Training for disaster planning & Management

Disaster planning has been accepted as an essential emergency preparedness program by all the institutions, taking cue from the recent disasters the world has witnessed. The complex disaster planning strategy includes discussions, meticulous surveys, prioritizations, mapping of risks and resources, among the various other steps that precedes the preparation of the document.

The need for the training

Disaster planning among other things also includes training of the entire work force of the organizations to meet any unexpected challenges. However efficiently you may prepare the plan, device your strategy, hire the service of the disaster professionals and the conservators, in order to be successful the disaster plan need to be percolated among the various hierarchies of staff. The success of the disaster management depends mainly on the co-ordination, co-operation, and collective effort of one and all in the organization. While during the preparation stage of the disaster planning and preparedness program you may take into your fold the potential few who can contribute to the strategy and planning, the implementation of the same cannot be confined to those few. A disaster planning team can be representative but a disaster management team cannot be selective since no one ever knows who can help whom in the hour of need. Though the level of understanding and the perception to the whole strategy may vary among various staff, as a successful organization the corporate management has to evolve comprehensive training program for each of its employees.

Training needs assessment

While chalking out a comprehensive training schedule in disaster planning for the staff, the first and foremost step needs to be the T.N.A. or the Training Need Assessment. This needs to be done by making a comprehensive preliminary survey among the staff to assess the awareness about the various aspects of the disaster planning and also knowledge gap among the various cadres of staff. The training cannot be common for all type of staff since the input required for the decision makers and those who would be involve in the normal physical management of the men and materials differ.

Training material and schedule

Having assessed the training need and the input required for various levels of staff, the organization has to prepare the training material for each module of training in disaster planning separately. The training has to be conducted by the experts and the experienced in the respective field, since besides mere theoretical input the faculty needs to give more practical tips to the trainees. While there cannot be any hard and fast rule with regard to the syllabus and content of the program it need to cover all the aspect of the program right from the perceived threats and causes, suggested measures to reduce the losses, resource mapping and finally to the preparedness for the inevitable.

Practical training

During a recent training programmed of this kind, the security chief of the organization enquired the staff about the emergency exit of the building. The answer not only surprised the trainer but also the trainees! Out of the 30 participants in that program hardly four people could answer the question correctly. Imagine the height of ignorance! This is not an isolated case and many of us do not give much attention to matters that we feel not important. If somebody enquires about the shades of paint used in the next building to the right side of your apartment could you be able to answer it correctly? Mostly No. The practical training, drills and mock tests make the staff and the work force familiar with the escape routes and emergency exits and valuable time can be saved in the process.

Trainings on disaster planning and management need to be followed by individual feed back system, and periodical mock drills and tests ,to help maintain the tempo and the reflex of the people in case of an emergency.