PREFACE
This work stems from recognizing that an unacceptable number of first responders and disaster workers’ have not been provided the necessary information, training and equipment they need to ensure their safety in emergency and disaster events.
First responders and disaster workers’ rely on “Situational Awareness” to allow them to make informed decisions regarding their safety on a personal level. Its’ called awareness and is the principle focus of this work.
Safety behavior is a learned trait, this work affords such individuals guidance to the most current, best available safety information, relative to emergency or disaster environments.
The emergency services community and political arena have left a lot on the table when it comes to ensuring the safety of first responders and disaster workers’. There are significant gaps in the information that should be provided.
My most sincere thanks and gratitude to the untold numbers of associates and colleagues from whose knowledge, I’ve tapped. Without them, I could not have brought this work to fruition.
INTRODUCTION
“Once Upon A Time” we felt safer. At least that’s how it seemed. There were flaws and blunders yet we, the responders and disaster workers had a sense that there was better control and management focused on our safety. Over years we have carefully compiled and presented specific safety related content data to benefit responders and disaster workers. This work provides increased situational safety awareness, through knowledge of risk management. This course will be known to help reduce insurance costs through positive insurance modification.
Note: For the purpose of consistency, throughout this work we are recognizing first responders and disaster workers as “responders”.
By reinforcing a heightened situational safety awareness Responders are likely to make informed decision and behave in a safer manner. We don’t want them getting caught without the knowledge they will need to remain safe.
This work is geared toward educating responders/workers’ with regards to their safety which will in turn enhance operational success.
Our population’s masses assume that responses to emergency and disaster events just magically happens. Someone takes care of that. The reality is those someone’s have become and are becoming more and more reliant on local community, us, you and me. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
Are disaster responders at greater risks due to exposures and practices? Has their safety and well being been compromised, and if so, can we do better to assure we protect those who protect us?
We believe, we properly outline the emergency/disaster management processes as they relate to responder safety. Each respective content or topic could be (and in many instances is) a written work in and of itself.
We have broken down each section into relatively small briefs that will provide a clear baseline understanding of a particular subject. In many instances we provide an annex to further explain a subject area, or reference direction where the reader can gather more in-depth data and detail to help assure their understanding.
We have done the same in areas where we have pointed out what we feel are or have been flaws or failures in assuring responder safety.
By following the Safety Guidelines for First Responders and Disaster Worker’s you gain open access to the Responder Safety Reference Database during the period of their studies.
If we’ve jumped up and down on a Soap Box on an issue, we have tried to point you to our sources, where you can investigate further and come to your own interpretations. Our focus always remains on the side of your safety first.
It is our intent to provide you with a little insight into the reality of what’s supposed to happen in an event and what actually takes place, perhaps what you can do to offset the difference.
NOTE:
Throughout this work, we will provide you a topic-content brief and will direct you to follow up further be referring to a respective annex, Attachment(s) or a particular reference source.
