Here's how you can enhance emergency evacuation procedures through creative thinking.

Down 'n Dirty points: Regardless of your physical workplace; Hospital, Movie theatre, School, Bar, Retail Store Etc., the leadership needs to ensure that EVERY employee is trained in the various scenarios (fire, active shooter, tornado) and that EVERY employee is willing to become a Evac Leader. Procedures must be written and trained on to be understood. Practical Ap training MUST take place and be evaluated for preparedness. PLEASE remember that you cannot prepare for every scenario because regardless of what is written, it's the SITUATION that always dictates. Stay flexible and do one's best to answer the threat with clear thinking and teamwork.

First of all, assess risks and be the first to add your personal experience. Plan diversely and again, incorporate your personal experience. Simulate scenarios to prepare for various possibilities. Enhance communication to ensure clear and effective information exchange. Involve the community to foster collective efforts. Regularly review plans and procedures. Additionally, consider other relevant factors to ensure comprehensive preparedness.

Avaliar os riscos é a base para todo planejamento de emergências. é a fonte de conhecimento para definição de recursos, montar estratégias prévias e direcionar simulados para os cenários mais críticos e os mas prováveis. Bons estudos de riscos representa elevar a possibilidade de sucesso em uma resposta a emergências, portanto não se enganem, invistam em estudos de riscos robustos para definição de seus cenários.

Key to an effective Emergency Response Plan (ERP) is a detailed risk assessment followed by proper identification of Scenarios as a result of your risk assessment. From Scenarios, you develop your response tactics to act and respond accordingly. Many companies, come up with scenarios depending on their current operations but don't do a proper risk assessment to validate these scenario.

For me, enhancing emergency evacuation procedures through creative thinking can involve several strategies, such as implementing realistic scenario-based drills, utilizing advanced technology like AI-driven monitoring systems and mobile apps, engaging the community in planning and training, developing multilingual communication materials, and using clear visual aids and signage. These approaches can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency evacuations.

Cuando planificamos debemos tener en mente todos los escenarios posibles tomando en cuenta las necesidades de todos los usuarios (adultos, niños, personas con discapacidad, adultos mayores) Durante la respuesta a una emergencia nada es más frustrante y complejo que tener que tomar decisiones al momento sobre elementos que, previamente, debimos tomar en cuenta durante la fase de análisis de riesgos.

O planejamento de evacuações podem ser divididos entre o público interno da planta e comunidades de interesse no entorno da planta, de forma que as ações, os estudos e utilização de estratégias diversas são bem diferentes. Evacuação interna de uma planta é algo mais cartesiano em sua forma de planejar e treinar os trabalhadores, já a evacuação de comunidades envolve pesquisa de opções, escuta ativa de moradores para entender as reais possibilidades e chances de sucesso e principalmente os simulados envolvendo lideranças da comunidade para estimulá-la a participação e valorização dos exercícios.

I completely agree. Diversity in evacuation planning is crucial for accommodating different scenarios and individual needs. By considering various types of emergencies and creating flexible plans, we can better ensure everyone's safety. It's essential to think about how to evacuate individuals with disabilities and leverage technology to guide people to safety. Collaborative brainstorming sessions are invaluable for generating unconventional ideas. Often, the most creative solutions emerge from combining elements from different plans or industries outside our own.

Bien sûr, prendre en compte toutes les situations est crucial, par contre le déroulement des solutions proposées aux divers scénarios doit absolument garder la même structure! Pour que les différentes forces d'intervention puissent collaborer entre elles de manière efficace même si elles ne se connaissent pas ou viennent d'ailleurs, il faut absolument que la systématique soit la même à chaque fois. De même, pour les personnes évacuées, si le principe d'évacuation est le même à travers tout le pays, elles pourront plus facilement anticiper et se conformer aux recommandations.

Planning diversely for emergency evacuation enhances creativity by integrating various perspectives and experiences. This approach uncovers unique solutions, addresses diverse needs, and improves overall effectiveness. It ensures everyone’s safety, as different viewpoints reveal potential gaps and challenges, leading to more comprehensive and adaptable plans.

“This is my rifle, this is my gun / One is for fighting, one is for fun” Train as if your life or someone else's depends on it, BECAUSE IT DOES.

Simulating different emergency scenarios is an absolute must. This helps us validate the effectiveness of our procedures in place and also provides us with a gap analysis. The exercises not only help us but also the surrounding communities. Emergency response drills and Business continuity management drills are two extremely important exercises wherein we should try to maximise our creative thinking by allowing participation from all functions/departments. This would not only enhance the overall knowledge but also positively impact the attitude of participants.

Nowadays, the best way to be creative about evacuation routes is to use AI, LIDAR or LIFESIM. We are currently using LIFESIM in Maui for Lahaina town recovery. Being creative about evac is really about utilizing the topography. And there should be more than one AC route for consideration. In the last five years I've only seen one full scale exercise that involved evacuation which occurred in the southwest for a major disaster event. Thousands of cars and only one route utilized. Using creative technology is a first step but if you don't practice your evac route scenarios, it may cost thousands of lives. Paradise didn't practice their routes. Lahaina did not have the opportunity either. Large scale exercises are difficult but necessary.

¿Cuántas veces has estado en un incendio y has sobrevivido para contarlo? ¿o en un incidente aéreo y puedes revivir hoy la experiencia? Exacto..., la mayoría de los escenarios adversos ocurren de manera esporádica y la mayoría de las personas no están familiarizados con ellos y por ende, la respuesta muchas veces no es la adecuada. Planificar y simular todos los escenarios posibles que deriven del análisis de riesgos es esencial para que los usuarios puedan actuar de la mejor manera sin caer en pánico. Todo simulacro es mejorable y la experiencia llevará a la organización a poder implementar las medidas más seguras y efectivas durante la respuesta a una emergencia.

Absolutely! Simulating different emergency scenarios is key to testing our evacuation strategies. Through drills and exercises, we can see what works and identify areas for improvement. Encouraging participants to think creatively and provide feedback during these simulations refines our procedures and fosters a culture of innovation and preparedness. This hands-on approach has proven invaluable in my experience.

Communication is critical in any incident management and is usually the first thing to fail because we have become indoctrinated into electronics. When severe storms hit or the power goes out for an extended time electronics tend to fail us. Whether they are radios or cell phones. They all depend on some sort of infrastructure that can be damaged. In our schools we developed a color coded card for the teachers to poses. One red and one green. They keep these cards attached to their ID lanyards. When there is a fire drill or evac. they hold up the "green" card to inform all of their students are present or "red" if missing. Public safety personnel can quickly observe these cards upon arrival from the staff outside. Works every time.

La comunicación es un principio básico durante una emergencia. Ya sea que te apoyes de un sistema de radiocomunicación (lo más efectivo) o de alguna plataforma, el procedo de intercambio de información debe ser claro y conciso (sin uso de nemotécnicas o claves) En el caso de instituciones que operen con personas de diferentes culturas, los símbolos deben ser lo más universales posibles y deben ser previamente comunicados a todas y todos los usuarios. Los procesos de comunicación establecidos también deben ser practicados constantemente durante los ejercicios de simulacro.

Effective communication is essential because it ensures everyone understands the plan, knows their role, and can respond quickly. Clear instructions reduce confusion, minimize panic, and help coordinate efforts, making evacuations faster and safer for everyone involved.

communication via survey, trainings, HSE tips, notices etc. are important. it's important that we should not force anything, we should try to create a culture where everyone thinks that their re responsible for safety at their organization

O envolvimento da comunidade é essencial para uma boa resposta. As comunidades devem ser chamadas a participar de etapas de planejamento e devem ser ouvidas ativamente para trazerem suas experiências e o potencial de colaboração que podem contribuir. É muito importante o engajamento prévio com a comunidade para que o apoio mútuo possa se dar de forma efetiva em uma emergência real.

I believe having a strong relationship with your county Emergency Management Agency (EMA/Civil Defense) makes a huge impact on involving the community as they are coordinated with other organizations that have Emergency Management operations throughout the community.

Regularly reviewing evacuation procedures helps identify weaknesses, improves efficiency, and adapts to new challenges. Creative thinking during reviews can introduce innovative solutions, enhance safety, and ensure everyone is prepared for emergencies. This proactive approach saves lives and minimizes risks.

Pour l'évacuation d'un bâtiment, la revue régulière des procédures d'évacuation semble si simple à planifier... on la rentre dans un cadencier, son agenda ou autre système numérique et on reprendra le dossier lorsqu'il nous le rappellera... Oui mais, que faire des imprévus, des changements d'environnement autour de la structure comme une nouvelle route, un nouveau bâtiment ou pire encore un projet immobilier dans la structure elle-même! Ainsi, ce point requière avant tout une culture de la gestion du risque afin que toutes les parties prenantes de l'entreprise évaluent constamment la question de savoir si leurs propres activités pourraient avoir une influence négative (ou positive) sur le concept d'évacuation.

In my experience, you want to have the local school bus companies involved with evacuation situations. The ones that require medical assistance will be transported by medical transportation or ambulances.