| No matter where you live, county, state and | | | | statement: "We meet the fire at its week points, |
| national attention is on disaster preparedness for | | | | knocking it out, not giving it a chance. We know |
| the individual, family and community. | | | | the fire and use the knowledge of its behavior |
| The importance of a family mission to survive | | | | patterns to snuff it out. We are tough and do not |
| and sustain themselves during a disaster cannot | | | | waste our strength. We plan our tactics and |
| be minimized. Residents of every community are | | | | anticipate the fire's moves. We use proven tactics |
| being urged to have a disaster plan, to share and | | | | and avoid bad ones. We engage the fire when we |
| practice the plan, and to become aware of their | | | | know we will prevail over the fire. We do not |
| community resources for emergency | | | | repeat the mistakes of other encounters" says |
| preparedness. The business community, familiar | | | | Doug Campbell, Fire Behavior Analyst and author |
| with both mission and vision statements, is also | | | | and instructor of Campbell Prediction Systems. |
| being urged to have a full back up plan for | | | | Campbell could then give attention to an effective |
| restoration and actions needed by employees in | | | | vision statement for the team: "We will become |
| the event of a disaster. A mission statement will | | | | wise fire fighters. We will find out what the fire is |
| make the decision-making process easier for the | | | | about to do and plan for dealing with its potential. |
| family or the business. Your mission statement | | | | We will become known for our wild fire wisdom |
| also lays the groundwork for cohesiveness in | | | | and be able to avoid its traps and find its |
| actions that will serve the plan. Within the chaos | | | | weakness. We will learn to communicate the |
| of a serious disaster, one of the benefits of the | | | | whole fire situation and thereby save others from |
| mission statement is that it will maintain focus on | | | | poorly devised tactical actions. We will minimize all |
| the correct strategic actions needed. With less | | | | negative impacts on the fire fighters we |
| surprises, the family members or business | | | | supervise, keeping them strong and well |
| employees will have similar missions and | | | | throughout the siege." Now is the time for both |
| expectations and ultimate success. An important | | | | family and business preparedness. Have your |
| example of reducing chaos and stress in decision | | | | family or business prepared for an emergency or |
| making is found here in a firefighter team mission | | | | disaster in your area. It's important. |