One of the most important role of Facility management is the protection of people in the managed facility. Talking about protection of people, it is also an equally important responsibility of us, as people, to be aware of our safe entry and exits along with assembly points and first aid stations not only in office premises but also in residential buildings where we stay.
So in line with this let me ask a few emergency related questions to introspect ourselves. Did you ever take part in a fire drill ? Do you know where is your nearest fire exit? Do you know where the assembly point is near your office or your residential apartment? Have you ever walked down the emergency stairs, at least once, to acquaint yourself with the surroundings? Do you know who is your fire warden and do you have first aid in your office? Are you aware of the local emergency contact numbers ?
I am sure most of us are well aware of the answers to the above, but sometimes, these are some of the critical questions which we tend to ignore as we are focused more on sales, business targets and the day to day routines and simply ignore the basic life safety checks which can help us save ourselves and others around who need help in case of emergencies. Thankfully, we have the best emergency services in this country and in my experience they have been so good and pro active in every critical situation. However, i believe, we as people can contribute and support them by doing our part in following rules and regulations in place for us and especially highlight situations which needs improvement, be it your workplace or your residential buildings, instead of ignoring them and leaving it for others.
Today, let us take this opportunity to identify our emergency procedures, safety exits and assembly points and remind ourselves the emergency contact information as part of our due diligence and preparedness for safety purposes, which can help us save ourselves, our family and loved ones and all others around us.
Remember…..Safety is everyone’s responsibility!
