American Red Cross Readies Businesses For Disaster

American Red Cross
Thursday, 4 December 2003

Preparedness movement goes to the workplace to keep companies, customers and workers on track in case of disaster

Continuing its effort to create an overall culture of preparedness, the American Red Cross rolled out the next phase of its Together We Prepar initiative, Together We Prepare - Workplaces. The new program enhances the current Red Cross workplace safety portfolio and provides lifesaving training, information and products that employees can use anywhere.

Together We Prepare - Workplaces comes at a time when many U.S. workers find themselves unprepared for emergencies in the workplace. Sixty-two percent of respondents in an August 2003 American Red Cross poll were "not confident," "didn't know" or were "neutral" on the question of being prepared at work. "Being prepared for disaster is no longer an option; it is a must," points out Scott Conner, Vice President of Preparedness for the American Red Cross. "The American Red Cross aims to make sure that when disaster strikes—where we work, live and learn—that business, schools and homes are ready."

The Red Cross launched Together We Prepare in February 2003 to help Americans prepare for emerging threats and disasters before they happen. The program challenges Americans to take five proactive steps: (1) make a plan; (2) build a kit; (3) get trained; (4) volunteer; and (5) give blood to help make their families and neighborhoods safer. Together We Prepare - Schools and Together We Prepare -Workplaces highlight and raise awareness on the importance of emergency planning for different environments.

Traditional Red Cross disaster education coupled with health and safety training makes up the Together We Prepare-Workplaces module. At the core is First Aid and Preparedness, a 90-minute non-certified presentation that outlines steps employees can take for any type of emergency or disaster. "Unless there is an OSHA requirement, some employers may not see the value in this training," states Conner. "But the fact is emergencies are not limited to just OSHA-regulated environments so there is tremendous value in having as many people trained as possible. And that increases the pool of trained lay responders for emergencies that happen everywhere, which makes us all a little safer. A prepared environment is a safer environment."

Together We Prepare -Workplaces also includes a line of products that help workplaces get prepared:

• First Aid and Emergency Preparedness: A Quick Reference – a compact, durable, color-coded spiral bound chart designed to guide lay responders through first aid steps in emergency situations. Ideal for first aid kits and common areas.
• First Aid and Preparedness booklet – accompanying guide for course and provides information for follow-up review.
• Safety Tube – a personal emergency kit that conviently can be attached to any surfaces like desks or workstations. Contents include a water pouch, dust mask, whistle and a six-hour light stick. "This has been an extremely popular item because it helps to mitigate some of the fear or anxiety that comes with not being prepared," Conner said.
• Disaster Supplies Kit – kit offers single source of items suitable for one person for one day. Contents include flashlight with extra batteries, portable radio, water, first aid supplies, dust mask, goggles, work gloves, sanitary and personal supplies, rain poncho, space blanket and whistle. Larger kits are also available.
• Guide to Business Continuity Planning CD-ROM – offers comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on addressing life safety issues, minimizing interruptions, transitioning back to normal operations, working with public and private agencies and formalizing the disaster plan. "While many businesses have insurance in place to protect against disasters, many fail to remember that most insurance won't cover the cost of downtime," Conner points out. "The wildfires, blackout and Hurricane Isabel with their destruction and disruption are reminders of how vulnerable businesses are to disasters."

Products are available as part of the overall Together We Prepare – Workplaces program or can be purchased separately. Businesses interested in implementing Together We Prepare - Workplaces should contact their local American Red Cross chapter. For more information on Together We Prepare – Workplaces, visit http://www.redcross.org/prepare.

Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 1,000 field units dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Led by 1.2 million volunteers and 30,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 67,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and exchanges more than a million emergency messages for U.S. military service personnel and their families. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide.

For more information, or to contact American Red Cross, see their website at: www.redcross.org