A crisis occurs. Lives are at risk and the clock is ticking. What do you do?
That first minute during an emergency situation is the most important 60 seconds you may ever face. Despite the fear and panic welling up in your stomach, you must take action. The outcome of this emergency will depend on how that first minute is spent. Do you have a plan in place?
It is essential for a business to be fully prepared for any kind of crisis. Here are the three core elements of any emergency action plan that must be completed during the first minute of the incident.
- Inform
The very first thing you should do is inform all personnel of the situation. You have very little time, so you can only do this in so many words. Therefore, the best way to pass along vital information is through a mass text notification system. This type of emergency alert system communicates concise information quickly and efficiently, and can be set up so that pertinent information gets sent to the right groups of people. Because most people carry their phones on them at all time, a mass text will be delivered and opened with enough time left over for recipients to take proper action. - Mobilize
Within the first minute you must also facilitate the mobilization of resources. This means requesting backup by law enforcement, emergency medical providers, and other first responders. When lives are in danger, every second counts, so it is essential that life-saving resources are available as soon as possible. - Unify
Finally, you must contact your crisis communications team as soon as possible. This is another opportunity to take advantage of your mass notification systems. Schedule a meeting session so that you can plan your next steps in containing the crisis.
Fortunately, we do have available to us new technology that can initiate crisis management in just one step. Emergency alerts, resource outreach, and crisis communication can all happen within seconds as long as you utilize your emergency software correctly.
In order for this to work, you need to spend time establishing your emergency response plan far in advance so that you are fully prepared when a crisis does arise. Discussing your first actions and planning out that first minute is essential to maintaining the wellbeing of your people and the safety of your workplace.
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