Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Emergency Action Planning for ...

Suggested EAP Outline and ContentsExercise. If the EAP action items andprocedures are not exercised periodically,those involved in its implementation maylose familiarity with their roles andresponsibilities. A proposed exerciseschedule and plans for an EAP exerciseprogram should be included in the EAP.Plans for conducting an evaluation of theexercise and for updating the EAP basedon the outcome of the evaluation shouldbe considered. See Appendix H for adiscussion of the types of EAP exercises,frequency of exercises, and proceduresfor evaluation.Tabletop exerciseAlternative Systems of CommunicationThe availability of alternative communications systems at the dam site should be identified in theEAP. These may include, but are not limited to, emergency sirens, cellular phones, directconnect, e-mail, intranet, radios, social media, and couriers. Operating procedures and specialinstructions for the use of these systems should be described. Consideration should be given tothe target audience involved and the best means for communicating with them.Public Awareness and CommunicationDams that are immediately upstream of residences, recreation areas, and campgrounds poseunique challenges. It may be necessary for the dam owner to assist emergency managementauthorities in developing public awareness measures. These measures typically explain theproximity of the dam, how people will be informed of an emergency, and the actions peopleshould take during an emergency. The EAP should include a brief description of any publicawareness measures that are performed. Emergency management authorities may consider theuse of social media for both primary and alternate systems of communication with the public.3. Inundation MapsThe primary purpose of an inundation map is to show the areas that would be flooded and traveltimes for wave front and flood peaks at critical locations if a dam failure occurs or there areoperational releases during flooding conditions. Inundation maps are a necessary component ofthe EAP and are used both by the dam owner and emergency management authorities to facilitatetimely notification and evacuation of areas potentially affected by a dam failure or floodcondition. See Figure 1.Federal Guidelines for Emergency Action Planning for DamsII-19