by Jason Swan
As someone who has been involved in developing emergency response programs for a diverse group of companies, I have had the opportunity to observe a wide variety of Emergency Response Plan (ERP) implementation strategies and levels of preparedness.
For those who have managed the ERP development task, they would understand that there is great deal of information, time and expertise that is required to create and maintain the physical plan. But the effort cannot stop at the distribution of the “bright and shiny” document. The fact is many ERPs get distributed and then collect dust on a shelf.
Real emergency preparedness is not the process of issuing an ERP or an orientation certificate for that matter, it is the ongoing testing of response knowledge and capabilities to identify change, areas of improvement and to enhance responder confidence in the process.
I will use the analogy of building a home: it starts with a well-engineered foundation and then the construction builds upon that base the rest of the framework. Without a solid base, the rest of the integrity of the structure could be compromised. Even beyond the physical build of the house, the operation of that space requires strategic maintenance.
Meaningful training that raises the level of awareness and enables the organization to identify strengths and weakness is the goal. First and foremost, this is accomplished by a well thought out properly designed ERP (the touchable stuff) followed by a proven training program.
In my opinion, Alexander Graham Bell stated it correctly: “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” When called upon in a real incident, emergency response training is a critical component of successful preparedness.
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