An emergency never announces itself, but with intelligent preparations beforehand, we can most certainly be ready for them. This is not just limited to any single aspect of modern human society but can be related to each and every one of them. In the brief scope available here, we are going to concentrate on handling emergencies in three of the broadest sectors, which have both the highest potential and the rate of being affected under dangerous circumstances. The question at the end of the day is – if you are faced with an emergency of significant magnitude, do you know what to do?
Assessment Vs. Response: Which Takes Precedence While Handling Emergencies?
Whether to wait and assess or to react and respond is a difficult conundrum that is almost certain to plague every person who has ever faced an emergency, but training makes taking that decision a lot more intuitive.
In most of the situations, the right answer would have to be in favor of response. Be it a forest fire in the Amazonian rainforest or a hacker who has managed to breach the security of the company’s mainframe. By definition, an emergency is a situation which requires immediate response, therefore, responding to the emergency situation is definitely the course of action. However, on completing your graduate diploma in emergency management, you will come to know that assessment is often a part of the response, but it is conducted on the fly.
A more detailed assessment comes later on and the data collected is then used to either prevent or soften the effects of future occurrences. That part too is the job of the emergency management team.
A Brief Look at Common Emergencies and Associated Measures of Response
Handling emergencies may not even be optional in times of disaster and not everyone always has the professional knowledge and expertise necessary to deal with it, so we will go through some of the most common types of emergencies and what measures one can take to manage them, as best as possible.
Storms
Depending on which part of Canada you are located in, storms may come in different forms and will also pose different threats, but there are certain emergency steps that should help in most situations.
- Stay locked inside the storm cellar/basement with food rations
- Before coming down, shut all windows and doors as snugly as possible
- After the first announcement on the radio/internet/TV, make adequate heating arrangements in your cellar/basement
- Rely on the radio for updates; it has the best chance of retaining a signal
- Do not come out until the storm passes over or the emergency evacuation team arrives
Fire
It could be an office fire, a fire in one’s own home, or a fully-fledged forest fire, but the basic requirement is almost always pretty straightforward; you need to get as far away from the site as possible. However, a few of the following points are to be kept in mind at all times.
- Do not pour water on electrical fires
- Try to use blankets and heavy sheets to put out non-electric fires when possible
- If someone has caught fire, use the above technique
- CO2 and other gaseous fire extinguishers are suited for all kind of fires
- Remember that smoke asphyxiation kills more people than the actual fire itself in indoor fires
- Try not to inhale without at least a handkerchief tied around your nose
In case of a forest fire, know that there is nothing that you can do and getting away is the only possible approach to save yourself and everyone that you can.
Earthquakes
Not a particularly common occurrence, but Canada can experience devastating earthquakes at times, and some scientists are of the opinion that there could be some pretty severe ones coming up.
- Leave the property you are in and find open ground as fast as you can
- If you can’t leave the property in time, hide under a heavy piece of furniture
- Being in a car is advantageous but avoid bridges and park away from trees and buildings
- Beware of overhead powerlines; they may snap and fall
You Can Potentially Turn Emergency Management into a Rewarding Career Path
Did you know that by simply completing an emergency management degree you can not just be better prepared to handle most of the common emergency situations, but you can also carve a lucrative career path in various public and private sectors as well?
Disaster and Emergency Management courses can be completed online to further augment your resume in general, but more importantly, it opens up a new career path, which may or may not further strengthen your position as an employee.
Each and every large corporation is always on the lookout for professionals who know what to do when things begin to go haywire. In fact, certain private organizations have their own disaster and emergency management personnel who are kept in reserve, specifically for preventing and managing potential emergencies before and when they occur. This may include but is not limited to handling security threats, biohazards, environmental hazards, IT breaches and more, depending on the nature of the establishment itself.
Then there is the public sector under the Canadian government, which deals with any and all forms of emergency that include anything and everything from national security to management of environmental disasters such as forest fires, floods, and storms.
In the bliss of modern society and protection, we have managed to overcome many of the disasters and emergency situations that our forefathers had to deal with on a regular basis. However, that doesn’t mean dangerous situations have vanished though. On the contrary, more varied, potential dangers have shown up now than ever before, which can create a state of emergency within a very short time. However, the difference is in our enhanced ability and preparedness to prevent and handle those dangerous situations before they can get a chance to turn into emergencies. This is where we have excelled.
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