Raise Awareness in Your Organization this National Preparedness Month (+ Infographic)

Workplace safety is a top priority - and this requires preparation. National Preparedness Month, which occurs each September, is a great time to remind your employees of emergency information and best practices. Here, we provide an overview of National Preparedness Month and share a variety of resources that you can use to promote risk awareness, preparedness, and prevention in your organization this September.

We also offer a free Health Infographic, which presents informative statistics and helpful tips to support wellness and prevent the spread of illness in your workplace.

Download Workplace Health Infographic

National Preparedness Month

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is an annual, FEMA-sponsored initiative that raises awareness and encourages Americans to prepare for disasters or emergencies. It is observed by government entities and public and private health institutions in both the United States and many international regions. This year, the theme of the month is "Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love."

​​Each week of National Preparedness Month has a different focus. This year, the weekly breakdown is as follows:

• Week 1: Make A Plan
• Week 2: Build a Kit
• Week 3: Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness
• Week 4: Raise Awareness About Preparedness

This blog will discuss each of these topics and provide accompanying resources that can help your organization and employees prepare for both expected and unexpected disasters.

Week 1: Make a Plan

Preparedness requires a plan. This includes educating your workforce about common risks, considering relevant guidance (ex: OSHA regulations and CDC recommendations), developing emergency response and evacuation procedures, and implementing an effective communication plan that can be used before, during, and after a disaster.

Relevant Vector Solutions Resources Include:

• Blog: OSHA's 11-Point Return-to-Work Guidance
• Blog: What Should be Included in an Emergency Action Plan?
• Blog: The Delta Variant & Return-to-Work Safety
• Guide: COVID Prevention Return-to-Work Checklist
• Guide: Community-Sourced Risk Intelligence: Its Role and Value at Work

Week 2: Build a Kit

Preparedness kits can help you save precious seconds in a disaster. Depending on the nature of the risk and your organization's needs, these kits may include food and water, First Aid supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and more. As you develop your emergency management kits, be sure to reference Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and consider the results of your organizational risk assessments. You may also want to create a "digital kit" of smartphone-accessible resources, such as policies and training information.

Relevant Vector Solutions Resources Include:

• Blog: How to Prepare an Incident Investigation Kit
• Blog: 5 Ways to Use LiveSafe on a Worksite
• Blog: 6 Ways to Use LiveSafe in the Workplace
• Use Case: Military Academy: Custom Coronavirus Card
• Use Case: Utility Company: Resources

Week 3: Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness

Risk awareness is low-cost and critical component of limiting the impact of disasters. Train your workforce about common emergencies in your organization's industry and geographic location, whether it be severe weather or natural disasters, equipment malfunctions, work-related injury, or other risks. Consider improving your physical security measures and ensure that safety resources are easily accessible.

Relevant Vector Solutions Resources Include:

• Blog: Using Mobile Tools to Stay Safe During Hurricanes & Tropical Storms (+ Infographic)
• Blog: The Delta Variant & Return-to-Work Safety
• Use Case: Dominion Energy: Heat Safety
• Use Case: Addressing Potential Road Collapse

Week 4: Raise Awareness About Preparedness

Education is the cornerstone of preparedness. To raise awareness in the workplace, incorporate risk information and response guidance into your employee onboarding or recurrent training plans; develop and share preparedness resources such as severe weather response guidance, risk assessment checklists, and evacuation procedures; and ensure that employees know how to access relevant policies and communicate with health and safety teams if and when disaster strikes.

Relevant Vector Solutions Resources Include:

• Free Video Resources: Vector Cares Resource Center
• Blog: Understanding Suspicious Activity
• Blog: Using Vector LiveSafe for Dynamic Risk Assessments
• Guide: Lone Worker Safety: Risk, Considerations & Solutions

Promote Preparedness with Risk Management and Incident Prevention Solutions

National Preparedness Month is a valuable time to review and communicate health and safety risks and emergency response best practices in your organization. In addition to reviewing the resources shared in this blog, it can also be helpful to deploy a mobile risk intelligence communications platform, EHS management software, and online safety training.

Vector Solutions offers a flexible solution set to address each of these components of safety. Notable Vector product offerings include:

• Vector LiveSafe, a mobile risk management tool that includes emergency mass notification system (EMNS) capability, two-way safety communication, anonymous tip reporting, configurable safety resources, and more. 
• Vector EHS Management, which connects all components of safety data into one easy-to-use platform with effective incident reporting, mobile inspections, safety metrics and reports, and more.
• Vector Learning Management System (LMS) & Training Management, a solution that provides one place for all of your training needs - from assigning courses and tracking completion, to monitoring license and credential requirements, to identifying employee skill gaps.

With Vector Solutions, you can effectively promote risk awareness and response within your organization during National Preparedness Month - and every other month of the year.

This National Preparedness Month, the spread of COVID-19 is a concern for many organizations. To help, we have created a customizable Workplace Health Infographic that can be shared with employees to promote workplace health and prevent the spread of illness.

ALEXANDRA BRUNJES

Alexandra Brunjes has a B.S. in Neurobiology from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. with minors in Creative Writing and French. She is a published journalist and experienced health and science writer. Her expertise includes risk intelligence, healthcare and neuroscience, and technology.