How NOT to run a Fire Drill

In honour of it being National Preparedness Month, I thought I’d share with everyone an example of how NOT to test your evacuation procedures, courtesy of the television show, The Office. This is truly hilarious!

Visit WPS at the Facility Decisions Trade Show

Come and visit us at the building industry trade show that’s free. Plus,  it is in Las Vegas! Not that we really need to give you another reason to plan a trip to Las Vegas, but if you need one, here it is. This two-day show takes place on Tuesday, October 5th and Wednesday October 6th in one of the most fun cities in North America. If you aren’t sure whether or not to attend, you’ll find several reasons why you should on the Facility Decisions website under ‘Why You Must Attend.’

Be sure to stop by and visit the WPS Team at booth 731 to say hello and receive your free Building Occupant Emergency Guide. You can also enter to win our BIG draw for a prize , but you’ll just have to come and see us to find out what it is.

Not only will we be exhibiting at this show, but we will also be giving a free seminar on emergency preparedness entitled Save Time, Cut Costs: Emergency Planning Made Easy. And who doesn’t want their life to be a little easier? This seminar is at 9am on Tuesday morning and yes, we know that’s early so there will be coffee. We hope to see you there!

Summer eNewsletter – Preparedness Month, Vegas & Floor Warden Training

September is National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month – Are You Prepared?

The Ad Council and Citizen Corps have partnered with The Ready Campaign and want to ensure that your business is prepared in the event of an emergency. Visit their website http://www.ready.gov for more information and resources.  National Preparedness Month is designed to encourage people to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities.

What should you do right now to become better prepared?

• Have a Plan! First and foremost, ensure you have procedures in place in the event of an emergency
• Take some time to review your plan and ensure everyone involved knows their roles and responsibilities
• Ensure you have a fully-stocked disaster kit with food, water, blankets etc.
• Become a National Preparedness Month 2010 Coalition Member – we did!

If you need assistance with emergency planning, contact us, we can help you.

Do you have Untrained Floor/Fire Wardens?

If you have untrained Wardens, you are exposed and in violation of the Fire Code. Online  emergency response training  is the solution.

Did you know that you are exposed and at risk should you allow any newly appointed emergency personnel to act or respond to a fire incident prior to being trained? This liability poses a major problem for many property professionals because Floor Wardens are always changing and most buildings hold training sessions only once a year and in some cases, not at all.

WPS has a solution, and it can be developed quickly and efficiently for almost all buildings. We offer an online training fire module that can be delivered electronically to all appointed emergency personnel. This allows them to view it whenever they want and the system even tracks when they have taken the training so you know it’s been done. This online training solution is not only convenient, but also very cost effective and won’t add a lot to your budget. It’s the perfect solution for how to train new personnel in your building’s Fire and Life Safety Program procedures immediately upon hire, without waiting for the building’s annual training session. Online emergency response training is also available for other types of emergency situations and not just fires.

Contact us today to get started and immediately reduce your risk and exposure.

Is Your Building a “Green” Building?

Has your building “gone green?”

By now, most of us recycle, but with green initiatives taking the corporate world by storm we want to know what else you’re doing to help out Mother Nature. Do you have solar panels? Maybe you’ve replaced your lighting with newer, more efficient fixtures and bulbs? Or perhaps you’re lucky enough to have a rooftop garden. We here at WPS work hard at reducing our carbon footprint and we want to know what green initiatives your building has put into place.

• Click this icon to go to our FB fan page
• Click the “Like us” button
• Upload a picture of your ‘green’ initiative to the ‘Green Contest’ photo album
• Provide a brief description with building name and your contact info
• Not to worry, if you’re not on FB, you can email us your picture instead
• Wait to see if you’re the winner of an environmentally-friendly emergency supplies kit!

We will announce the winner of our “Green Building” contest in our next eNewsletter so be sure to sign up here.

Good luck!

How To Lower Your Risk and Exposure

Fire Safety Planning is Only One Piece of the Puzzle:

1. Planning – Have a Fire Safety or Multi-Hazard Emergency Action Plan

2. Training – Ensure your emergency personnel are trained

3. Maintaining – Keep your Fire Safety/Multi-Hazard Plan up-to-date

4. Supporting – Use your knowledge to support First Responders in the event of an emergency

When it comes to most things in life, planning and risk have an inverse relation, the more planning you do, the less risk you expose yourself to. This certainly rings true for your Fire and Life Safety Program planning. Simply having a Fire Safety Plan is only the beginning when it comes to following the Fire Code and minimizing your risk and exposure. In fact, simply having a plan isn’t good enough when it comes to meeting the legal requirements set out in the International Fire Code.

While having a Fire Safety Plan is a must, it is just one piece of a successful Fire and Life Safety Program. To comply with the Fire Code and lower your risk and exposure, you need to implement the other pieces:

• Training your emergency personnel on an ongoing basis
• Maintaining an up-to-date Plan with current contact information
• When necessary, putting your plan into action and supporting the Community First Responders

Following the Fire Code means employing all of these pieces, and in doing so, you reduce your risk and exposure. What does it really mean to reduce your risk and exposure? And why should you care so much? As a Building Owner or Property Manager, you can be held personally responsible and liable in a court of law should a disaster ever occur at one of your properties. Check out our previous blog posts about fire safety negligence lawsuits. It is your duty to ensure that a current Fire and Life Safety Program is in-place and your personnel are trained and know what to do in the event of a disaster.

Don’t take the chance of being held liable – have an extensive Fire and Life Safety Program, train your personnel and maintain your Plan.

Emergency Planning for the Disabled

When planning for large scale emergency situations, it’s easy to forget that some segments of the population have special needs that go beyond the average and require more than an evacuation plan. Many elderly and disabled persons have very specific medical needs that must be met regardless of external happenings. Limited mobility, access to medication and frailty from pre-existing conditions are only some of the many possible complications faced by the elderly and disabled in an emergency situation. These factors can often be life-threatening if left unattended.  Here are two important precautions that can be taken to help ensure that the proper measures are taken to deliver necessary care in the event of an emergency or disaster:

Designated contacts to provide assistance

To make sure that personnel  with special medical needs are taken care of in an emergency situation,  a set of designated contacts should be established who will be responsible for their assistance. Contacts can take responsibility for any number of duties, including assistance with evacuation, transportation, administration of essential medications, or general assistance. Adding clear accountability makes contacts feel responsible and avoids situations where the elderly and disabled are disregarded and left to be “someone else’s problem”. Be sure to review and update your lists regularly and remember that people who require assistance also includes  those with temporary injuries. If you find this a daunting task, try using an Emergency Planning software program.

Detailed disaster plans

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to emergency planning. Having a detailed Fire & Life Safety Plan that includes procedures for everyone gives elderly or disabled individuals  a feeling of control over their situation. This helps avoid the potential for feelings of helplessness and confusion in the event of an emergency.  Planning should include dependable transportation options, evacuation routes, and knowledge of nearby medical facilities. A special kit containing extra batteries and backups of important medical devices should also be prepared in case the individual in question is isolated from medical facilities for an extended period of time.

If you are unsure of whether or not your emergency plans are inclusive enough, let us help you! Contact us today with any questions you have.

Oil Spill IS a National Disaster

I was shocked to discover that the President of the United States has yet to declare the BP Oil Spill a national disaster! Help make a difference. Sign this petition and spread the word to help those affected by the oil spill disaster. Use the share button below to encourage others to do the same.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

“Going Green” is all the rage right now. It’s the focus of almost every building magazine that graces my desk these days. It seems like everyone is doing it – are you? If you haven’t gotten on the green bandwagon yet, here are some ideas to get you going:

• Help reduce carbon emissions by booking online emergency response training instead of having a trainer drive or fly out to your site. Bonus – courses are available 24/7 so personnel can train when and where they want!

• Store and access your building floor plans, Fire Safety Plan and Emergency Procedures Manuals online using a software program such as ePlan Manager™. With 24/7 online access you can avoid unnecessary printing and paper usage.

• Encourage personnel to ‘think before they print’ and provide recycling bins at your building to promote recycling.

• Save time and gas by shopping emergency supplies online.

What are some of your favourite ways to help out Mother Earth?

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