What happens during a disaster when the infrastructure fails or gets overwhelmed? This might happen as the cops are trying to keep the public from wreaking havoc while simultaneously keeping the roads open so people can get out and emergency services can get in. Meanwhile, the firemen are trying to take care of fires and rescue people. The EMS personnel are trying to take people to the hospital and they’re all overwhelmed, as the system cannot handle a systemic emergency.
The fire department conducts what are called windshield surveys. During a major incident, they work from a list of places. The department sends units to review and evaluate all of the bridges — major routes in their area — including hospitals, convalescent hospitals, and large life safety places, all of which have a large loss of life potential. If you are a small business with a few hundred people, you’re not necessarily in that realm.
First responders are going to prioritize the places with the largest number of at-risk people. Therefore, if you have a smaller number of people and not that many are hurt or in critical condition, they may not necessarily get to you right away. They may get to you eventually, but they may not do it right away. It is for this reason that a proper emergency response plan is crucial. Not sure where to start? BERT can help formulate a plan specific to you and your business; simply contact us for a free consultation today.
