Resolve to be Ready in 2011 – Update Disaster Plans, Restock Disaster Kits and Replenish Community Blood Supplies
SEATTLE—January has been recognized as National Blood Donor Month for over forty years (since 1970). Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to holiday travel schedules, inclement weather and illness and January in particular is a difficult month for blood center blood donations. But according to FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, if donations are down, the need for blood isn’t.
“Every two seconds someone in America needs blood, and approximately 40,000 units of red blood are needed every day,” said Murphy. “Donating blood is a safe, life-saving and selfless gift that enhances the level of preparedness for each and every community in this nation.”
Few blood centers can maintain more than a three-day supply of blood for transfusions. The need for blood, platelets, and plasma is constant, but only three in every 100 Americans donate blood. So-called “baby boomers” account for the majority of blood donations, but as a demographic are approaching an age when medications and health issues bar them from being able to donate. At the same time, they are the largest age cohort of the world population and require more donated blood for their own health, quickly using much of the supply they once supported themselves.
Resolve to be Ready in 2011 is led by FEMA’s Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council. For more information on the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, visit www.fema.gov, Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov. Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema. Follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema. Social media links are provided for reference only. FEMA does not endorse non-government websites, companies or applications.
Showing posts with label disaster plans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disaster plans. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, February 1, 2010
Emergency planning for employees from www.ready.gov
Your employees and co-workers are your business's most important and valuable asset. There are some procedures you can put in place before a disaster, but you should also learn about what people need to recover after a disaster. It is possible that your staff will need time to ensure the well-being of their family members, but getting back to work is important to the personal recovery of people who have experienced disasters. It is important to re-establish routines, when possible.
Two-way communication is central before, during and after a disaster.
Include emergency preparedness information in newsletters, on company intranet, periodic employee emails and other internal communications tools.
Consider setting up a telephone calling tree, a password-protected page on the company website, an email alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.
Designate an out-of-town phone number where employees can leave an "I'm Okay" message in a catastrophic disaster.
Provide all co-workers with wallet cards detailing instructions on how to get company information in an emergency situation. Include telephone numbers or Internet passwords for easy reference.
Maintain open communications where co-workers are free to bring questions and concerns to company leadership.
Ensure you have established staff members who are responsible for communicating regularly to employees.
Talk to co-workers with disabilities. If you have employees with disabilities ask about what assistance is needed. People with disabilities typically know what assistance they will need in an emergency.
Identify co-workers in your organization with special needs.
Engage people with disabilities in emergency planning.
Ask about communications difficulties, physical limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures.
Identify people willing to help co-workers with disabilities and be sure they are able to handle the job. This is particularly important if someone needs to be lifted or carried.
Plan how you will alert people who cannot hear an alarm or instructions.
Frequently review and practice what you intend to do during and after an emergency with drills and exercises.
Two-way communication is central before, during and after a disaster.
Include emergency preparedness information in newsletters, on company intranet, periodic employee emails and other internal communications tools.
Consider setting up a telephone calling tree, a password-protected page on the company website, an email alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.
Designate an out-of-town phone number where employees can leave an "I'm Okay" message in a catastrophic disaster.
Provide all co-workers with wallet cards detailing instructions on how to get company information in an emergency situation. Include telephone numbers or Internet passwords for easy reference.
Maintain open communications where co-workers are free to bring questions and concerns to company leadership.
Ensure you have established staff members who are responsible for communicating regularly to employees.
Talk to co-workers with disabilities. If you have employees with disabilities ask about what assistance is needed. People with disabilities typically know what assistance they will need in an emergency.
Identify co-workers in your organization with special needs.
Engage people with disabilities in emergency planning.
Ask about communications difficulties, physical limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures.
Identify people willing to help co-workers with disabilities and be sure they are able to handle the job. This is particularly important if someone needs to be lifted or carried.
Plan how you will alert people who cannot hear an alarm or instructions.
Frequently review and practice what you intend to do during and after an emergency with drills and exercises.
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