February 2003 Mfg.Trust

Mfg.Trust is a monthly feature of the
            NCMS InfraGard Manufacturing Industry Association
                        Infrastructure assurance for manufacturers
                                    Powered by NCMS.

This month – Practical Preparedness, Please

See the Resources Page for this Story 

Editor's Preface:

The media reaction to rising international tensions has elevated concerns about emergency preparedness, yet has not yet prompted people to do much about it in a practical way. Despite all the advice we are offered, first aid kit sales are flat.

We hope this month’s feature will cause you to think how to be prepared for an emergency incident at home or on the road. We will show you where to look for sound advice to prepare for the common incidents. This is not rocket science. Emergency preparedness is well understood – not so well practiced. Simple proactive measures now improve our reactions when necessary.

There are excellent web resources available on emergency preparedness. We sifted through many and offer our opinion of the best in this month’s Resources Page. 

John Sheridan (johns@ncms.org)

Practical Preparedness

The environment you live in and these three factors should influence your preparedness planning:

• Incidents that occur frequently

• Incidents where prompt response is important

• Outcomes that you can influence

There are two considerations about outcomes you can influence. One is the nature of the incident itself. The other is the physical capability of the person(s) concerned. A minor incident for a healthy, mobile adult can be a nightmare for the elderly, the infirm, or the child. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers emergency planning guidelines for people with special needs (see Resources Page). Consider these factors when planning with your extended family.

Medical First Aid

The American Red Cross instructs us that medical first aid should be high on out preparedness list. Statisticians advise us that the most dangerous thing we do (because we do it so much) is drive a car, that is, unless you drive a motorcycle, use a chain saw, or sky dive. Home and personal auto environments are less regulated and less influenced by pressure from insurers than professional industry or business environments.

We may draw a practical conclusion from the above three points. Medical first aid capabilities belong in every car and every home. What first aid capability do we need? Basic first aid knowledge is at the top of the list, as some medical emergencies require immediate intervention. With that point understood, it is also important to have a booklet with advice for emergencies and access to a phone to call for help. A phone may be your most effective first aid tool. Updated Red Cross guidance recognizes this when it suggests calling 911 after assuring that breathing and pulse are present.

The American Red Cross has provided health and safety services to the American public for almost a century. The Babysitter’s Handbook, First Aid Fast, and even Pet First Aid are all Red Cross classics available at your local chapter. Ordering information is also provided in this month’s Resources Page. While you’re getting the handbooks, get a simple first aid kit for each car, perhaps a more complete kit for the home, think about phone access and first aid training.

Fire Safety

Prompt response is important in fire incidents. For more than 20 years, Learn Not to Burn® (LNTB) has been the theme and focus of the National Fire Protection Association’s comprehensive public fire safety education initiatives. Children in preschool through eighth grade receive critical life safety skills through LNTB education materials that are offered across America.  Through fire prevention week most Americans are familiar with lessons that everyone can learn: installing and testing smoke alarms, practicing home escape plans, and hunting for home hazards. (see Resources Page).

Utility Failures

Next in order of common incidents are utility failures. Here, a minor annoyance for the fully mobile adult could be a significant problem for those with impaired mobility or dexterity. Flashlights (that work) give you an opportunity to safely set up longer lasting candles or oil lamps. Battery powered radios provide an opportunity to remain informed. Telephone power is separated from electrical utilities. Always install one ordinary (non-electrically powered) telephone instrument in your house.

Know how to turn off electricity and water at the house main supplies. Show your family how to do the same. Know if you can turn off your main gas valve from the outside.  According to FEMA guidance, if you shut off the gas supply at the main valve, you will need a professional to turn it back on.

Be aware that most gas furnaces and high efficiency hot water heaters require electricity to function. Thus an electrical failure may impact your heating or the convenience of hot water. This lack of convenience may turn into catastrophe in an extended winter emergency. The Resource page offers FEMA guidance for extended emergencies and home disaster planning.

Disaster Mitigation at Work and Home

FEMA reminds us that one of the most effective means of protection is to take steps to make your home and your household safe from the potential effects of disaster like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes. This is called mitigation. Mitigation measures are best implemented before disaster strikes since they can help protect your household as well as your property.  However, even after a disaster strikes, actions can be taken to avoid or reduce the impact of the next disaster.

FEMA Pub. 141 provides an Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry. The American Red Cross web site provides information that matches natural threats to parts of the country. Both agencies have extensive library materials. See Resources Page for details.

Be sure to carry your good practices between home and work.

Conclusions

Don’t just close this article. Get the first aid kits! Test the flashlight! Think about communications. Know how to secure your utilities. Talk to the family. A small preparedness effort can make a big difference in any emergency, naturally-caused or otherwise.

If you liked Mfg.Trust, please forward it to a colleague in your company!

For questions, comments, or for NCMS Alliance Partners to request their own FREE subscription to Mfg.Trust, send e-mail to johns@ncms.org