Until my city experienced a major flood, I had no idea how important safety issues can be following this type of event. Anything the floodwaters touched was contaminated. Some buildings required people to wear hazmat suits before they could enter. Keeping the employees and volunteers who were helping safe during the cleanup was a top priority for everyone.
I watched via Facebook as one of my friends in Austin, Texas created flood kits for refugees from Hurricane Harvey. After the initial batches of personal needs kits were created, they quickly began creating cleanup kits with cleaning supplies and safety gear to help the flood victims and volunteers who were working on recovery efforts. It was an educational moment for me as I considered what types of safety gear I would need for various types of disasters I might face.
I spend a lot of time teaching and advocating for the creation of an administrative procedures binder. One key section of that binder should be focused on disaster preparedness procedures. Procedures are critical in helping you be ready for the unexpected, and they help you with recovery efforts afterward.
Things rarely go as planned in a disaster. But spending time talking about scenarios and best response strategies for the potential threats you may face helps everyone be better prepared to respond smartly when something happens. This week, we share some key points to consider when it comes to disaster preparedness safety in our feature article, and our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages are filled with additional ways to prepare yourself and your company for the unexpected.
Supporting your administrative success,
Julie
