Are You Ready?
Anyone over the age of 23 may feel some sorrow this week, as we remember the events of September 11, 2001. It was a tragic time in our history personally and collectively as a nation. We mourn the lives that were lost that day. And the heartache continues. A year ago, in September 2023, the New York Fire Department reported that the number of lives lost from 9/11-related illnesses is now equal to the 343 lives lost on the day of the attack. Here is a link to the full article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66917700.
Ready.gov, a website sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) traditionally promotes September as National Preparedness Month. While it is unlikely that we will have to prepare for an attack on our nation like what happened on 9/11, we can prepare for emergencies that are more likely to happen, like fires, medical incidents, earthquakes, flooding, etc.
OSHA requires employers to make plans before emergencies happen. 29 CFR Part 1910.38 beings by saying that “an employer must have an emergency action plan….” Later in the same regulation, it is required that the desired actions for employees to take during an emergency be communicated to employees.
Many adults learn by doing. Doing something more than once imprints it upon your brain. That’s why our children practice fire drills. Should a fire or any emergency requiring an evacuation happen while they are in school, our children will know how to get out to safety. The same holds true for adults. Rick Rescorla, the director of security for Morgan Stanley that occupied part of the World Trade Center knew that. Before 9/11/2001, he made the employees in his care practice frequent evacuation drills. Rick was one of the few people at Morgan Stanley who perished during the evacuation on 9/11, as he stayed behind to make sure everyone was evacuating.
When was the last time you practiced an evacuation drill at work? When did you last look at the location of your first aid kit, the closest fire extinguisher, or a safety shower? These are things that you can do now. You don’t have to wait for your supervisor to tell you. If you want to be ready, you can do these things on your own today.
Weekly Safety Challenge:
Take this information home. When was the last time you talked your family, friends, or roommates about how to safely get out of your home if there was an emergency? When was the last time you checked your fire extinguisher at home (assuming you have one). Do you have a first aid kit? Most of us are home more hours than we are at work. It is important to have those people that you live with and care about be prepared for an emergency.
Are you ready?
