1. What are some commonly used Emergency Managment Acronyms?

AAR/After Action Report
Reporting the results of an exercise and recommendations for improvements in HSEEP format

CIP/Critical Incident Protocol
Critical Incident Protocol - Name of Public-Private Partnership program administered by Michigan State University, School of Criminal Justice

DHS/Department of Homeland Security
Federal agency responsible for disaster preparedness and homeland security.

EMS/Emergency Medical Services
Ambulance and emergency medical care

EOC/Emergency Operations Center
A center that key decision makers assemble to command and control resources to a critical incident

BCP/Business Continuity Plan
Set of documents, instructions, and procedures which enable a business to respond to accidents, disasters, emergencies, and/or threats—without any stoppage or hindrance in its key operations.

EOP/EAG/Emergency Operation Plan/Emergency Action Guidelines
Emergency plans developed by the public sector that contains annex's for first responders i.e. police, fire, ems, public health, etc.

FEMA/Federal Emergency Management Agency
FEMA is a part of the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.

HSEEP/Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program
HSEEP is the Dept. of Homeland Security’s national exercise and evaluation program. This program ensures common principles are used for planning, conducting and evaluating disaster exercises.

IAP/Incident Action Plan
A plan developed at the incident command center that details the actions to resolve an incident.

ICS-UCS/Incident Command System/Unified Command System
The use of the incident command system, including the use of unified command.

ICS/Incident Command System
A uniform command structure used during an emergency response whether large or small. Insures common practices are used, especially when more than one agency is responding.

IAP/Incident Action Plan
Under the incident command system, an incident action plan is developed and implemented by the incident commander.

IP/Improvement Plan
An improvement plan is developed following an exercise to update and improve plans and procedures.

JIC/Joint Information Center
A JIC is where public information officers from various agencies collectively gather and develop a common news release.

JIS/Joint Information System
The JIS is the process followed when a joint information center is established.

NIMS/National Incident Management System
NIMS is a national standard developed by DHS to be used across the country by all responding agencies involved in an emergency, to manage the critical incident.

OJA/Office Justice Assistance
Federal agency that awards grants for disaster response planning.

PPP/Public/Private Partnership

Used when public agencies such as police, fire and EMS and private businesses form a partnership to work on joint emergency planning.

SOP/Standard Operating Procedures
An agency’s normal day to day operating procedures.

TTX/Tabletop Exercise
Discussion based emergency exercise that tests emergency planning and collaboration among various affected agencies

UCS/Unified Command System
Where leaders of various agencies jointly make decisions about how a critical incident will be handled.

2. If told to evacuate, do you know your three P's?

Pills, Purse, Pets

3. If you need emergency services, can they find you?

House numbers should be posted clearly visible from the street.

4. How much water can wash away a vehicle?

According to the National Wather Service, cars can be swept way in 18-24 inches of moving water.
Turn Around Don't Drown.

5. What is the difference between a watch and a warning?


6. How do you shelter in place?

Here is what the CDC recommends:

Act quickly and follow the instructions of your local emergency coordinators such as law enforcement personnel, fire departments, or local elected leaders. Every situation can be different, so local emergency coordinators might have special instructions for you to follow. In general, do the following:

-Go inside as quickly as possible. Bring any outdoor pets indoors.

-If there is time, shut and lock all outside doors and windows. Locking them may pull the door or window tighter and make a better seal against the chemical. Turn off the air conditioner or heater. Turn off all fans, too. Close the fireplace damper and any other place that air can come in from outside.

-Go in the shelter-in-place room and shut the door.


-Sink and toilet drain traps should have water in them (you can use the sink and toilet as you normally would). If it is necessary to drink water, drink stored water, not water from the tap.


-If you are away from your shelter-in-place location when a chemical event occurs, follow the instructions of emergency coordinators to find the nearest shelter. If your children are at school, they will be sheltered there. Unless you are instructed to do so, do not try to get to the school to bring your children home. Transporting them from the school will put them, and you, at increased risk.


-When you leave the shelter, follow instructions from local emergency coordinators to avoid any contaminants outside. After you come out of the shelter, emergency coordinators may have additional instructions on how to make the rest of the building safe again