An Emergency Action Plan (EAP) should not just be another binder on your shelf. When designed and implemented properly, it can be the difference between chaos and control when seconds matter. Unfortunately, too many organizations have generic EAP’s that may look good on paper but fall apart in practice.

This disconnect is especially acute in environments like laboratories, R&D facilities, and complex occupied buildings, such as high-rise buildings, where traditional EAP templates simply aren’t enough. How do we make sure your EAP outlines a process that actually works and doesn’t just satisfy a requirement from your risk management team or the local fire official?

First, when are they required and what must they contain?

An EAP under NFPA, International Code Council, and OSHA (29 CFR 1910.38) is required for many occupancies. This includes but is not limited to high-rise buildings, health care, ambulatory health care, assembly, day care, hotels, dorms, and detention and correctional facilities. They are designed to improve your organization’s response to an emergency. At a minimum, they must include:

• Type and purpose of building systems
• Procedures for reporting emergencies
• Occupant and staff response to emergencies
• Clear procedures for evacuation and/or sheltering in place
• Design and conduct of drills

Why do most EAPs fail in the real world?

Most organizations treat EAP’s as a check box item and, if they have a document, they think they are compliant. However, most EAP’s fail for several reasons.

• EAP’s are copied from generic templates. They list procedures that don’t match how people actually use the building.
• The identify roles without accountability.
• They get bogged down by layers of bureaucracy. Different organizational groups have different goals. The result is that there is no ownership of the EAP
• Drilling and training is ignored. A plan without proper training is not a plan at all.

How Do You Make Your EAP Effective?

The good news is that there is a very practical framework we use with clients to make sure their EAP is actionable and effective.

• Jigsaw Life Safety researched the facility and drafts an initial plan that is specific to the building. It is imperative that all parties understand their building’s hazards, safety systems, and site-specific challenges. Buildings, especially those complicated enough to require an EAP by code, contain multiple integrated fire protection, life safety, and security systems. The average occupant is often not aware of their existence, capabilities, and operation. 
• Once the building is understood. A table-top walk-through is performed with relevant stakeholders, including but not limited to the following:  
  • Safety leaders
  • Facility managers
  • Front-line staff
  • Vendors, including life safety system and security vendors.

Scenarios are reviewed with the facilitator asking straightforward questions such as “If THIS happens, what do we do first? What happens next?” This exposes logical gaps the paper plan never catches.

• Clear roles must be assigned. Don’t write “Fire warden will notify occupants.” Write: Jane Smith, Lab Safety Coordinator will notify occupants via PA and text alert. Real names lead to real accountability. Assign roles such as:
• Emergency coordinator
• Evacuation director
• First responder liaison
• After-action recorder

Build Multiple Scenarios. Each scenario needs to identify the conditions that trigger the plan, the steps to be executed in order, who has decision authority, and what are the communication paths.

• Specific fire scenarios
• Hazardous material release
• Medical emergency
• Power loss
• An active shooter event
• Extreme weather events
• Design and implement effective drills. If drills are boring or repetitive, people check out. Documentation of training is also required for compliance and limiting liability.
• Practice different alerts (code red, code amber, severe weather)
• Simulate partial evacuations
• Run tabletops with departmental leaders
• Include contractors & vendors
• Ensure integration With Fire Alarm, Suppression & Detection. Too often, EAPs ignore the technology and building systems. Make sure you are aware and know how to utilize:
• Fire alarm zones, as well as paging, and silencing procedures
• Smoke control and stair pressurization systems
• Elevator recall
• Mass notification integration
  • Drill, Baby, Drill. Regular tabletop exercises and drills help occupants to remember their responsibilities and facilitate a successful action plan.

Documentation is Protection.

Not only are EAP’s a critical path for protecting building occupants but proper training and drilling protects the organization’s legal and regulatory posture.

• Save the EAP in a shared format for easy access by all parties
• Tie it to your Facility Management and Operations Standard Operating Procedures.
• File it where inspectors can find it.
• Keep version control and revision logs to make sure everyone is playing from the same sheet of music.
• Document your training and drilling.
• Review the plan regularly, at least annually, to make sure assigned roles remain accurate and any changes to the facility are properly documented.

When to Call a Fire Protection Engineer

Emergency Action Planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. Work with your FPE early in the process. Their holistic view of the fire protection and life safety systems will help you understand your building and draft an EAP that incorporates applicable hazards and mitigation methods specific to your building or campus. Once the building’s assets and challenges are understood, your FPE can direct – or work with an emergency coordinator direct – the tabletop process to make sure the individual participants are aware of the challenges and advantages associated with integrated systems, get their input on the procedures, and refine the EAP to be a valuable part of your emergency planning.

At Jigsaw Life Safety, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all Emergency Action Plans. We work directly with your team to understand your facility, identify real risks, and build EAPs that function in the real world—not just on paper. From site walkthroughs and hazard strategy reports to HMIS review and compliance alignment, our approach is practical, code-compliant, and tailored to your operations.

If you’re ready to turn your EAP into a working tool, have questions or would like assistance developing or evaluating your EAP, please contact us at support@jigsawlifesafety.com or use our contact us page to get started. You can also explore our Emergency Planning resources and download our EAP checklist to see how your current plan stacks up.