Why You Should Take Emergency Preparedness Courses

There’s an old adage that says an ounce of prevention is better than cure. This statement may sound passé to you but it remains true to this day.

Emergency preparedness is one good example. During times of emergency, the only thing that could save you is probably your survival awareness. Emergency preparedness however does not start and end with just knowing what to do and what to expect. Being properly prepared entails proper skills training and knowledge enhancement.

Let’s take a look at why effective emergency preparedness courses are taken.

Emergency preparedness courses are usually taken by people who are working in the emergency response sector. This includes the fire department, paramedics, police, hospital crew and non-government emergency units such as the American Red Cross. But preparedness is not only for these groups of people. It can also be taken by ordinary employees of different organizations such as educational institutions, business entities and even churches.

Emergency preparedness courses cover all the basic aspects of emergency response. You might find in your area a CERT team that provides excellent preparedness skills. These basics include: quick departure packs, personal resources, teamwork skills, cultural skills, language skills, communication skills, specialists and their skills, first aid, triage and CPR, mental and physical preparedness and the anatomical areas of emergencies.

As you may have noticed most of the basic aspects covered in the emergency preparedness course are all skill based. This is because in emergency response, a knowledgeable responder must give proper attention to both the affected persons and the emergency situation. It may take a handful of experiences to master this art of emergency awareness, but with thorough training, an ordinary member of an organization can become well-equipped in handling crisis.

Communication skills of an emergency responder must also be trained to meet the needs of the affected members. Survival skills such as CPR and first aid may be petty, but they are indispensable skills.

Every organization, may it be in school, church, business, non-profit, must have a predefined emergency plan and an emergency response team. In the case of schools, the job of protecting, dealing and assisting members during an emergency are not left to the security personnel only, the teachers and even the administrative staff can be part of an emergency response team. To be able to enroll your team into an emergency preparedness course, contact your local emergency agency, Red Cross, or CERT regarding the details on how to conduct, host or register for an emergency preparedness training.