Emergency Response and Business Continuity Plan

Purpose. This plan sets out how Everlasting responds to fire, medical emergency, cool room or cremator failure, severe weather, vehicle breakdown and other disruptions so that the deceased remain safely in care and funerals proceed.

1.Emergency contacts and control

The General Manager is the emergency controller and the Compliance and Records Manager is the deputy. Each site has a chief warden and floor wardens listed on the site evacuation diagram. Emergency services are called first for any threat to life, then the emergency controller.

2.Evacuation

Each site has an evacuation diagram and an assembly area. Wardens will direct families, visitors and staff to the assembly area and will account for everyone. Where a service is in progress, the funeral director will lead the family out calmly and the deceased will be moved only if it is safe to do so. Evacuation drills are held twice a year at each site.

3.Cool room failure

If a cool room alarm sounds or a temperature reading exceeds 6 degrees Celsius, the mortuary staff will transfer the deceased to the second cool room, call the refrigeration contractor and inform the Mortuary Manager. Where both cool rooms fail, the deceased will be transferred to the partner mortuary under the mutual aid agreement and the movement recorded in the mortuary care register.

4.Cremator failure

Where a cremator fails with a coffin charged, the operator will follow the manufacturer's shutdown sequence, will not open the chamber and will call the Crematorium Supervisor. Where a cremator is out of service before charging, cremations will be moved to the second cremator or rescheduled with the family's agreement. The identification disc and register will follow the coffin at every step.

5.Severe weather and grounds

Services will not proceed at the graveside during lightning or when the open grave is unsafe. The Cemetery Operations Supervisor will decide whether to move the committal to the chapel and will inform the funeral director and family. Open graves will be covered and pumped after heavy rain before any service.

6.Vehicle breakdown

A hearse or transfer vehicle breakdown with a deceased person on board will be reported to the Fleet and Transfers Coordinator immediately. The deceased will not be left unattended. A relief vehicle will be dispatched and the transfer or service continued with the family informed.

7.Continuity of records

The case, mortuary, interment and cremation registers are backed up nightly to the offsite service. Paper forms are held in fireproof cabinets until scanned. If systems are unavailable, staff will use the printed register forms and will enter the data within 24 hours of restoration.

8.Testing and review

This plan will be tested by a desktop exercise every six months and a full drill annually. It will be reviewed after every activation and every twelve months.