Bushfire (AU)

A bushfire is reported near your facilities and employees in Alma, SA. It grows rapidly to cover several hundred acres. CEM alerts you to the danger and locates all buildings, work-from-home employees, as well as travelers within 20 KM of the fire’s current perimeter.

Your security team activates the bushfire critical event plan (SOP). This plan includes task-based processes for facility evacuation and preparation, templated communications for your response teams to all employees, and any supporting documentation.

Your security team receives their task lists on the mobile devices and begins to work through the evacuation and shut-down plan. Employees receive guidance, for example an onsite employee can be told to evacuate, and a work-from-home employee can be advised of the danger.

Senior leadership expects to be kept informed during the shut-down. To address this, your team creates an event dashboard. Leaders can access the dashboard via laptop or mobile device. The dashboard refreshes automatically as your shut-down tasks are completed.

Your facilities are shut down and evacuated. The security team monitors the progress of the fire perimeter on their laptops and mobile devices. You also provide a standing conference bridge for security team members and a separate conference for employees with questions.

The bushfire is eventually contained and burns itself out, and your security team is allowed into the area to assess damage. The team photographs and documents the damage, including major damage to Building B and a parking structure. Both structures are deemed unusable at this time.

The team gives the OK to reopen the rest of facilities. Power is restored to all buildings except Building B, and employees in other buildings are advised that they can return to work. Employees in Building B are told to continue working from home until further notice.