Miss Wanie’s BCT Diary.: Fire Drill

People should never be notified when a fire drill will happen. This should be an absolute requirement everywhere. On real emergencies my co-workers’ first question is: “Was there a drill planned?” before getting to the nearest exit. This WILL (if it has not already) cost lives.

Last time we had a fire drill training at my office Menara TM. Unfortunately, most people don't take fire drill training too seriously. Ask someone who has been in a fire…or trapped in a burning building how important it is to have fire drills….realizing that you can't ask the dead.

We develop crisis plans for a living, and train employees in them in stages from awareness to running realistic tests. The value of such training is not just to reduce the stress factor of a *real* emergency takes place (less stress means fewer mistakes), but also to identify issues and opportunities to further improve. The assumption that any plan is perfect is the most lethal mistake to make, and that will show itself to be a mistake at the worst possible moment..

We have come across big name companies that pass themselves off as crisis planners. Here is a tip: if you have more than 9 scenarios in your crisis planning you have a problem – you will have something that is inflexible, unrealistic, impossible to exercise and that can get people killed. Please start again..

It is much better to get used to the motions and experience of what you are going to do in a drill and use your imagination to anticipate how you would feel to help yourself not panic in a real emergency. Note: these are professionals and the memo makes it clear that everyone is to participate. I would expect them to react properly when the alarm goes for real – especially since it would not be pre-announced.

Here attach picture taken during Fire Drill Training