Emergency Preparedness

PURPOSE:

To provide Indian Mountain School Leadership Team and School employees with procedures to follow in regards to a pandemic outbreak on the Indian Mountain School main campus and/or Interlaken Road location.

BACKGROUND:

Over the last few years, numerous government agencies and NGO’s have increased the public’s awareness of the eventuality of a Influenza outbreak and the potential for impacting public health, provision of essential services and our economy.

An Influenza outbreak is much more than just a problem for the health care system – it is a societal problem and is best managed by the coordinated participation and cooperation of governments, businesses, institutions, organizations and citizens.

Schools by definition are an integral part of the communities in which they reside. The underlying theme to this plan is that Indian Mountain School will work with its many partners to provide the most effective response possible to support its students, its employees and the local economies.

The timing and pattern of an Influenza pandemic is unpredictable. When it does occur, the impact could be extensive. Clearly, it is important for institutions and businesses to prepare for this possibility.

It should be noted that due to the uncertainty related to pandemic planning, it is very difficult to predict the impact on the economic supply chain. The School’s Plan, as a result, needs to be flexible and subject to regular updates as more information becomes available.

*** Please note that the full details and plans are in the Emergency Preparedness Plan:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uUYUGcjKaOtL9r6EWWC3jGFGr5Xc7XgxHqgY-iWaGQY/edit 

• Influenza:

• Highly contagious and common respiratory illness caused by a virus
• Mode of transmission – primarily person to person caused by droplet spread or direct contact
• Period of Communicability – 24 hours before and up to three to five days after symptoms develop
• Incubation period – one to three days
• There are three known types of Influenza virus – A, B, and C. Types A and B cause seasonal Influenza. Only type A is associated with pandemics.

• Pandemic:

An Influenza pandemic occurs when there is an abrupt and major change in the structure of the Influenza A virus (known as “antigenic shift”). This change may occur in two ways:

1. When two different Influenza viruses infect the same cell, their genetic material may mix, resulting in a completely new strain of virus. For example, this may occur when a bird virus and a human virus both infect a pig. Such mixing most often occurs where pigs, birds, and humans live in close proximity to one another.
2. A virus may undergo random mutation. This type of change may occur during the sequential infection of humans and other mammals and lead to a virus more efficiently transmitted between humans. Since people have little or no immunity to the completely new strain of Influenza A virus, it can spread very quickly. When outbreaks occur in one or more countries or worldwide, the event is called a pandemic. The exact nature of the pandemic virus (such as how severely it affects people, how long the incubation period is, and how easily the virus is transmitted from one person to another) cannot be known until the new strain emerges.

*** Please note that the full details and plans are in the Emergency Preparedness Plan:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uUYUGcjKaOtL9r6EWWC3jGFGr5Xc7XgxHqgY-iWaGQY/edit 

All response activities will be decided and implemented based on the following priorities:

• To safeguard the health and wellbeing of the individual members of the School community.
• To minimize the spread of the Influenza within the community
• To maintain student, faculty/staff and public confidence
• To ensure community safety
• To minimize the financial impact and protect the academic mission of the School through continuity of core activities.
• To protect the long term interests of the School
• Health and Safety of employees is first and foremost when determining actions in response to pandemic preparedness.
• All employees will be treated equally given local medical restrictions and allowing for cultural differences.
• All students will be treated equally given local medical restrictions and allowing for cultural differences.
• Indian Mountain School will comply with all legal requirements and requests during a pandemic. If a legal requirement is unclear, legal counsel will be contacted before action is taken.

During a pandemic it is expected that all of the above priorities will be considered. However, the priorities have been stated in a specific order to facilitate decision making. The order represents the relative importance to Indian Mountain School but it is recognized that certain elements must always be considered (legal requirements, health and safety). These priorities are not to be compromised. All Indian Mountain School members engaged in managing or responding to a pandemic, at all levels of the organization, will adhere to these priorities without exception.

• Health and Safety of employees and students is first and foremost when determining actions in response to pandemic preparedness.
• All employees will be treated equally given local medical restrictions and allowing for cultural differences.
• All students will be treated equally given local medical restrictions and allowing for cultural differences.
• Indian Mountain School will comply with all legal requirements and requests during a pandemic. If a legal requirement is unclear, legal counsel will be contacted before action is taken.

*** Please note that the full details and plans are in the Emergency Preparedness Plan:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uUYUGcjKaOtL9r6EWWC3jGFGr5Xc7XgxHqgY-iWaGQY/edit 

Employees are expected to:

• Immediately contact their supervisor if they are experiencing any Influenza symptoms.
• Follow the directions of their supervisor, including immediately departing campus and contacting their physician by telephone. If a School campus shutdown has been announced, employees are expected to:
• Report to their supervisors/managers/department Head of Schools prior to leaving campus.
• Remain off campus during the campus shutdown with the exception of those employees identified as Essential Personnel and Service Providers.
• Keep in contact with their Department Head by phone or email and/or the School through the main home Page to determine the state of alert on the campus and establish when they are to return. Once a reopening of the campus has been announced, employees are expected to:
• Report to work on the identified day, unless they have been advised otherwise by their supervisor/manager/Division Head.
• If they are unable to report they are to contact their supervisor or Division Head to indicate the reason (e.g. under quarantine, nursing an Infected Person, are ill with the Influenza, etc.

*** Please note that the full details and plans are in the Emergency Preparedness Plan:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uUYUGcjKaOtL9r6EWWC3jGFGr5Xc7XgxHqgY-iWaGQY/edit 

All students are asked to remain off campus and not attend classes if they are showing flu symptoms. If a School shutdown has been announced, students are expected to:

• Remain off campus during the campus shutdown whenever possible.
• Keep in contact with the School through the main home age to determine the state of alert on the campus and establish when they are to return. Once a reopening of the campus has been announced, students are expected to:
• Report to class on the identified day.
• If they are unable to report to class due to quarantine or are ill with the Influenza, they can contact their Division Head.

*** Please note that the full details and plans are in the Emergency Preparedness Plan:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uUYUGcjKaOtL9r6EWWC3jGFGr5Xc7XgxHqgY-iWaGQY/edit