5Minute. Be Engaged in Emergency Safety Drills. Safety Talk

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1 Be Engaged in Emergency Safety Drills 5Minute Safety Talk For most of us, safety drills are not uncommon. They have been a part of our lives ever since our grade school days, but does that mean we are experts now? Unfortunately, not. There are so many variables involved, like the type of emergency, the layout of buildings etc. that no one can be an expert on them all. However, one of our best defenses against a disaster is being as prepared as possible. Unfortunately, too often people view workplace drills as an inconvenient interruption or as a social break chatting with others throughout alarms and instructions. I bet we ve all seen those who ve gone back to their desks to quickly grab something, or those checking their cell phones or drinking coffee. Would you really be doing any of those things if your life was truly on the line? Then why don t we take drills as seriously as the real thing? If you ve never faced an emergency situation, be grateful, but don t take it for granted. Complacency can be a killer. In the event of a real emergency, the more thoughtful practice you have, the less likely that you ll be completely panic-stricken and instead you ll be more likely to go into action. While every type of drill will have its own specific requirements, here are some helpful tips to be the best active participant in emergency efforts: Know what types of emergencies are likely in your area and what your company conducts drills for fires; natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.; active shooter incidents; nearby chemical or gas releases. Know your company s emergency plans for each type of drill, often located in a safety manual or you can always ask your supervisor. It s especially important for supervisors to go over and reinforce this safety information with new hires. Know how to report emergencies in some companies it may be 911 and in others it may be an in-house number. Know where physical fire alarms are located in your facility as well as fire extinguishers. Even if you are not trained to use them, assisting others to locate them can save time in an emergency. Understand what the alarms sound like for different types of emergencies. Know where all of the escape routes are located in your facility. The one closest to your workstation may be blocked or you may be in a different part of the building at the time an alarm sounds. Always keep evacuation routes clear year round. Don t go back to your workstation for personal items during a drill time is of the essence. Don t default to using the main exit during a drill instead of your closest emergency exit. Evacuate the facility or get to a designated area as quickly as possible during a drill. Remain quiet and calm to await further instructions. Do not use an elevator during an emergency drill. If you have any physical issues that hinder your ability to evacuate or get to a designated safe area quickly, alert your supervisor and safety team so they can create a plan to assist you. Provide feedback after a drill share both strengths as well as weaknesses and look for improvements. People are more used to drills than actual emergencies, but it is dangerous to equate alarms with a it s just a drill attitude. While workers should act as if every drill is the real thing, some companies choose to announce drills ahead of time, so that people are more inclined to take an unannounced drill more seriously. Finally, remember that caution should still be taken once the emergency is over. Many injuries occur after the fact while amongst all of the debris and aftermath. Being trained in First Aid and CPR, would surely come in handy in emergency situations. Knowing what do in an emergency, and never having to use the training, is better than having an emergency take place and not knowing what to do National Safety Council

2 Prepare for the Unexpected Emergency situations can happen at any time, making it crucial that you are prepared for the unexpected long before it happens. Plan for Possible Emergencies Research and prepare for natural disasters common to your area, such as floods, earthquakes or tornadoes Create an emergency kit for both your home and car Create a home emergency plan with your family and learn how to shut off your utilities Be a good participant in emergency drills at work and school by following instructions and paying attention to lessons learned Store important phone numbers, including those of family members, with other important documents in a fire-proof safe or safety deposit box Learn first aid and CPR for children and adults check out the NSC First Aid app Know how to respond to an active shooter with free NSC training NSC at nsc.org/communitytraining 1 step for safety: Change the batteries in your smoke alarms at least once each year. A working smoke alarm cuts your odds of dying in a home fire in half, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Stock Your Emergency Kits Now Emergency kits can help you prepare for the worst, but only if they are properly stocked and regularly refreshed. Your home emergency kit should be very accessible and contain: Food and water for each family member for three days as well as a can opener and nonperishable foods, such as tuna and peanut butter Hand-crank or battery-powered flashlight and radio with extra batteries Full first aid kit, including hand sanitizer and garbage bags Plastic sheeting and duct tape for broken windows or a leaky roof Whistle to signal for help so rescuers can locate you Your car emergency kit should contain: A properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench, tripod jack and jumper cables A tool kit, compass, duct tape and car charger for your cell phone A flashlight with extra batteries, a rain poncho and a fire extinguisher Reflective triangles and vest, and brightly colored cloth to make your vehicle more visible A first aid kit and enough nonperishable food and water for three days Cold weather items such as a snow brush, shovel, windshield washer fluid, warm clothing, cat litter for traction and blankets National Safety Council

3 PREPAREDNESS Treat every drill as if it is the real thing. Practice makes perfect, and perfect can save lives. Don t panic, take action! Drill Do s Do take drills seriously Do help keep evacuation routes clear, year round Do evacuate to a designated area, as quickly as possible Do alert management if any physical issues hinder your getting to safety Do exercise caution after given an official all clear Do give feedback after a drill the good and the bad to improve the process Drill Don ts Don t assume a drill is a false alarm Don t go back to your workstation for personal items Don t head for the main exit instead of your closest emergency exit Don t socialize during drills remain quiet and calm and await further instructions Don t use an elevator take the stairs Say YES! to these KNOWS Know what types of emergencies you need to get ready for: - Fires - Natural disasters (tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes) - Active shooter incidents - Chemical or gas leaks Know your company s plans for each type of emergency: - Review your company s safety manual - Ask your supervisor to go over anything you don t understand - Make sure new hires get a thorough safety briefing Know how to report emergencies: - Should you dial 911 or a designated internal number? Know where fire alarms and fire extinguishers are located Know the different alarms for different emergencies Know all the escape routes in your facility - In case your closest one is blocked - For when you re in a different area when an alarm sounds When There s an Active Shooter Flee immediately, if you can Leave belongings behind If you cannot flee, hide If you re behind a door, lock or barricade it As a last resort: - Try to incapacitate the shooter - Keep moving and be distracting - If in close range, fighting increases your chance of survival Call 911 as soon as you can do so safely For more information on this and other safety topics, visit the member-exclusive website at nsc.org Source: National Safety Council 5 Minute Safety Talks, Drills. Proud Member National Safety Council

4 EMERGENCY SITUATION CHECKLIST An emergency can happen anywhere, at any time. As the past few years have shown, these can include fires, natural disasters and even active shooter situations. Our best line of defense in these situations is to be prepared. Please use this checklist to make sure you know how to react when an emergency strikes. In case of a fire emergency: Take fire drills seriously Know your closest exit routes and don t take elevators Leave your personal possessions behind Get out of the building as quickly as possible In case of a weather emergency: Know what weather emergencies are possible in your area Know where to go in each type of weather emergency Remain quiet and calm Be careful of possible debris in the aftermath In case of an active shooter emergency: If you can flee, do so immediately leave belongings behind If you cannot flee, hide in an area where the shooter can t see you - If you are behind a door, try to lock or block entry to it As a last resort, try to incapacitate the shooter - Keep moving and be distracting In close range situations, fighting increases your chance of survival Call 911 as soon as you can do so safely National Safety Council

5 EMERGENCY SITUATION SCRAMBLE Unscramble each of the clue words. Copy the letters in the numbered cells to other cells with the same number. EMERGENCIES National Safety Council