How to handle emergencies

On a daily basis, a firefighter will spend a lot of time doing anything but handling emergencies. They’re doing things like:

• Undergoing training and education

• Exercising to stay fit

• Maintaining vehicles and gear

• Performing inspections, installing smoke detectors, and educating the public on fire prevention

In short, they’re doing what they can to prevent the emergencies, and to be ready for them when they come — because they will come. That’s when the firefighting happens.

You’re probably not a firefighter, but…

Emergencies will appear. Deadlines will press. Personnel will change. Surprises will happen.

And like that firefighter, you do have options to be ready (or not so ready).

If you’ve
kept your staff well trained,
and worked your routines to stay sharp,
and maintained your systems and tools,
and established monitoring systems to alert you before a problem gets out of hand,
then you’re well set to handle the pressures that will come.

Because they will come.

When they come is not up to you. But how you prepare is.

The best way to handle an emergency is to be as ready as possible before it happens. And that’s something you can control.

All the best,
A.