{"id":1445,"date":"2016-08-24T12:34:59","date_gmt":"2016-08-24T12:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/?p=1445"},"modified":"2016-08-20T16:34:35","modified_gmt":"2016-08-20T16:34:35","slug":"desk-prep-emergency-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/desk-prep-emergency-plan","title":{"rendered":"“Desk Prep”: Emergency Plan for the Office"},"content":{"rendered":"

Q: Where do most of us spend our days?<\/em><\/span>
\n A: At the OFFICE!!!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Given this rather depressing fact, chances are pretty high that you’ll be staring at your company-issued computer screen when a disaster strikes.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, a lot of corporations have solid emergency response plans in place, but even so\u2026if you\u2019re sitting in your office all by your lonesome when an 8.9 earthquake rocks the building, let\u2019s face it: you\u2019re likely going to be responsible for getting your own damn self to the predesignated group assembly area!<\/p>\n

With that in mind, let\u2019s take a look at what you can do on your own behalf to prepare for emergencies in the Belly of the Corporate Beast.<\/p>\n

YOUR PERSONAL OFFICE EMERGENCY PLAN<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n

Keep a flashlight and smoke hood handy<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"emergency<\/p>\n

Even if you know the routes out of your building better than a horse knows the way back to the barn, having a bright light<\/a> to shine in times of chaos and calamity brings an element of control and calm. Your smartphone flashlight will do in a pinch, but nothing beats the concentrated high beam of the real thing. Plus, in a major catastrophe, you\u2019ll want to conserve your phone battery for communication, not illumination.<\/p>\n

And if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know this: in case of fire, it’s the SMOKE that kills most folks, not the flames. Buying yourself a few extra minutes of breathable air by way of a smoke hood<\/a> can truly mean the difference between life and death.<\/p>\n

Find TWO emergency evacuation routes from your office, as well as commonly used lunch areas, conference rooms, etc.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"emergency<\/p>\n

In large corporations, your office safety coordinator should be able to help you determine these routes. In smaller organizations, you\u2019ll need to figure this out for yourself.<\/p>\n

Grab a few colleagues while you plot your escape paths. At worst, they\u2019ll think you\u2019re weird\u2026but at least they\u2019ll get a little exercise and knowledge out of the excursion.<\/p>\n

Put together a \u201cgo bag\u201d<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"emergency<\/p>\n

A \u201cgo bag\u201d is just a backpack containing stuff you\u2019ll need to survive for at least three days. This is a classic \u201cprepper\u201d suggestion, but there\u2019s a reason it\u2019s so popular: if a big disaster strikes and you can\u2019t get home for a couple of days, you\u2019ll be mighty glad to have your essentials at hand. We\u2019re talking at least a 3-day supply of medications, spare glasses, clean undies, etc. In a pinch, you can buy a pre-made kit<\/a>, but it’s way better to built your own custom version.<\/p>\n

You can go for more days\u2019-worth of supplies if you like, but more supplies equals more space and more weight. For the office, I recommend sticking to three days of goodies for your bag. If you drive to work, you can put a secondary bag with additional supplies in the trunk of your car.<\/p>\n

Keep comfortable walking shoes under your desk<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"emergency<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve written before\u00a0about the folly of high heels<\/a>. Sure, heels can look hawt. And in some workplace locales, they\u2019re considered required dress for women. But if a disaster strikes\u2014or if you just need to haul bootie from one meeting to another\u2014high heels are simply impractical, if not full-on foolish.<\/p>\n

If I haven\u2019t convinced you to adopt flat-soled shoes as your footwear of choice, at least stash a pair of practical shoes in your office\u2026and in case you can\u2019t make it back to your desk after disaster strikes, it\u2019s not a bad idea to keep a pair of foldable ballet flats in your purse, too.<\/p>\n

Track down the nearest office first aid kit\u2026and make sure it\u2019s stocked<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"emergency<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never worked in an office that didn\u2019t have at least a minimal first aid kit in the break room. But I HAVE worked in plenty of places where that poor first aid kit was more picked over than a day-old Thanksgiving turkey carcass. People are forever needing aspirin and band-aids, but for some reason, these items are rarely replaced in a timely fashion.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t already have an office safety coordinator tasked with keeping the first aid kit in full fettle, consider volunteering for the task. Hey, your coworkers already think you\u2019re weird because of that time you insisted they help you find emergency evacuation routes, remember? 😜<\/p>\n

Find the nearest office AED\u2026and learn how to use it!<\/span><\/h4>\n

\"emergency<\/p>\n

CPR is awesome and should be learned by everyone old enough to perform effective chest compressions\u2026but did you know that CPR alone only gives a victim a 10{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2} chance of survival?? Add an AED (Automated External Difibrillator) to the equation, however, and that survival rate jumps up to 60{5b94df0808d5051ae4460ba229ec68b809d99f898aebd4fa5019c7ba642362c2}!!<\/p>\n

If your office doesn\u2019t offer a CPR\/AED certification course, suck it up and sign up for an 8-hour weekend class with the Red Cross. You\u2019ll be doing a good deed for your fellow humans, and think of the awesome Instagram fodder you\u2019ll score in the process (kidding, but only sorta!).<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/h4>\n

So this is a list of the low-hanging fruit when it comes to a personal office emergency plan. You\u2019ll certainly come up with other ideas specific to your own situation and location\u2026which I would LOVE for you to share in the comments below!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And please remember: thinking about saving your own skin is NOT selfish! After all, it\u2019s only by taking care of yourself<\/em> that you\u2019ll be able to adequately render aid to others.<\/p>\n

Want to see more articles on day-to-day readiness? Or maybe you’d rather have me focus on how to cope with major disasters? If you want to be part of the crew\u00a0that is helping steer the future direction of this blog, sign up at \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>http:\/\/bit.ly\/readybetty<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. I\u2019ll even throw in a free Emergency Guide JUST FOR THE LADIES!\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q: Where do most of us spend our days? A: At the OFFICE!!! Given this rather depressing fact, chances are pretty high that you’ll be staring at your company-issued computer screen when a disaster strikes. Thankfully, a lot of corporations have solid emergency response plans in place, but even so\u2026if you\u2019re sitting in your office all by your lonesome when … <\/p>\n

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