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Emergency Safety Procedures

There are several things that you can do in the event of an emergency to help keep yourself and others safe. Some of these procedures involve having an evacuation plan in place, knowing how to properly administer CPR, and safe places to wait out an earthquake or tornado. These procedures should be outlined in handouts at your work place or available publicly through your community emergency services.

  1. Evacuation Plans

    • Whether in your home or your office, it is important to have an emergency evacuation plan in place to help ensure that everyone escapes safely in case of a flood, fire, or other type of emergency. Draw a floorplan of the building and outline the best escape routes from each room or area. Go over the evacuation plan with your co-workers or family to make sure that everyone knows how to leave safely and where to meet up outside of the building.

    Emergency Medical Procedures

    • There are a few emergency medical procedures that can be utilized by anyone in case of an emergency. This involves CPR, the Heimlich Maneuver, or how to use a scarf, belt, or other material to as a temporary tourniquet for someone who is bleeding heavily. All of these things can be done by anyone who happens to be nearby when the emergency occurs and can help to save someone's life. Anyone wishing to become well-versed in emergency medical procedures may attend group CPR and emergency procedure training that is offered through community groups throughout the year for the public.

    Tornados and Earthquakes

    • There are some natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes for which it is better to stay indoors than go outside. Just like with an evacuation plan, you should also have a plan in place to help everyone in your home or workplace stay safe indoors during one of these disasters. Draw a diagram of the interior of the building and highlight the areas where there are no windows or doors where you would be safest during a hurricane or tornado. Also identify doorways and sturdy furniture that can provide shelter during an earthquake. Run drills to make sure that everyone knows how to react in case of an emergency.

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