| No one enjoys contemplating natural and | | | | and tools to shut off utilities. Similarly, a classroom |
| manmade disasters. But, as the saying goes, you | | | | evacuation pack may contain light sticks, water |
| should always prepare for the worst and hope for | | | | pouches, survival blankets, and first aid supplies, |
| the best. Time and again, research has shown | | | | while a student pack could contain a food bar, |
| that those who have prepared for an emergency | | | | water pouches, a light stick, and basic first aid. |
| fare better in the face of disaster than those | | | | If you're a school administrator, your disaster plan |
| who have not. This is true for air travel, where | | | | may be outdated. It's critical that your disaster |
| people who mentally map out an evacuation route | | | | preparedness coordinator learn new best |
| are more likely to survive an air emergency than | | | | practices and strategies for evacuation and triage, |
| other passengers, and it is true for people facing | | | | as well as techniques that professionals use for |
| catastrophic events on the ground, such as an | | | | first aid. You'll definitely want to obtain copies of a |
| earthquake or hurricane. | | | | leading edge disaster response guide for schools, |
| While disaster preparedness, in the form of | | | | which should cover team organizing, search and |
| supplies and training, is an important consideration | | | | rescue, triage, disaster first aid, and lockdown |
| for every family, it takes on a whole new | | | | procedures. |
| meaning for businesses and schools. When you're | | | | If you're a business owner or manager, it's |
| responsible for other people - or other people's | | | | important that your management and disaster |
| children - you must prepare an appropriate | | | | teams take classes in survival skills. Often, they |
| response in case of a natural disaster or terrorist | | | | will be in a better position to conduct light rescues |
| event. This means having adequate disaster | | | | than first responders, who may not have |
| preparedness supplies and kits on hand, but it also | | | | immediate access to the building. Similarly, they will |
| means ensuring that employees and teachers are | | | | likely need to know CPR, how to differentiate |
| appropriately trained. | | | | between serious and minor injuries, and how to |
| While there are many sources of emergency | | | | treat those conditions that are treatable. |
| supplies and kits, it's common sense that those | | | | Within the corporate world, "risk management" is |
| designed by first responders and emergency | | | | a hot topic of discussion. All too often, risk |
| services personnel are superior to those compiled | | | | management discussions are limited to financial |
| by other suppliers. After all, these are the people | | | | risk, information security risk, or reputational risk. |
| who are out in the field and who have firsthand | | | | Any comprehensive risk management |
| experience in dealing with the unimaginable. | | | | assessment should include risks to people and |
| If you own or manage a business or school, you | | | | property caused by disasters. In the face of an |
| can rely on companies created by professional | | | | emergency, you can greatly mitigate the risk of |
| firefighters to deliver both the first aid supplies | | | | death and further property damage by |
| and the classes you need. For example, a | | | | undergoing the proper training and procuring the |
| 10-person corporate disaster kit might contain | | | | proper preparedness supplies. |
| food, water, medical supplies, sanitation materials, | | | | |