The Reality of Emergencies

emergency (ĭ-mûrˈjən-sē)

• n.

  A serious situation or occurrence that happens unexpectedly and demands immediate action.

• n.

  A condition of urgent need for action or assistance: a state of emergency.

• adj.

  For use during emergencies: emergency food rations.

As you can see in the definition above, emergencies are considered "serious situations" or "a condition of urgent need for action or assistance". Emergencies and disasters can often be used interchangeably. We have seen many examples of disasters or emergencies recently. Whether its hurricane Harvey or Irma, winter storms or earthquakes, we have seen countless examples throughout history and more recently. 

When consulting individuals, families and businesses on emergency preparedness we often get the question, "what emergencies should we prepare for"? We like to take an "All Hazards" approach, and honestly this means preparing for outages or interruptions to our normal way of life.  This includes having realistic expectations of certain services. 

Most emergencies involve interruptions of some sort. And thankfully many interruptions require the same materials, equipment and plans to prepare for. Think about food, water, first aid, communications, fun activities and safety. Of course it is best practices to do your research and know what risks you face in the area you live or work. However, it is possible to get a kit and develop plans that would help you deal with most disasters. 

Stay safe, and be aware!

Shelter In Place

This boardroom can double as a shelter room!

To Shelter In Place (SIP) means to separate yourself from a hostile external/outside environment.  This could be for a number of reasons such as gas leaks, Hazardous Material incidents, criminal activity (active shooter or bank robberies in the area) and severe inclement weather.  

Schools and governmental bodies have been making and exercising shelter in place plans for many years, and now many other types of organizations are seeing the need to develop these plans.  After assessing the best methods for sheltering in place, communication and training of staff on these plans is of great importance.  Considerations such as necessary supplies need to be made along with the plan development, as well as any additional steps needed to make the SIP area safer.  

World Aware can help with SIP plan development and training, as well as SIP supplies and equipment.  If you decide you need additional safety, we have extensive experience in dual use Shelter In Place/Safe rooms using security concepts that are nearly undetectable and can be applied to any existing office, conference room or other space. This dual use approach negates the need for a "stand alone" SIP/Safe Room, allowing your work or living space to double as a place of safety for your staff or family. Contact World Aware to discuss how Shelter In Place planning can help you.