News Release

Washington, D.C. – The Office of Personnel Management has released a version of The Federal Employee’s Family Preparedness Guide designed for areas outside the national capital region. The family guide is the third of three emergency guides OPM has produced to educate the Federal workforce on general steps they can take to protect themselves from a potential biological, chemical, or radiological event. OPM Director Kay Coles James stated, “The first two guides have been downloaded about 230,000 times. Recognizing that the majority of our Federal teammates are located outside the D.C. metro area and are directly engaged in homeland security efforts, this guide will be of assistance to families nationwide. Working closely with our colleagues at the Department of Homeland Security, OPM is committed to assisting employees with safety planning both at home and at work.”

As with the employee and manager guides, the family guide relies on the best practices and advice of two dozen experts from 18 departments and agencies across Government. Practical information on establishing a family emergency plan and setting up “emergency go kits” is included, as well as resources on responding to emergencies involving biological, chemical, and radiological substances.

OPM distributed a Washington, DC-specific family guide last week at a briefing on workplace security that James and Mike Byrne, Director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for National Capital Region Coordination, hosted for leaders of Federal employee unions and employee associations.

The Federal Employee’s Emergency Guide provides general information on biological, chemical and radiological risks and what can be done to prepare for an emergency event involving these substances. The guide encourages employees to ask their managers about procedures that are in place and to offer suggestions on what more can be done to secure their work environment.

Each Federal facility has unique factors that affect the security measures that should be taken to protect employees. The Federal Manager’s/Decision Maker’s Guide, provides guidance on measures agencies may have already put into place. General information is provided on practical steps that can be taken to mitigate harm in the event of an emergency. Throughout the guide, web addresses are provided on where individuals can go to gather more in-depth preparedness information.

All three guides can be found at the web address, www.opm.gov/emergency.

Also contributing to the family guide was the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. They have provided useful practical steps to protect family pets before and during an emergency.

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OPM oversees the federal work force and provides the American public with up-to-date employment information. OPM also supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.

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