ADS Chapter 524: Emergency Management

The program is a comprehensive effort to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies at USAID Washington (USAID/W) locations. The Director, Bureau for Management, Office of Management Services (M/MS) is USAID's Designated Official (DO) for Emergency Preparedness. The Branch Chief, Bureau for Management, Office of Management Services, Headquarters Management Division (M/MS/HMD) is USAID's Designated Alternate Official (DAO) for Emergency Preparedness. In the event that the DO is incapacitated or unavailable, the order of succession is as follows: the DAO, the Bureau for Management, Deputy Assistant Administrator (M/DAA), and the Bureau for Management, Assistant Administrator (M/AA). The Occupant Emergency Coordinator oversees the day-to-day Occupant Emergency Plan activities, including Occupant Emergency Organization (OEO) recruitment planning, testing, training, and exercises. Managers and Supervisors in Bureau/Independent Offices (B/IOs) ensure that occupants identified as requiring assistance during an evacuation or shelter-in-place have a customized plan that includes the assistance required, the name of the person(s) volunteering to assist, the method for maintaining accountability, the type of equipment required (if any), and the evacuation route from the assigned occupant's work space. The Office of Civil Rights and Diversity (OCRD) is responsible for maintaining the Emergency Assistance Reasonable Accommodation Program. The Bureau for Management, Assistant Administrator (M/AA) serves as the Agency's Continuity Coordinator in accordance with Federal Continuity Directives 1 & 2 and National Security Presidential Directive 51 (NSPD-51, National Continuity Policy). The Continuity Coordinator designates the USAID Continuity Manager. The Administrator (A/AID) is responsible for signing the USAID Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan. USAID's Occupant Emergency Organization (OEO) is established, staffed, and trained to manage emergency preparedness and coordinate a response in the event of an emergency. The Occupant Emergency Coordinator ensures that the DO, DAO, and other members of the OEO are trained in their roles and responsibilities and equipped with identifying garments. The Occupant Emergency Coordinator also ensures that the contact information and roster of OEO personnel is updated and made available to employees and occupant agencies. The Facility Security Council (FSC) is established to discuss and implement the standards and best practices developed by the Interagency Security Committee. The FSC has no function during emergencies and serves to support interagency coordination regarding security and emergency preparedness before or after an incident occurs. The DO/DAO attends or delegates a representative to attend FSC meetings. The USAID/W Occupant Emergency Program serves to inform and prepare USAID personnel in USAID/W facilities regarding actions that occupants should take to ensure their safety during an emergency. The program includes plans, training, and exercises at all USAID/W facilities in the event of an incident inside or immediately surrounding a facility. USAID/W Occupant Emergency plans can be found on the USAID website. The Designated Official (DO)/Designated Alternate Official (DAO) has key roles in the USAID/W Occupant Emergency Program, including developing, implementing, and maintaining an Occupant Emergency Plan for the Agency, developing, approving, activating, implementing, and maintaining an Occupant Emergency Plan for each USAID/W facility, and initiating action according to the Occupant Emergency Plan. The Occupant Emergency Coordinator ensures a process for evacuation and accountability is in place for all occupants and shares, reconciles any planning conflicts, and exercises Occupant Emergency Plan procedures with other tenants of the facility.