OPM Report on Emergency Preparedness

The Office of Personnel Management has released results of a survey it conducted in April asking agencies what they have done to prepare for emergencies, showing what OPM termed a significant increase in planning efforts over the prior year’s survey. For example, nearly all agencies had conducted evacuation drills in the past year and about two-thirds had conducted shelter-in-place drills. Departments and large agencies that make up the President’s Management Council typically took those steps—and others, such as testing fire safety and public address systems, distributing emergency guides and meeting with employees to discuss risks and contingency plans—at a greater rate than smaller agencies. Also, three-fifths of agencies have incorporated teleworking into their emergency preparedness planning. For a closer look, go to fedweek.com/HotFreeNews in the hot free info section of our website.