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BWH is participating in National Preparedness Month with a series of efforts aimed at making sure staff know what to do both at the hospital and at home in an emergency. Making sure your family members are safe and understanding your role at the hospital are interconnected primary priorities.
“If we know our family members and loved ones are safe and the status of our homes, we are far more capable of caring for patients and families and supporting our colleagues during emergencies,” said Barry Wante, BWH’s Emergency Preparedness Program manager.
During National Preparedness Month, BWH reminds staff to develop personal preparedness plans with a home emergency kit and supplies, a family plan with details for communication and child and elder care and an understanding of the kinds of emergencies that may occur. At work, staff should collaborate with one another and their supervisors about their roles, participate in drills and review the hospital’s Crisis Resource Manual, available on BWHPikeNotes.org.
In New England, weather dominates the spectrum of potential emergency situations. It’s almost tradition that blizzards and snow storms wreak havoc with gridlock on city streets and area highways, and hurricanes and tropical storms have been known to travel up the east coast.
“Weather certainly is an issue for us, especially with so many employees living an hour or two away,” Wante added. During the week of Sept. 22, Wante joins preparedness officials from across Partners to conduct a severe weather exercise.
See the September calendar for preparedness events at BWH.