TRAINING ISSUES | Population

The purpose of an active training program designed around your disaster plan is to ensure every staff person and your resident population will react automatically and appropriately in an emergency or disaster situation. The staff must be familiar with the plan, understand their responsibilities within it, and be comfortable in carrying them out.

The best way to ensure staff and resident familiarity with the plan is to include them in its development. During a disaster, critical staff may become victims themselves. Overall understanding and cross-training is a good insurance policy against possible confusion and chaos. Turnover in staff also creates an ongoing need to constantly train staff and residents in disaster planning

One of the best ways to fine-tune staff training is through the use of in-house emergency drills and exercises and through participation in all community disaster drills and exercises. Emergency drills and exercises are an integral part of the preparedness phase of your crisis management program. They provide a mechanism to reveal planning strengths and weaknesses; identify resource shortfalls; improve internal and external coordination, collaboration, and communication; and clarify the roles and responsibilities of your staff during an emergency or disaster. They also provide an excellent opportunity to develop or improve your relationship with your local emergency organizations.