What
is Preplan?
A
preplan is a document containing detailed information about a facility
that allows staff or first responders (police, firefighters, emergency
medical staff, school emergency preparedness coordinators, public
health disaster coordinators, etc.) to quickly and effectively
respond to any crisis situation at that location.
A preplan is also considered to be a detailed assortment of critical information
about your facility that is assembled as part of the pre-incident
planning process. A preplan may also be used during training exercises, assessment
activities and for updating visual and written records of changes that occur
at a site.
Businesses
that have hazardous materials on
site are required to file a preplan
with the city or county fire department.
These preplans have usually been
assembled in three-ring binders containing
such vital information as
plot plans, site plans, emergency
contact information, photographs,
material safety data sheets and other
site specific information that can
be used by first responders during
an emergency.
One
problem with three-ring binder preplans
is they are difficult to keep current.
Also, if a page or section of the
preplan is removed, vital information
is not accessible. As a master preplan
changes, someone must be responsible
for updating all other copies of
the preplan. This is extremely time
consuming when in paper form.
In
the late 1990’s a few innovative
individuals began converting preplans
contained in three-ring binders into
computer-based HTML preplans that
could be stored on a single CD-ROM.
Their first preplans were created
using HTML (hypertext markup language)
or by using off-the-shelf computer
design programs, such as Microsoft
Front Page, Dreamweaver or Page Mill.
The HTML is used to create preplan "sites" that
can incorporate text, graphics, sound,
video, and hyperlinks that can be
viewed from a CD-ROM, Internet or
Intranet access. These "sites" are
created one page at a time and require
training and practice before any
person develops enough skill to design
a finished HTML preplan.
In
1998 the software developers at Visual
Imagry, Inc. began designing an HTML
based program called Visual Incident
Planning that has evolved into VIPlanning® Software.
The program is simple to install and allows you to produce pages rich in pictorial
and graphic content, without hiring a computer expert or spending time mastering
complicated programs. Visual Imagry's creative team has created HTML preplans
for more than 200 schools, chemical plants, tank farms, railroad yards and businesses.
Recently,
computers have become commonplace
for fire and police departments,
emergency managers, or others tasked
with collecting critical data about
a facility of any type. Along with
the advancements in technology, has
come affordability for the tools
necessary to create an HTML
preplan. Required tools include
digital cameras, software and laptop
computers.
HTML
preplans created today are often
called “virtual tours” of
a facility. These completed HTML
preplans allow staff or first responders
(police, firefighters, emergency
medical staff, etc.) efficient access
to various kinds of information they
might require for emergency planning,
exercising, responding or recovery
efforts.
> What
Information do you need to include
in a preplan?
