Pat Ingelse
This summer, a wildfire in Colorado made its mark as that state’s most destructive on record.
When you look outside and see patches of barren landscaping, can you remember the last time we had a good soaking rain? The chance of fires starting and quickly spreading is high here as well.
Although we have been more fortunate than people in Colorado, we would be remiss not to take this opportunity to think about the lessons we all should heed related to the dangers of natural disasters.
- North Shore Bank has a Business Continuity Plan, but its existence doesn’t mean that we all are protected from every unsafe condition. We have a number of safety policies in place, but those in and of themselves do not make us safe. The assurance that everyone is safe is higher when every employee knows evacuation procedures and how to respond in a variety of emergency situations. Business Continuity is a guideline, but we as employees share responsibility for safety.
- Preparedness is the best policy. In what we hope is a slim chance that a safety incident would occur, does your department or family feel confident in how to respond? Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? Does your family know where to meet? Take practice seriously. It keeps you sharp and creates a chance to review procedures and to make changes where needed.
- Safety should always be a concern, whether it is at work, at home or at play. Maybe nature was to blame for some of the Colorado fires, but maybe it was a careless camper. Safety needs to be a priority, no matter what or when. Give some thought to your own practices at home and at work. Make improvements when you see an opportunity. Revisit that scenario in a month to see if the risk still exists.
Keep reviewing. Keep practicing. Keep safe.