record events
6. serve as a witness in investigations
7. debrief
What are the standard hostage situation procedures
1.notifying a supervisor immediately, following the chain of command
2. containing the subject(s) in the smallest area possible
3. restricting the movement of the subject(s), if possible, and always keeping officer safety in mind
4. gathering information, such as taking pictures or recording the situation
5. moving non-participants as far from the hostage situation as possible—inmates may be locked down
6. providing assistance and support to specialized teams as needed
What are some equipment needed to respond to a fire
1. portable extinguishers
2. fire alarms
3. fire suppression systems (fire extinguishers set into the wall that run into piping when the system
is activated, sprinklers, and smoke detectors)
4. Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) (used during a fire to help prevent smoke inhalation,
with proper training)
5. facility map
6. emergency keys
7. restraint devices
8. fire hydrants
9. fire hoods
10. fire hoses (used by specially trained staff to extinguish fires)
What are the standard procedures for responding to a bomb threat
1. Notify the supervisor or command staff of the exact location of the device and its description, or
if you receive a bomb threat.
2. Supervisors or command staff will give an order to stop using all electronic devices, including
microwaves, radios, phones, car alarms, or remote keys for cars.
3. If you find a device, establish a secure perimeter around the device.
4. If you receive a threat, lock down the inmates and conduct a controlled search of the facility.
5. Follow evacuation protocols according to your agency’s emergency plan.
6. If you receive a bomb threat via phone you must follow protocol, such as using a checklist while
talking, keeping the caller on the line as long as possible, and, if appropriate, using the telephone
tracer feature on the phone.
Equipment needed in a disaster may include what?
1. backup communications equipment
2.backup power source
3. flashlights with batteries
4. emergency food supplies (non-perishable)
5. stored water
6. medical supplies
7. tents or temporary shelters
8. additional bedding or linens
9. vehicles
10. weapons
Standard procedures to resolve an emergency
1. Verify and communicate the emergency by notifying the control room or a supervisor of the
event.
2. Conduct an institution inmate count, accounting for all inmates and staff.
3. Inspect for structural damage, making sure there is no breach in the perimeter.
4. Activate the emergency plan.
5. Evacuate everyone to a safe place.
6. Provide first aid and medical treatment.
7. Document the incident.
8. Debrief after the incident.
Each agency may have its own procedures for documenting a crime scene, what are some?
Photographs, images from cameras, standard
forms, and items moved, removed, or altered
Once a crime scene has been cleared of any victims, witnesses, or suspects, what should be done?
Secure the area and make sure no one enters.
How do you handle evidence properly?
1. Use PPE, which must be put on outside of the crime scene.
2. Correctly document and secure the item through appropriate chain of custody.
3. Correctly identify the type of bag or container to use for the type of evidence being gathered.
Evidence at a crime scene is any item or fact that may clear a person of guilt or may be considered proof that a crime has been committed,
Clothing, sheets, body fluids, or any other item that
could be related to or affected by the crime.
Physical indications that an inmate may have been involved in a crime
Suspicious activity, injuries, labored breathing, possession of weapons, or presence of contraband.
Signs and symptoms of a medical emergency
Unusual or excessive bleeding, pain, medical distress (for example, sweating, nausea, shortness of breath, paralysis), or loss of or altered consciousness.
When documenting an emergency response, you should include what?
Details of the date, time, place, people involved,
when they arrived and left, what time outside agencies such as emergency services were contacted,
and the scope, nature, and status of the emergency.
What are the basic steps for using a portable fire extinguisher
1. Pull the pin.
2. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire from a distance, usually about 10 feet.
3. Squeeze the handle.
4. Sweep the base of the flame (from side to side and front to back).
Staff should always be vigilant and cautious of fire hazards, including what?
Cooking grease, dryer lint, improperly stored cleaning agents, and lightning strikes.