Press Release for Immediate Release
12 May, 2014
The TEN33 Inc. Disaster Preparedness Consulting
Resilient Communities Initiative
INTRODUCTION
Every
year across the globe, Disasters and Emergency situations occur. The
vast majority of them are repetitious, and of natural causes; the floods
of Southern Albertan the spring of 2013, the ice storms in Southern
Ontario this past winter.Others have man-made or human negligence
origins, such as the train derailment in Lac Megantic, while others are
the result of human indifference, intolerance or despair such as the IED
bombing at the last years Boston Marathon, the stabbings at a Brampton
Ontario high school and at a mall in Regina. With every occurrence, the
devastation mounts and the toll on lives and peace of mind.Sadly, many
of the losses could have and can be reduced or prevented, and many more
mitigated if only we as a society had a stronger will to do so.
In
every sector of Community, Business and Public Service (our Government)
life, there are those who do have the will to initiate change. They are
far too few, and are often overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and
challenges of making change. The result is that the will for progress
and change in the area of Emergency and Disaster Preparedness is seldom
if not never acted upon, and little or nothing changes for the positive.
The time for change is well overdue, and we believe at TEN33Inc. this is that time!
THE INITIATIVE
This May (TEN33Inc.’s Emergency Preparedness Month) marks the beginning of the TEN33 Inc. RESILIENT COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE;a
concept program requiring the inclusion of all levels of business,
government and the populace to come together and assure that we as a
people, a nation, as a global community are prepared and capable of
surviving Emergencies and Disasters and to be as Resilient as possible
by; 1) Understanding those hazards and threats present in our
communities, 2) Educating ourselves on preventative and mitigative
techniques, and 3)Having the tools, supplies and will and knowledge to
use them to overcome adversity. In this way we mitigate or prevent the
devastating effects of Emergencies and Disasters, allowing a more rapid
and thorough return to “near normalcy” in our daily lives; the very
definition of Resilience.
The Initiative is divided into three categories, each with areas and functions that they can perform and adopt
1) RESIDENTIAL:
Residents
This
includes residents, owners and renters alike. We encourage residents to
seek out the knowledge, training, equipment and supplies they require
to be able to respond on a personal and familial level to protect
themselves as best they can during Emergencies and Disasters.While
sometimes difficult to find, there are courses they can take that will
give them the key tool, knowledge, in responding. Supplies and equipment
to shelter, feed, clothe and rest their families. These supplies need
not be expensive, rather many can be gathered together from the contents
of an average home and require little more than storage containers,
bags and boxes to store them in. The same can be said of the equipment,
consisting of simple things such as flashlights, batteries, toiletries
etcetera. And of course the most important tool or supply of all, a Home
Emergency Plan. These plans are easily found free of charge on many
government websites, including that of Emergency Management
Ontario/Office of the Fire Marshal, or can be purchased from many
consulting organisations customised to a specific residence and
neighbourhood.
With such little cost in money anytime,
we believe it is reasonable to ask all families to acquire a Plan, to
get training, to put together Emergency or 72 Hour Kits for their
families containing the tools and supplies they will need, and then to
regularly review their plans, revise their plans as needed in order to
keep them as current as possible. This is self advocacy, the most
important part of Resilience.
Builders/Contractors/Architects/Developers
Structures
hold a vital key to the Resilience of any person, family or community.
Well built and designed residential and commercial buildings should be a
place of refuge, of safety, of security and hope.
The
Initiative calls out to Builders,Contractors and Architects to become a
front line force in creating resilient communities by; designing homes
and other structures with a new attention given to the Evacuation of
homes easily, safely and quickly, and to including in the price of homes
evacuation equipment such as 2nd and 3rdstory
escape ladders when necessary; with a new look at Shelter in Place
considerations when Evacuation is not an option; with a new sense of
surroundings and making neighbourhoods easier to evacuate from of
necessary; and to doing a more in depth Hazard Identification and Risk
Analysis on a property before development to mitigate or prevent threats
and risks to new communities. Further, we believe it would be prudent
to begin inclusion if “dry sprinkler systems” into the construction of
all new development, from single family standalone dwelling to
multilevel multifamily high rises, and everything in between.
Realtors
Realtors
can play a major role in the development of a “Prepared Culture”.
Approximately 95% of all resale properties sold in Canada are sold
through a realtor. As such, Realtors have the ability to assure that
every resale they prepare for the seller, and every purchase they
arrange for their buyers includes a Home Emergency Plan, and that the
plan stays with the home because the plan is specific to that home,
needing only the resident information changed (a simple prospect).
2) Business
Business
is apart of the community at large. It employs, it serves, it funds.
Business is the heart of a thriving city or town. As such, Business
should be committed,more than ever before, to sound and solid Emergency
& Disaster systems and programs:
a) Systems
for the protection of all employees at all levels; having mandatory
Evacuation Plans and Protocols, with mandatory drills on a regular
basis, preferably twice annually, and to be followed by evaluations of
the drills and revisions of plans and protocols. Make training for all
employees on the established protocols mandatory and additional training
for volunteers to act as Evacuation Wardens. Special attention to
Shelter in Place planning; it is not always possible or appropriate to
evacuate a facility, and therefore Shelter in Place programming needs to
be established in all places of employment, including public facilities.
b) Systems to render Community Aid.The link between a community and the
businesses within is undervalued by business. Business needs the
community to utilise the products and services they provide. They need
the community to provide the labour to generate the goods and services.
Business needs the loyalty, brand loyalty, to remain healthy. In no
better way can a corporation garner this loyalty than by being part of
the solution to any major problem the community has. Many
businesses,from the largest to the smallest have something they can
offer to the community during a crisis; they can provide temporary
shelter, feed the displaced and the responder teams, they can even be a
central location for the reuniting of family members. Many can also
operate as operations centers for response and recovery activities. In
all these ways the business becomes not just another corporation, but
also part of the solution.
Government
All levels of
Government, for all potential threats, risks and hazards, need to change
their thinking in Emergency and Disaster Preparedness.
a)Municipal Government:
the first line of the solution. From Public Education programs being
delivered, to the initial response and the last part of the recovery.
They have also been the first to reduce their programs due to budget
restraint. The programs can be improved by working together with other
non-profit and for profit organisations in their communities that can
handle the public education, train volunteer responders in programs such
as CERT and TeenCERT and many other programs. Municipalities need to
improve communications before the events with the community to keep them
informed and aware. They can also be more inclusive in Community
Emergency Exercises. Municipalities should also be more cooperative with
their neighbouring municipalities in their public information and
education programs to ensure continuity of operations and mutual
cooperation.
b)Provincial Government
needs to begin to establish better legislation around Emergency
Management to include requirements on business, to encourage at risk
communities to create Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT and
TeenCERT),to improve awareness in high risk communities and help the
Municipal governments prepare their communities. Provincial governments
need to improve building codes in areas with specific threats and risks,
to be able to meet the danger levels and mitigate the effects, if not
prevent them entirely.Provincial governments need to make better
affiliations with private corporations that work in Emergency
Preparedness and Response, who like TEN33Inc. can help them educate,
train, identify threats and then work to create programs to meet them,
and thus streamline the costs these programs have.Consider offering tax
incentives to residents and businesses that take Emergency Planning and
Preparedness steps at certain levels, and consider insurance rate breaks
as well.
c)Federal Government is
ultimately responsible for creating a resilient nation,and as such
should consider reinvesting in recently cut programs and funding.Federal
government needs to take a stronger position, becoming a true
associative through agencies that can cooperate with private sector
organisations in Emergency Management. Where Emergency Management is
concerned, and the implementation and continuation of programs, there
needs to be a completely non-partisan attitude so that programs
continue, grow and improve with time to meet the increasing threats and
risks in order to create a National Resilience.
In all cases, the
General Public must be made more aware and better educated regarding
self protection, family protection and community protection.The
common misconception is that people, when given too much information,
will react prematurely and in fact over-react to potential threats. This
is just not so. Through education, through awareness true preparedness
can begin, and with it better response, recovery and resilience.
Knowledge is Resilience, it’s not dangerous. People want to know what to
do, how to respond, where to seek shelter and safety and when they know
what to do, lives are saved, recovery comes faster and more complete
saving millions of dollars.
It is with all of
the above in mind, that TEN33 Inc.now calls on all these sectors,
Residents, Business and Government to now join us in the Resilient
Communities Initiative.
We will be calling on the
politicians, their governments and administrators to review current
legislation and programs, and initiate the changes that have been
recommended in the past and either been reduced, cut or never enacted in
the first place. We will call on them to restore those programs that
were begun in days and weeks following 9/11, and then put aside in
recent years due to budget cuts. We will call on them to pick up on and
join our call for improved legislation in the area of Emergency
Management, Disaster Preparedness and Prevention.
We
will be calling on Builders, Developers, Architects, Designers and
Realtors to step up prior to any legislative intervention to help us
ensure that Residential,Commercial and Industrial designs are not only
beautiful and functional, but provide the protection to occupants
needed, to make safe and rapid evacuation a greater consideration
beginning at conception and to provide for the occupants a safe and
secure Shelter in Place standard when evacuation is not prudent. We will
call on them to ensure that every new structure, regardless of purpose
of use, includes Emergency Response Plans, based on the architectural
drawings and environmental considerations prior to occupancy. Realtors
especially should be aware of including a Home Emergency Plan that is
specific to that building and community when selling a new or resale
home, and have them provided prior to listing or at the very least
closing of the property, not because it is unsafe,but rather to ensure
the safety of the occupants and their resilience to major disruptive
events.
We will be calling on Business leaders from
every sector to initiate Emergency Management and Business Continuity
Plans into their organisations that go above and beyond data and IT
considerations, to ensure they can respond quickly and effectively and
then retain critical operations that would allow them rapid recovery
and return to near normal operations. To prepare suitable Emergency and
Evacuation Plans for their facilities, to train Evacuation Wardens
thoroughly with refresher courses every second or third years, to have
suitable Emergency and Evacuation policies and plans and then train all
employees on those policies and plans with suitable remedial action
policies in place to ensure compliance for their own protection. To
truly become part of their communities and develop programs to assist
the community in its response and recovery, to offer temporary shelter,
food, and relief.
The TEN33 Inc. Resilient Communities Initiative
is not designed to point fingers of blame at any one or any one
organisation, nor to shame any one. The goal of the Initiative is to
reaffirm our commitment as a society to the principles of preparedness
and awareness to disasters, and to making our communities safer and more
resilient. The goal is to educate people every where of the simple and
cost effective steps they can take to make themselves resilient. The
goal is to change our human mindset from “It could never happen to me”
to one of “If and when it happens, I’m ready!”.
Canadians
don’t need and don’t want to be protected from Disaster and Emergency
warnings;they want to know how to, when to and where to respond.
Canadians
do not “freak out”; they do not run around aimlessly nor lay down and
curl up in he fetal position when faced with crisis. Canadians are
strong enough to respond with purpose when they are given the knowledge
and the facts of a situation. Canadians are a hearty people with a
strong desire and capability for resilience. All Canadians need is the
truth of any given situation, to be presented the options, and the
education and tools to meet the situation.
TEN33 Inc.’s corporate philosophy is simple: “Salus Populi, Suprema Lex Est”, a quote from Roman Emperor Cicero. “The Safety of the People is the Supreme Law”. Combine that with our other truism, “Knowledge IS Resilience”,and
the path to a truly disaster and emergency resilient Canada is clear.
So we call out to the private sector Emergency Management, Disaster
Preparedness,Business Continuity and Resilient professionals around the
Province and Nation and ultimately the Continent and Globe, to join TEN33 Inc.
in promoting the Resilient Communities Initiative, as we have presented
here and will continue to present over the coming months and years, and
the goal of creating a better prepared and more resilient World.
S. Gregory(Greg) Long,
President
TEN33 Inc.Disaster Preparedness Consulting
905 809 5440
May 12, 2014
### 30 ###
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
In Response to "Dragon" Arlene Dickinson on Facebook and You Inc.
This post is fairly self explanatory, so read through it all.
Whats happened in Calgary and Southern Alberta is devastating.
The following is Ms Dickinson's original post, and my/TEN33 Inc.'s response to her.
Whats happened in Calgary and Southern Alberta is devastating.
The following is Ms Dickinson's original post, and my/TEN33 Inc.'s response to her.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The Perception of a Page or Website: How do You See Us?
The other day, Michael H Ballard, a person I like to believe is a good friend even though we've only met in person once but many times by phone and Facebook, posted this comment:
"Attention Attention Facebook Business Pager Owners: Does what you post build and attract business? What attitude does it project? Why have you chosen the theme your post?"
What a comment/question! It really got me thinking! So, I posted back: "Good question! I wonder if mine is what it should be. Think I need to review it again."The answer I got back, I'm not sure if it was related to my page or pages in general, but in essence said "too many negative, too many confusing posting, would I want to friend that page/business/person?
My first urge was to take it personally, and respond in a knee-jerk manner, and ask Michael what I had done to tick him off. Good thing I didn't, because now I don't believe it was directed directly at me. But still, I went back to may business page, TEN33 Disaster Preparedness Consulting, and give it a good review. While I don't think I have much content that might be confusing, I can see how some of the content might be construed as negative and perhaps depressing. So I thought,"What can I do about this? IS there a way to make the content more positive, and still call people to action and get public understanding on how important Emergency/Disaster Preparedness really is?"
So far, the answer is "Nope".
The problem lies primarily, in the nature of this business. Emergency and Disaster Preparedness is a topic/subject people just don't wish to think about! And I don't blame them one bit! Embassy bombings, riots, terrorism on the human face, and hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and more on the natural earth side. It makes it appear that human kind is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and little to no hope in site. Remember though, appearances can be deceiving!
Yes, it is a dark portal I look out of. I see it every day in news reports that pass by my computer screen, and news feeds on my iPad. But I don't dwell upon the negativity there before me. If I did, I would truly go buggy. I've chosen instead, to let these images and stories let me see how positive, good and full of growth can be if we all accepted that those "nasties" are out there and did one thing... PREPARE!
Preparedness planning doesn't take much work. It takes some though, some attention to details, and some good foresight. A home Emergency Plan covers a multitude of scenarios, and provides a family the best possible chances for that happy ending once the storm clouds part. (figuratively and literally). Good business emergency plans ensure Continuity of Operations, rapid Return Time Operations numbers that keep businesses going through and after a crisis. (and, I have to note, great ROI or Return on Investment the first time they are called upon). And Community Emergency Planning, usually done by your Municipality/Town Government, assures critical services are up and running promptly, and the infrastructure is back in place to keep our communities health and prosperous.
I know not one single person (aside from those of us working in the industry) wants to think about the disasters and emergencies that would devastate our lives. That is human nature, and part of the reason we are such a resilient species on this planet. But I would like everyone who reads this to see one thing: Visit the "Dark Side" for a bit, see what you have and might loose, and then understand that planning can and does minimize or even prevent those loses. Planning certainly gets you back to a more "normal state" than not planning. It saves money, time, lives, marriages, businesses and far far more.
So, I will apologize now to those who find thinking about Emergency Planning a dark spot they just can't visit; but understand I only have your best interests in mind. I care deeply for Community, and this is what I was called to do as a result.I'll also ask this of you, Good Followers: Share with me those things that reflect the positive aspect from disaster as a direct impact from planning. Share with me and others here what information YOU would like and need. Ask questions, look for answers and ask for help and guidance. I have found a cornucopia of businesses and people within Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more, who are more than happy to help you and others cope, recover, and prepare for life and Mother Nature.Keep strong: Resilience can be yours. You just have to accept the fact that bad things happen, and know that you will survive them just by planning for them. And I'd like to help you!
Greg Long
"Attention Attention Facebook Business Pager Owners: Does what you post build and attract business? What attitude does it project? Why have you chosen the theme your post?"
What a comment/question! It really got me thinking! So, I posted back: "Good question! I wonder if mine is what it should be. Think I need to review it again."The answer I got back, I'm not sure if it was related to my page or pages in general, but in essence said "too many negative, too many confusing posting, would I want to friend that page/business/person?
My first urge was to take it personally, and respond in a knee-jerk manner, and ask Michael what I had done to tick him off. Good thing I didn't, because now I don't believe it was directed directly at me. But still, I went back to may business page, TEN33 Disaster Preparedness Consulting, and give it a good review. While I don't think I have much content that might be confusing, I can see how some of the content might be construed as negative and perhaps depressing. So I thought,"What can I do about this? IS there a way to make the content more positive, and still call people to action and get public understanding on how important Emergency/Disaster Preparedness really is?"
So far, the answer is "Nope".
The problem lies primarily, in the nature of this business. Emergency and Disaster Preparedness is a topic/subject people just don't wish to think about! And I don't blame them one bit! Embassy bombings, riots, terrorism on the human face, and hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and more on the natural earth side. It makes it appear that human kind is stuck between a rock and a hard place, and little to no hope in site. Remember though, appearances can be deceiving!
Yes, it is a dark portal I look out of. I see it every day in news reports that pass by my computer screen, and news feeds on my iPad. But I don't dwell upon the negativity there before me. If I did, I would truly go buggy. I've chosen instead, to let these images and stories let me see how positive, good and full of growth can be if we all accepted that those "nasties" are out there and did one thing... PREPARE!
Preparedness planning doesn't take much work. It takes some though, some attention to details, and some good foresight. A home Emergency Plan covers a multitude of scenarios, and provides a family the best possible chances for that happy ending once the storm clouds part. (figuratively and literally). Good business emergency plans ensure Continuity of Operations, rapid Return Time Operations numbers that keep businesses going through and after a crisis. (and, I have to note, great ROI or Return on Investment the first time they are called upon). And Community Emergency Planning, usually done by your Municipality/Town Government, assures critical services are up and running promptly, and the infrastructure is back in place to keep our communities health and prosperous.
I know not one single person (aside from those of us working in the industry) wants to think about the disasters and emergencies that would devastate our lives. That is human nature, and part of the reason we are such a resilient species on this planet. But I would like everyone who reads this to see one thing: Visit the "Dark Side" for a bit, see what you have and might loose, and then understand that planning can and does minimize or even prevent those loses. Planning certainly gets you back to a more "normal state" than not planning. It saves money, time, lives, marriages, businesses and far far more.
So, I will apologize now to those who find thinking about Emergency Planning a dark spot they just can't visit; but understand I only have your best interests in mind. I care deeply for Community, and this is what I was called to do as a result.I'll also ask this of you, Good Followers: Share with me those things that reflect the positive aspect from disaster as a direct impact from planning. Share with me and others here what information YOU would like and need. Ask questions, look for answers and ask for help and guidance. I have found a cornucopia of businesses and people within Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more, who are more than happy to help you and others cope, recover, and prepare for life and Mother Nature.Keep strong: Resilience can be yours. You just have to accept the fact that bad things happen, and know that you will survive them just by planning for them. And I'd like to help you!
Greg Long
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Elliott Lake: When Search and Rescue Doesn't Meet Our Expectations
The situation is the least desirable situation one can imagine. There are approximately 30 people unaccounted for within the collapsed shopping mall, and Search and rescue people are walking away. The crowd and population are livid; how can they leave a survivor (for there have been indications there is at least one individual still alive within this unintentional tomb) and tell the world they are quitting? Protests start, politicians go on the verbal offensive, while ministry directors make decisions about what should and should not be. Everyone has a voice, and everyone demands their voice be the one heeded. The worst of situations.
Sunday saw a tragedy unfold right in our own back yard. Normally, Ontarians think of collapses such as this occurring during severe winter weather and severe storm (read tornado) events, or in second and third world nations where building code isn't strong enough or not enforced. Yet, it happened in Ontario. In a community known as a retirement haven not long ago. And to add insult to the situation, rescuers wont rescue.
So far, it may seem like the blog here is going to bash the search and rescue community, for not having the courage to do what is necessary to save a life, or potentially, lives. If that is your assumption Dear Reader, you assume wrong.
The very last thing ANY responder wants to do is leave a victim and or survivor behind. These brave souls are good at what they do... no, great at what they do because their first instinct is to save a life; to rescue those in need of rescuing come hell or high water. They are sworn to do what they can to save save lives. And on a daily basis, that is what our EMTs, Fire Services, Police Services and Special Teams such as Search and Rescue (SAR) and Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) personnel do. It isn't just a job, it is their calling and passion. So imagine how they must feel stepping back.
How can they step back? Sometimes its the only call that can be made. Is it responsible to place 2, 3, 5 or 10 rescuers lives in jeopardy in order to pull someone from the wreckage who may not live? If the person in that same wreckage is a loved one, just about every Canadian would say yes. And that is their emotion, connection, love and need for that loved one speaking. And its not wrong. But its also not right.
A very wise EMT/Paramedic I know, who trained me in Standard First Aid/HeartSaver CPR said something to us during training that needs repeating now: "At the end of the day, the rescuer goes home". Sounds a bit selfish doesn't it? But it is the furthest thing from selfish. Because at the end of the day, there is going be someone else, somewhere and sometime who is going to need that rescuer to help them. If a rescuer is lost, that soul can't help anyone. When a rescuer is lost, immediately his or her comrades feel the need to find him/her, and pull them to safety, jeopardizing more of the team (if left to their instincts). It spirals from there. So stepping away is, without doubt in my mind, the hardest action these brave souls must take. I imagine it kills a piece of them each time they have to make it.
Consider, if you will Dear Reader, the loss of a rescuer or rescuers for one potential survivor, only to have all lost permanently. Do we then attack citing faulty training? Faulty reasoning? What do we say to THEIR families? Do we shrug it off and say, "Well, that's their job! And they screwed it up because our loved one is still in there too!" DAMN RIGHT WE DON'T!
We are not there. And most of you good Readers are not versed in their trade and skill. You haven't the years of training and experience they do. I understand more than many of you due to my training, education and experience in Emergency Management, but even I am not qualified to criticize their judgement. And at the risk of sounding judgemental/critical/confrontational to the politicians and Ministry Officials, neither do they. The only people truly fit to make the call are those with the training and experience. In the case of the Elliott Lake shopping mall, that means HUSAR personnel. And we need to leave them to their task as they deem fit.
Its hard for us to understand, but sometimes the fastest and safest way for HUSAR/SAR to do their job is to stop, pull back even walk away and rethink the task out. They need to re-evaluate, revise plans, regroup then and only then resume operations. And sometimes, that means walking away for good.
My heart goes out to all those trapped in the wreckage of the mall. It goes out to their families, to their friends, their coworkers. And it goes out to the reponders; EMTs, firefighters, police the SAR and HUSAR teams especially. They have the hardest decisions to make; life and death decisions, and very often they are the most unpopular and undesirable decisions. Decisions they absolutely find repulsive to make. And even if only necessary to make once throughout an entire career, too often necessary.
Share this Blog if you will Dear Reader, in support of the responders in our communities. Theirs is the hardest job of any to do, and the most necessary.
To all our EMTs, Fire Fighters, Police, SAR and HUSAR Teams and all other Emergency Responders;
Thank you in the most heart felt ways, for the sacrifices you make each and every day! We owe you a debt that can never be repaid!
Greg Long, President
TEN33 Inc. Disaster Preparedness Consulting
Sunday saw a tragedy unfold right in our own back yard. Normally, Ontarians think of collapses such as this occurring during severe winter weather and severe storm (read tornado) events, or in second and third world nations where building code isn't strong enough or not enforced. Yet, it happened in Ontario. In a community known as a retirement haven not long ago. And to add insult to the situation, rescuers wont rescue.
So far, it may seem like the blog here is going to bash the search and rescue community, for not having the courage to do what is necessary to save a life, or potentially, lives. If that is your assumption Dear Reader, you assume wrong.
The very last thing ANY responder wants to do is leave a victim and or survivor behind. These brave souls are good at what they do... no, great at what they do because their first instinct is to save a life; to rescue those in need of rescuing come hell or high water. They are sworn to do what they can to save save lives. And on a daily basis, that is what our EMTs, Fire Services, Police Services and Special Teams such as Search and Rescue (SAR) and Heavy Urban Search and Rescue (HUSAR) personnel do. It isn't just a job, it is their calling and passion. So imagine how they must feel stepping back.
How can they step back? Sometimes its the only call that can be made. Is it responsible to place 2, 3, 5 or 10 rescuers lives in jeopardy in order to pull someone from the wreckage who may not live? If the person in that same wreckage is a loved one, just about every Canadian would say yes. And that is their emotion, connection, love and need for that loved one speaking. And its not wrong. But its also not right.
A very wise EMT/Paramedic I know, who trained me in Standard First Aid/HeartSaver CPR said something to us during training that needs repeating now: "At the end of the day, the rescuer goes home". Sounds a bit selfish doesn't it? But it is the furthest thing from selfish. Because at the end of the day, there is going be someone else, somewhere and sometime who is going to need that rescuer to help them. If a rescuer is lost, that soul can't help anyone. When a rescuer is lost, immediately his or her comrades feel the need to find him/her, and pull them to safety, jeopardizing more of the team (if left to their instincts). It spirals from there. So stepping away is, without doubt in my mind, the hardest action these brave souls must take. I imagine it kills a piece of them each time they have to make it.
Consider, if you will Dear Reader, the loss of a rescuer or rescuers for one potential survivor, only to have all lost permanently. Do we then attack citing faulty training? Faulty reasoning? What do we say to THEIR families? Do we shrug it off and say, "Well, that's their job! And they screwed it up because our loved one is still in there too!" DAMN RIGHT WE DON'T!
We are not there. And most of you good Readers are not versed in their trade and skill. You haven't the years of training and experience they do. I understand more than many of you due to my training, education and experience in Emergency Management, but even I am not qualified to criticize their judgement. And at the risk of sounding judgemental/critical/confrontational to the politicians and Ministry Officials, neither do they. The only people truly fit to make the call are those with the training and experience. In the case of the Elliott Lake shopping mall, that means HUSAR personnel. And we need to leave them to their task as they deem fit.
Its hard for us to understand, but sometimes the fastest and safest way for HUSAR/SAR to do their job is to stop, pull back even walk away and rethink the task out. They need to re-evaluate, revise plans, regroup then and only then resume operations. And sometimes, that means walking away for good.
My heart goes out to all those trapped in the wreckage of the mall. It goes out to their families, to their friends, their coworkers. And it goes out to the reponders; EMTs, firefighters, police the SAR and HUSAR teams especially. They have the hardest decisions to make; life and death decisions, and very often they are the most unpopular and undesirable decisions. Decisions they absolutely find repulsive to make. And even if only necessary to make once throughout an entire career, too often necessary.
Share this Blog if you will Dear Reader, in support of the responders in our communities. Theirs is the hardest job of any to do, and the most necessary.
To all our EMTs, Fire Fighters, Police, SAR and HUSAR Teams and all other Emergency Responders;
Thank you in the most heart felt ways, for the sacrifices you make each and every day! We owe you a debt that can never be repaid!
Greg Long, President
TEN33 Inc. Disaster Preparedness Consulting
Monday, June 4, 2012
The Awakening; it Can Happen to Me!
Not in our corner of the world!
Things like that happen on other countries, we're too nice!
What are the chances? So small they really don't exist!
This are typical responses one would get if we we're to discuss the potential of a "shooter" running rampant inside a major shopping venue in Toronto. Oh, perhaps we could have a mugging, or more likely just a "fisticuffs" going on, even a purse or purchase snatching. But never a shooting. C'mon, this is "Toronto the Good"! We don't do crap like that!
Apparently, some of us do.
There are three things I won't do following this dastardly attack. One, I won't blatantly use it to sell myself, my services or my programs. That would be, and is cheap and taudry. Secondly, I won't use it to stir fervor and frighten people to action in the cause of Emergency and Disaster Planning and Preparedness. I think that doing so would only stir up anxieties unnecessarily, and that would not be a positive to peoples responses should another like event occur. And lastly, I will not attempt to soothe you collective brows, and coo such sweet affections inferring the bad man is gone, never to return, and this is a once in a lifetime thing, never to return to us again. Because this is the second time such events have unfolded inside of 7 years.
In December of 2005, a vivacious 15 year old Jane Creba was shot dead by an errant bullet from the gun of another drug/gang-banger while she shopped a busy Yonge Street, only meters away from Saturdays sad events. We were all amazed and shocked such a thing could happen in our fair city then, but I think many believed (perhaps even me to a degree) that this would likely never happen again. We've just been reminded that events, like history, have a tendency to repeat themselves, and as Churchill said, we are damned to repeat them if we do not learn from them.
I know we learned from Jane Creba's death. Perhaps we forgot some of what we learned though, and this is our lesson on remembering.
From all accounts I have seen, the security team at the Eaton's Centre performed admirably and quickly. I can't say I've seen anything to find fault with in their response by any media account of events. The same can be said for Toronto's men and women of Toronto Police Services. They too were on the scene rapidly, and took charge as they needed to in order to protect. I can't say that there was any miscue at all from any responder. That's great news!
In saying all that though, it brings to the front of my mind anyway, the need for more preparedness training in the private sector. A heads up as it were for the average man and woman and child on the street. And, more importantly, practice in the business world in responding to these rare yet potentially deadly occurrences ahead of time.
I don't know if the Cadillac Fairview Security staff had ever conducted an exercise related shooters inside the Eaton's Center before, but it seems obvious there may have been some discussion and possibly training conducted reflecting that. It would make sense with the Centre's tourist designation. The result either way is, this might have been a far more tragic day for many more families had the response gone any other way. I strongly commend the actions of those immediately on scene in response.
I can't help but wonder though, how things would have gone if this event occurred in a private business instead of a public place. How many would be injured, how many would be dead. I wonder this because the majority of businesses don't have a security team on hand trained or at least schooled on responses to such hostile attacks. I wonder how our organizations events(Scouting events, Optimist Club meetings, Lion's Club charity events and Charity gals and balls and more) would fair if something similar to Saturday's food court attack occurred during the event. I cant recall seeing any security personnel around when I spoke before a Rotarian Sunrise group breakfast a year or so ago in downtown Toronto. And I know we didn't have any onside security in the warehouse of a former employer of mine when an escapee of the Metro East Detention Center tried to hide in one of the dumpsters inside our loading dock one year.
Security teams at every event we hold as NPOs isn't feasible. Nor is having, in most cases, a full time security team in our businesses and meeting halls. The cost benefit ratio is way out of whack, especially for our service clubs who all too often work on shoe-string budgets. But (you knew there had to be a "but"), there is a liability we have as business owners, service club members and organizers of other events (those aforementioned galas and balls) to those who attend the meetings, events, galas and balls. It's called "Due Diligence", it's called "Duty of Care" and it all hangs on doing "all things reasonable" to protect employees, guests, friends, and families from harm. While a security team might be above the "all things reasonable" category, having Emergency/Disaster Plans that deal with theses potentially deadly occurrences isn't.
Emergency/Disaster Plans for events, balls, galas, service club meetings and in general for businesses really aren't expensive, especially compared to the value of the lives that would be saved by having a plan in place, not to mention the potential cost from litigation should a court decide you didn't do everything reasonable to protect those "in your charge". For most charitable events, Emergency Plannners would offer discounts based on the nature of your organization. Savings would be seen too, where an event was returning to a previously utilized venue, as the bulk of the plan would already be written and require minor revision to accommodate the new event. I think it would be fair to say, based on inside knowledge, most of these plans could be generated for less than $1000.00 Cdn for very large events, and probably less than a few hundred dollars for the average sized event. Perhaps less for charitable.
Regardless, the benefits of putting into place an Emergency/Disaster Plan in the workplace, or for any type of gathering or event far exceeds ANY of the costs. There are any number of people and businesses that can help you prepare, or prepare for you, a solid Emergency Plan. I strongly recommend you consider using their services. It's not just for you protection, but also for your guests, employees and their families protection.
Greg Long, President;
TEN33 Inc.
Things like that happen on other countries, we're too nice!
What are the chances? So small they really don't exist!
This are typical responses one would get if we we're to discuss the potential of a "shooter" running rampant inside a major shopping venue in Toronto. Oh, perhaps we could have a mugging, or more likely just a "fisticuffs" going on, even a purse or purchase snatching. But never a shooting. C'mon, this is "Toronto the Good"! We don't do crap like that!
Apparently, some of us do.
There are three things I won't do following this dastardly attack. One, I won't blatantly use it to sell myself, my services or my programs. That would be, and is cheap and taudry. Secondly, I won't use it to stir fervor and frighten people to action in the cause of Emergency and Disaster Planning and Preparedness. I think that doing so would only stir up anxieties unnecessarily, and that would not be a positive to peoples responses should another like event occur. And lastly, I will not attempt to soothe you collective brows, and coo such sweet affections inferring the bad man is gone, never to return, and this is a once in a lifetime thing, never to return to us again. Because this is the second time such events have unfolded inside of 7 years.
In December of 2005, a vivacious 15 year old Jane Creba was shot dead by an errant bullet from the gun of another drug/gang-banger while she shopped a busy Yonge Street, only meters away from Saturdays sad events. We were all amazed and shocked such a thing could happen in our fair city then, but I think many believed (perhaps even me to a degree) that this would likely never happen again. We've just been reminded that events, like history, have a tendency to repeat themselves, and as Churchill said, we are damned to repeat them if we do not learn from them.
I know we learned from Jane Creba's death. Perhaps we forgot some of what we learned though, and this is our lesson on remembering.
From all accounts I have seen, the security team at the Eaton's Centre performed admirably and quickly. I can't say I've seen anything to find fault with in their response by any media account of events. The same can be said for Toronto's men and women of Toronto Police Services. They too were on the scene rapidly, and took charge as they needed to in order to protect. I can't say that there was any miscue at all from any responder. That's great news!
In saying all that though, it brings to the front of my mind anyway, the need for more preparedness training in the private sector. A heads up as it were for the average man and woman and child on the street. And, more importantly, practice in the business world in responding to these rare yet potentially deadly occurrences ahead of time.
I don't know if the Cadillac Fairview Security staff had ever conducted an exercise related shooters inside the Eaton's Center before, but it seems obvious there may have been some discussion and possibly training conducted reflecting that. It would make sense with the Centre's tourist designation. The result either way is, this might have been a far more tragic day for many more families had the response gone any other way. I strongly commend the actions of those immediately on scene in response.
I can't help but wonder though, how things would have gone if this event occurred in a private business instead of a public place. How many would be injured, how many would be dead. I wonder this because the majority of businesses don't have a security team on hand trained or at least schooled on responses to such hostile attacks. I wonder how our organizations events(Scouting events, Optimist Club meetings, Lion's Club charity events and Charity gals and balls and more) would fair if something similar to Saturday's food court attack occurred during the event. I cant recall seeing any security personnel around when I spoke before a Rotarian Sunrise group breakfast a year or so ago in downtown Toronto. And I know we didn't have any onside security in the warehouse of a former employer of mine when an escapee of the Metro East Detention Center tried to hide in one of the dumpsters inside our loading dock one year.
Security teams at every event we hold as NPOs isn't feasible. Nor is having, in most cases, a full time security team in our businesses and meeting halls. The cost benefit ratio is way out of whack, especially for our service clubs who all too often work on shoe-string budgets. But (you knew there had to be a "but"), there is a liability we have as business owners, service club members and organizers of other events (those aforementioned galas and balls) to those who attend the meetings, events, galas and balls. It's called "Due Diligence", it's called "Duty of Care" and it all hangs on doing "all things reasonable" to protect employees, guests, friends, and families from harm. While a security team might be above the "all things reasonable" category, having Emergency/Disaster Plans that deal with theses potentially deadly occurrences isn't.
Emergency/Disaster Plans for events, balls, galas, service club meetings and in general for businesses really aren't expensive, especially compared to the value of the lives that would be saved by having a plan in place, not to mention the potential cost from litigation should a court decide you didn't do everything reasonable to protect those "in your charge". For most charitable events, Emergency Plannners would offer discounts based on the nature of your organization. Savings would be seen too, where an event was returning to a previously utilized venue, as the bulk of the plan would already be written and require minor revision to accommodate the new event. I think it would be fair to say, based on inside knowledge, most of these plans could be generated for less than $1000.00 Cdn for very large events, and probably less than a few hundred dollars for the average sized event. Perhaps less for charitable.
Regardless, the benefits of putting into place an Emergency/Disaster Plan in the workplace, or for any type of gathering or event far exceeds ANY of the costs. There are any number of people and businesses that can help you prepare, or prepare for you, a solid Emergency Plan. I strongly recommend you consider using their services. It's not just for you protection, but also for your guests, employees and their families protection.
Greg Long, President;
TEN33 Inc.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Why or Why Not? Planning Makes Sense.
Keeping up with blogging is far more difficult than I thought it ws going to be. It requires time, and focus. Sometimes I have the time, but admittedly, focus is not one of my strong suits, outside of normal activities.
So, disaster of multitudes has hit Japan: an earthquake of major proportions, followed by a huge tsunami, and resulting from that a nuclear catastophy the likes of were only imagined in the minds of doomsayers. Who would have thought this much could have hit one nation all at once?
And I guess that would be the natural argument then for Emergency Preparedness, Planning, Testing, Reviewing, Evaluating... need I go on? Still, and I'm constantly amazed by this, North Americans and in particular, Canadians bury their heads in the dirt and profess, "We don't need to plan for extremes like this. This is Canada, nothing like this could ever happen here". Oh, really?
I remember a half decade or so there was a major disruption in the power of the entire eastern continent, that left some without power for a few hours, and other for weeks. And pretty near to that, an ice storm that left Eastern Ontario and most of Quebec without heat and light, nor runing water for many weeks to months.
The point is, we can never tell what nature is going to hurl our way. Where I am, east of Toronto, there isn't much thought of earthquake. And when one comes our way, we barely feel the "large ones" we get at 3 to 3.9 R. We seldom if ever give thought to the St Lawrence Valley Rift Fault on which the "Golden Horseshoe" is situated.We don't really have much in the way of hurricane, but in the 50's a biggie named Hazel took lives through flooding. We say we're not in "tornado alley", yet there has been an increase in tornado activity in Souther Ontario. And I'm sure if I sat here long enough, I could come up with examples of all types of disaster that might strike.
As for the terrorism threats, we've been really fortunate that all that were under planning in the area were discovered and thwarted before they had a chance to be enacted. Good intellegence, or something else, like luck?
The main objection I always hear is "why spend all that money for something that will never be needed?" Never? Really? For those that had plans, for each of the more recent events I mentioned above, they were enacted and response was simple. Municipalities enacted for certain. They managed these crisis' very well, with minimal if any disruption. It can work the same for business too.
Every time an Emergency Plan is enacted, it actually pays for its development. Down time costs money. Any disruption is down time. Minimizing downtime saves money. If an Emergency plan minimizes disruption, it must therefore minimize downtime, thus saving monetary loss, so there is a return on investment. Make sense? It can be through many small events, or realized with one large event, but in the end the cost of preparation is always returned in preventing or minimizing loss.
I'll get to the human factor next time.
Greg Long, President TEN33 Inc.
So, disaster of multitudes has hit Japan: an earthquake of major proportions, followed by a huge tsunami, and resulting from that a nuclear catastophy the likes of were only imagined in the minds of doomsayers. Who would have thought this much could have hit one nation all at once?
And I guess that would be the natural argument then for Emergency Preparedness, Planning, Testing, Reviewing, Evaluating... need I go on? Still, and I'm constantly amazed by this, North Americans and in particular, Canadians bury their heads in the dirt and profess, "We don't need to plan for extremes like this. This is Canada, nothing like this could ever happen here". Oh, really?
I remember a half decade or so there was a major disruption in the power of the entire eastern continent, that left some without power for a few hours, and other for weeks. And pretty near to that, an ice storm that left Eastern Ontario and most of Quebec without heat and light, nor runing water for many weeks to months.
The point is, we can never tell what nature is going to hurl our way. Where I am, east of Toronto, there isn't much thought of earthquake. And when one comes our way, we barely feel the "large ones" we get at 3 to 3.9 R. We seldom if ever give thought to the St Lawrence Valley Rift Fault on which the "Golden Horseshoe" is situated.We don't really have much in the way of hurricane, but in the 50's a biggie named Hazel took lives through flooding. We say we're not in "tornado alley", yet there has been an increase in tornado activity in Souther Ontario. And I'm sure if I sat here long enough, I could come up with examples of all types of disaster that might strike.
As for the terrorism threats, we've been really fortunate that all that were under planning in the area were discovered and thwarted before they had a chance to be enacted. Good intellegence, or something else, like luck?
The main objection I always hear is "why spend all that money for something that will never be needed?" Never? Really? For those that had plans, for each of the more recent events I mentioned above, they were enacted and response was simple. Municipalities enacted for certain. They managed these crisis' very well, with minimal if any disruption. It can work the same for business too.
Every time an Emergency Plan is enacted, it actually pays for its development. Down time costs money. Any disruption is down time. Minimizing downtime saves money. If an Emergency plan minimizes disruption, it must therefore minimize downtime, thus saving monetary loss, so there is a return on investment. Make sense? It can be through many small events, or realized with one large event, but in the end the cost of preparation is always returned in preventing or minimizing loss.
I'll get to the human factor next time.
Greg Long, President TEN33 Inc.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Preparedness In The Home.
This past weekend I helped introduce 200 youth to Emergency and Disaster Preparedness through my volunteer work with Scouts Canada, and Whitby Area Scouts. It was an eye opening experience for most of them, if not a bit on the heady side. But, they all left the weekend camp with a good idea of what they needed to do and what they needed to have when disaster strikes. And, they all came away with their own Home Emergency Plan.
Home Emergency Planning is the direction we need to head in the world today. If you want your family to survive a disaster without injury and only minor inconvenience, then you need to plan. They aren't very expensive, they are easy to do and are easy to follow, test and adjust where needed. They can come as templates for the family to complete, or they are available customized in advance to your address and community. Either way, they have good time investment value, and there may be an argument that they can save on insurance premiums. (the latter I will not guarantee at this time, but I have seen some indicators that this may be so)
My fellow Whitby Cub Scouters and I could not have done this introduction to Emergency Management in the home alone, and we had some fantastic people come and help us from organizations in the Durham Region.
Kathleen Smyth from the Durham Emergency Management Office (DEMO) introduced the youth to putting together a 72 hour preparedness kit. Kathleen dealt with an average of 50 youth in each of 4 sessions, and managed to engage them in a topic often lost on adults.
Shawna Coulter from Whitby Fire services brought us her team to teach the youth fire safety, and had some incredible display teaching props and games.
OVERT, the Ontario Volunteer Emergency Response Team joined us and taught the youth how to keep themselves safe in field and community, and how to be found if they became lost due to disaster, and introduced the youth to Backus the search and rescue dog. Glenn Turpin, Alex Gun and the team taught the Hug a Tree program as well, and ran one of our challenges on the Sunday session.
Others of note who helped us bring the material to the youth, Brian Wick of Custom Printing/Brooklin Bulletin Signs, Pressprint.com, and Nelson Education.
Whitby Scouting, Pack Section wishes to thank each and every person who helped make this camp weekend so special for the youth. They met the challenges of 200 excited youth, and a service team of new members who may not have been the most organized bunch running their first camp experience as a team. These program sponsors had their hands full, came through like champions and we owe them a large debt of gratitude.
I hope the families of the youth in attendance will complete the plans they now have, and test them and review them and make the necessary changes to their plans to make them work and continue to work for their families. They are now ahead of the majority of Canadian families, and I for one would like to see them stay that way.
For everyone else out there: get going on your plans! I'll be happy to help.
Greg Long, TEN33
Home Emergency Planning is the direction we need to head in the world today. If you want your family to survive a disaster without injury and only minor inconvenience, then you need to plan. They aren't very expensive, they are easy to do and are easy to follow, test and adjust where needed. They can come as templates for the family to complete, or they are available customized in advance to your address and community. Either way, they have good time investment value, and there may be an argument that they can save on insurance premiums. (the latter I will not guarantee at this time, but I have seen some indicators that this may be so)
My fellow Whitby Cub Scouters and I could not have done this introduction to Emergency Management in the home alone, and we had some fantastic people come and help us from organizations in the Durham Region.
Kathleen Smyth from the Durham Emergency Management Office (DEMO) introduced the youth to putting together a 72 hour preparedness kit. Kathleen dealt with an average of 50 youth in each of 4 sessions, and managed to engage them in a topic often lost on adults.
Shawna Coulter from Whitby Fire services brought us her team to teach the youth fire safety, and had some incredible display teaching props and games.
OVERT, the Ontario Volunteer Emergency Response Team joined us and taught the youth how to keep themselves safe in field and community, and how to be found if they became lost due to disaster, and introduced the youth to Backus the search and rescue dog. Glenn Turpin, Alex Gun and the team taught the Hug a Tree program as well, and ran one of our challenges on the Sunday session.
Others of note who helped us bring the material to the youth, Brian Wick of Custom Printing/Brooklin Bulletin Signs, Pressprint.com, and Nelson Education.
Whitby Scouting, Pack Section wishes to thank each and every person who helped make this camp weekend so special for the youth. They met the challenges of 200 excited youth, and a service team of new members who may not have been the most organized bunch running their first camp experience as a team. These program sponsors had their hands full, came through like champions and we owe them a large debt of gratitude.
I hope the families of the youth in attendance will complete the plans they now have, and test them and review them and make the necessary changes to their plans to make them work and continue to work for their families. They are now ahead of the majority of Canadian families, and I for one would like to see them stay that way.
For everyone else out there: get going on your plans! I'll be happy to help.
Greg Long, TEN33
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