WESTMORELAND COUNTY HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISORY SYSTEM CHECKLIST
EMERGENCY MEDICAL-HEALTH
LOW
Low Risk of Terrorist Attacks
1. Review and update emergency medical and health annexes and SOPs.
2. Identify required equipment; identify resources available through augmentation.
3. Refine and exercise pre-planned Protective Measures.
4. Monitor potential threat elements and revise threat assessments.
5. Regularly assess vulnerabilities of key assets/ infrastructure.
6. Recommend and take mitigation and security measures at key assets/ infrastructure.
7. Emergency medical personnel train to the terrorism /WMD awareness level and on the Homeland Security Advisory System.
8. Institutionalize a process to assure that all facilities and regulated sectors are regularly assessed for vulnerabilities to terrorist attacks and all reasonable measures are taken to mitigate these vulnerabilities.
9. Be alert for suspicious vehicles in the vicinity of your facility and for abandoned vehicles and packages.
10. Review local protocols for incident command and unified command as needed.
11. Develop procedures to improve daily information sharing with other local responders.
12. Develop creative methods for emergency joint communications using existing equipment.
13. Conduct time-efficient, inexpensive walk-through drills and tabletop exercises with all local responding agencies.
14. Invite other local response organizations to observe or participate in full-scale agency exercises planned for the future.
15. Conduct public health surveillance; report unusual outbreaks to 1-800-PA-HEALTH. regularly assess public health vulnerabilities.
16. Submit data required for PEIRS reports to 911 center.
GUARDED
General Risk of Terrorist Attacks
ALL ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS LEVEL, PLUS:
1. Update required equipment; update resources available through augmentation.
2. Selected emergency medical personnel train to the terrorism /WMD operations level.
3. Establish alternate staging locations.
4. Ensure emergency communication plan is updated and needed equipment is on hand/ purchased/etc.
5. Check communications with designated emergency response or command locations, and with 911 or designated communications control centers..
6. Review and update emergency response procedures.
7. Provide the public with any information that would strengthen its ability to act appropriately.
8. Be alert to suspicious activity and report it to proper authorities.
9.Increase security checks of all vehicles assigned to your agency.
10. At regular intervals inspect the interior and exterior of your facilities for suspicious activities and packages.
11. Reduce or control the number of entrances to your facilities.
12. Submit data required for PEIRS reports to the 911 center.
ELEVATED
Significant Risk of Terrorist Attacks
ALL ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS LEVELS, PLUS:
1. Alert key personnel.
2. Check readiness of all health and medical equipment, facilities, and supplies.
3. Correct any deficiencies in equipment and/or facilities.
4. Review assignments and recall list with all personnel.
5. Coordinate emergency plans as appropriate with local emergency management officials.
6. Review THREAT assessment; determine terrorist intentions and capabilities.
7. Assess whether the precise characteristics of the threat require the further refinement of preplanned Protective Measures.
8. Implement, as appropriate, contingency and emergency response plans.
9. Check telephone and pager numbers and email addresses in your communications plan and update as necessary.
10. Develop alternate routes for transit for emergency evacuation and practice them.
11. Increase surveillance of critical locations.
12. Increase security in and around EMS station.
13.Consider moving vehicles, trash receptacles and other containers at least 50 feet from buildings.
14. Increase health surveillance procedures.
15. Review plans for the implementation of the SPS (formerly the NPS).
16. Submit PEIRS report information to the 911 center.
HIGH
High Risk of Terrorist Attacks
ALL ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS LEVELS, PLUS:
1. Alert personnel of possible emergency duty.
2. Place off-duty personnel on stand-by.
3. Alert auxiliary personnel.
4. Restrict access to critical facilities/ infrastructure to essential personnel only.
5. Coordinate security efforts with state and  local health providers.
6. Contact other key emergency response organizations to confirm their emergency response plan procedures.
7. Establish liaison with all private and public health and medical facilities.
8. Have emergency supplies on hand. shelters readied, and review procedures.
9. Consider the need to request SPS assets; know the SPS supply sites.
10. Ensure communications plan is understood/ practiced by all agency members.
11. Review emergency plans to include continuity of operations and media materials.
12. Determine need to restrict access to EMS agency property, stations, and other key facilities.
13. Take additional precautions at public events and possibly consider alternate venues or even cancellation.
14. Prepare to execute contingency procedures, such as moving to an alternate site or dispersing workforce.
15. Exercise caution when traveling.
16. Consider establishing a "buffer zone" around key facilities by limiting parking, moving trash receptacles, and increasing periodic checks.
17.Maintain constant observation of apparatus and equipment kept outside of the station.
18. Submit PEIRS Report information to the 911 center.
SEVERE
Severe Risk of Terrorist Attacks
ALL ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS LEVELS, PLUS:
1. Recall and mobilize all EMS personnel.
2. Notify hospitals to activate disaster plans and prepare to receive a specified number of victims based on the situation.
3. Maintain 24 hour operations.
4. Work with local community leaders, emergency management, government agencies, community organizations and utilities to meet immediate needs of the community.
5. Assign emergency response personnel and pre-position  and mobilize specially trained teams and resources.
6. Be prepared to work with a smaller or dispersed work force.
7. Increase or redirect personnel to address critical emergency needs.
8. Request SPS assets, as appropriate.
9. Adhere to any travel restrictions announced by local government authorities.
10. Contact businesses and schools to determine status of work/school day.
11. 100% identification check and escort of anyone entering the station.
12. Ensure mental health counselors are available for EMTs.
13. Listen to radio/TV for current information/ instructions.
14. Document response activity in 911 CAD.
15. Submit PEIRS Report information to 911 center.