Why is emergency preparedness important

Emergencies are overwhelming and stressful, even for professionals. Your critical thinking skills may deteriorate, especially if you have not previously undergone training for managing the scenario you face. Emergency preparedness ensures you have the right skills and the right state of mind to manage a disaster.

Thousands of first responders are injured at work each year. Hundreds die. Self-protection strategies should form the core of every disaster preparedness plan. Your agency should regularly discuss and offer training on:. Emergencies are unavoidable. In , natural disasters affected The statistics are alarming. Airway emergencies are common during disasters, especially among people with chronic medical conditions.

Unfortunately, power outages are also a common occurrence during natural disasters. The right portable suction machine can save lives by enabling you to tend to patients without moving them and even without electrical power.

Editor's note: This blog was originally from May It has been re-published with additional up to date content. When I worked on emergency preparedness in the hospital setting, the principle was no different. We organized and held drills to test the knowledge of the staff and the integrity of our equipment.

We held committee meetings to assess needs and deficiencies, strive to bridge the gap to preparedness, and work closely with community partners to ensure our plans were all-encompassing. Through my course studies there, we dissected numerous mass casualty and public health emergency responses, including the PULSE nightclub shooting, the Columbine High School shooting, the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Hurricane Katrina, and the Ebola crisis.

I have, as you can see, spent most of my career preparing for the worst-case scenario. Streamlined, efficient communication can help mitigate loss of life and keep responders safe. Make sure you have a tested communication plan and system in place. Emergency response is a dynamic situation, with many shifting factors.

Cell Phone Chargers. Be sure at least one person keeps a cell phone nearby and have an extra charger in your kit. In case it gets cold, having blankets or sleeping bags will keep everyone warm.

Wet Wipes. Easy to store and great for getting rid of germs, keep wet wipes and hand sanitizer in your kit. First-Aid Kit. Just in case someone gets injured. Make sure you have a fully-stocked first-aid kit. If you need to know what to keep in your kit, check out our first-aid kit checklist here. Extra Clothing. Attend to casualties. Fight fire. Also consider what resources are required and their location, such as: Medical supplies.

Auxiliary communication equipment. Power generators. Chemical and radiation detection equipment. Mobile equipment. Emergency protective clothing.

Fire fighting equipment. Rescue equipment. Trained personnel. The emergency plan includes: All possible emergencies, consequences, required actions, written procedures, and the resources available. Detailed lists of emergency response personnel including their cell phone numbers, alternate contact details, and their duties and responsibilities.

Floor plans. Large scale maps showing evacuation routes and service conduits such as gas and water lines. These elements may not cover every situation in every workplace but serve as a general guideline when writing a workplace specific plan: Objective The objective is a brief summary of the purpose of the plan; that is, to reduce human injury and damage to property and environment in an emergency.

Organization One individual should be appointed and trained to act as Emergency Co-ordinator as well as a "back-up" co-ordinator. Among the responsibilities that must be assigned are: Reporting the emergency.

Activating the emergency plan. Assuming overall command. Establishing communication. Providing medical aid. Alerting staff. Ordering response, including evacuation. Alerting external agencies, as necessary. Confirming evacuation is complete. Alerting outside population of possible risk, as necessary. Requesting external aid. Coordinating activities of various groups.

Advising relatives of casualties. Ensuring emergency shut offs are closed. Sounding the all-clear. Advising media. External organizations that may be available to assist with varying response times include: Fire departments. Mobile rescue squads. Ambulance services. Police departments. Telephone companies. Utility companies.

Industrial neighbours. Government agencies. Procedures Many factors determine what procedures are needed in an emergency, such as: Nature of emergency.