Buildex Show in Vancouver Next Week

The Annual Buildex Show is back in Vancouver. 

BUILDEX Vancouver is about designing, building and managing real estate.

When: February 8th – 9th.

Where: Vancouver Convention Centre

What: Two days of product launches, problem-solving, education and the year’s best networking opportunity

Cost: None, it’s FREE!

For more information, please visit their official website: http://www.buildexvancouver.com.

New Product ~ Brushed Metal Dome Evacuation Signs

WPS is proud to announce that we have upgraded our Evacuation Sign frames to a sleek, brushed metal dome frame. These new frames are aesthetically pleasing, making them perfect for high-traffic areas such as lobbies and elevators. They keep your floor plan and emergency procedures securely fastened underneath a protective sheet. No one will be able to steal your floor plans as they  do not simply slide out the top; however, using a special tool we provide you with, you will be able to easily change them in the event that your floor plans change.

These new curved dome frames are available in 8.5″ x 11″ and 11″ x 17″ and can be used with either a brushed metal insert (as pictured here) or with our highly visible Photoluminescent inserts that glow in the dark.

For more information, or to order your brushed metal dome evacuation sign frames, contact one of our Fire and Life Safety Consultants today.

The Importance of Emergency Drills

Having read numerous articles regarding the tragic sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship I noticed that many failed to mention an important fact, the fact that the cruise ship failed to perform an emergency drill before leaving port, or shortly thereafter. This is why I was happy to see Mat Gurney’s article in the National Post entitled, “Cruise disaster coverage misses the real scandal,” which discusses this exact issue. Failing to perform an emergency drill is a major oversight and one that should be reported on.

As a company in the business of disaster management we constantly preach emergency preparedness and the importance of evacuation drills. We also understand that the majority of people roll their eyes at the mention of emergency drills, many fail to take part and the ones that do usually just go through the motions. I, for one, can understand this as I have taken part in numerous drills on board cruise ships prior to leaving port and, let me tell you, there is nothing exciting about them; however, in the event of an emergency I would have known where to locate a life jacket and where to evacuate. Boring, perhaps, but life saving, quite possibly.

Drills aren’t new or exciting, but if there’s one thing we can take away from this tragedy, it’s remembering that emergency drills can and do save lives. Our thoughts go out to those affected by this tragedy.

Let’s Talk About 2012 Doomsday Preppers

There are many who believe that the world as we know it will end in December of this year. These doomsday preppers have gone to great lengths to prepare their families for this event. Watch the video below and let us know what you think. Are they well-prepared, or have they gone overboard?

How about you, how prepared are you? We firmly believe that emergency preparedness is a good thing, whether you are planning for the next natural disaster, or the end of the world.

2011 Costliest Year for Disasters

“2011 will be the year with the highest catastrophe-related economic losses in history, at $350 billion,” according to the reinsurer company Swiss Re, reported on News.com.au. And it was. The earthquake in Japan currently tops the list of costliest disasters ever at a staggering $210 billion. The total economic losses for 2011 are much higher than 2010. 2011 cost $350 billion, compared with $226 billion in 2010.

It is with this news that we happily leave 2011 behind us and welcome 2012 with open arms. However, let’s not just sweep last year under the rug as we should be looking to it for motivation to become a better prepared Nation. Let’s leave 2011 as the costliest year and not try and top it in 2012.

While we can’t predict or prevent natural disasters from occurring, we can lessen their affects by being prepared for them. Each and every individual should have a disaster kit and be prepared to fend for themselves for at least the first 72 hours of a natural disaster and every building or business owner should have an Emergency Action Plan and be prepared to help save the lives of their staff and employees in case the unthinkable happens during work hours. Preparedness beats insurance every time, it pays to be prepared. If you are unsure of your level of preparedness and could use some assistance, please contact one of our Fire and Life Safety Consultants today.

Celebrate New Year’s Safely with Fireworks Safety

We want you to ring in the New Year with a bang so we think you should leave lighting fireworks to the professionals, but if you must try yourself, please follow these safety tips, courtesy of The National Council on Firework Safety.

• Use fireworks outdoors only.
• Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.
• Always have water handy. (A hose or bucket).
• Only use fireworks as intended. Don’t try to alter them or combine them.
• Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
• Use common sense. Spectators should keep a safe distance from the shooter and the shooter should wear safety glasses.
• Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated shooter.”
• Only persons over the age of 12 should be allowed to handle sparklers of any type.
• Do not ever use homemade fireworks of illegal explosives: They can kill you! Report illegal explosives to the fire or police department in your community.

For more information about Fireworks safety, check out eHow™.

Holilday Office Closure

Everyone here at WPS would like to wish you a Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Season’s Greetings or whatever it is you celebrate this time of year.

May your holiday season and the New Year be filled with much joy, happiness and success. We look forward to working with you in the coming year and hope our business relationship continues for many years to come.

Please note that the WPS Disaster Management Solutions offices will be closed from December 24 – January 2 as we celebrate the holidays with our families. We will re-open Monday, January 2nd at 8am PST.

Season’s greetings and a Happy New Year to all!

5 Winter Driving Safety Tips

Winter has arrived, and with it snow and ice are on our rods. Stay safe with these five winter safety tips for drivers:

1. Always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. This way, in the event that your car breaks down, or you get stuck, someone will be looking for you.
2. Keep extra food and a blanket in your vehicle in case the roads are bad and you have to wait for a plow or tow truck at least you’ll be warm and fed.
3. Have an emergency supplies kit with at least 72 hours worth of food and water for each person travelling with you.
4. Have a flashlight in your vehicle and be sure to check the batteries or purchase a wind-up flashlight.
5. Don’t let your gas tank get below 1/3, there’s nothing worse than running out of gas in the middle of winter! No one wants to trek through the snow with a jerrycan!

Everyone here at WPS Disaster Management Solutions wishes you  safe travels!

Holiday Fire Safety

Are you shopping for a Christmas tree this weekend? I know I am! Every year I go out to a Christmas tree farm, trek all over to find the perfect tree. We then cut it down ourselves and bring it home to enjoy.

This holiday season WPS wants you to be festive and fire smart. That’s why we’re sharing this video that demonstrates just how quickly a live Christmas tree can go up in flames when not watered sufficiently. We love the look and smell of a real Christmas tree too, but please be sure to water it daily, they are thirsty!

Holiday Promotion – Flashlight Giveaway!

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