Are people in your building prepared for anything and everything?

At RJWestmore Inc., we take great pains to make sure our clients and friends understand the importance of being prepared for dealing with and recovering from emergencies of every type. Today, we would like to focus on how to actively cultivate a culture of preparedness.

According to Dictonary.com, the definition of culture is: the development or improvement of the mind by education or training. I once took a class they called K9 training at the police academy. But, as a Dalmatian, I didn’t do as well as my German shepherd pals. It’s the main reason I went into firefighting.

Admittedly, it will take work to purposely develop a culture of preparedness in the workplace, at home or in the doghouse. But taking steps to BE SAFE is well worth the effort. There’s a marked difference between an organization that participates in planning and one that has planning woven into its very fabric.

Qualities of an Environment that Foster a Culture of Preparedness:

1. Deliberate—instead of a byproduct of occasional emergency preparedness efforts, organizations that have effectively cultivated a culture of preparedness have done so intentionally instead of by accident. When it comes to accidents, our puppy, JR, leads the pack. Since this type of program requires organizational buy-in, it should be adopted and sanctioned by members of your company’s C-suite.
2. Consistent—although the topic of preparedness frequently make an appearance at annual corporate training seminars, disaster readiness manuals all too often gather dust between educational round tables. If you want people to embrace emergency preparedness, they need to believe that doing so is important all year long.
3. Active—practice makes perfect. The more familiar your employees and tenants are with disaster preparedness procedures, the better. To improve preparedness performance, run drills several times a year instead of just once. I love the drills we do at the firehouse. Firefighting is in my blood.
4. Compelling—unless people understand the risks associated with being ill-prepared, they won’t appreciate the importance of being prepared. Although scare tactics are ill-advised, information sharing should include stories of individuals and organizations that have paid a price for their lack of preparation.
5. Multi-pronged—effective disaster preparedness and recovery plans cover all of the bases. Consider the scope of disasters that have struck the world over the past 12 months. It’s no longer easy to anticipate which storms or terrorist attacks will hit any given geographical location. So disaster plans should include strategies for fending off and/or responding to attacks as well as natural and manmade disasters.
6. Reflective—your program should allow for review of drills and training exercises. Reviewing will help foster new insights and interactive learning. Speaking of reviewing, need I mention how important it is to include pork chops in your weekly shopping list?
7. Inherent—it is more important that people master the ability to problem solve than that they be able to predict the future. To foster effective problem-solving, provide access to exercises that strengthen the skill.
8. Intuitive—people should be on their guard, ready to assess any given situation for potential emergencies. Only those who constantly scan their environment notice and anticipate hidden threats. That’s where my sniffer comes in. It helps me anticipate threats of many kinds.
9. Real—according to Liisa Valikangas, professor of innovation management at the Helsinki School of Economics, “one of the human cognitive factors that complicates our ability to take resilient action is confusion between frequencies and probabilities.” I don’t know what that means. But it makes me glad I’m not human.

People tend to discount the probability of personally encountering a catastrophe. And this tendency results in a reluctance to give due diligence to emergency preparation. Organizations that have successfully created a culture of preparedness understand this affinity and combat it by facing it head on. Communicate openly and honestly to make sure safety remains front of mind.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.5 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information.

A hot topic among property owners and managers is “going green.” But what does that phrase really mean? Is Kermit the Frog’s song: It’s not easy being green about saving the planet? I’ve always wondered. How can you achieve the goal of practicing energy-efficient standards to protect and improve the environment? And can you “go green” without breaking the bank?

As a proud member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), we at RJWestmore are committed to sustainability. So we would like to offer a few explanations and suggestions for property managers and building owners to help sort through all of the hype.

• What does that phrase “going green” really mean? Is it anything like “seeing red?”

The folks at Earth Care say “going green” means using various alternatives to help save energy and the environment. This is a very broad definition because the practice of energy conservation and environmental protection is evolving. At first, just the invention of a few crazy hippies in the 1970s, the environmental movement is now big business. I have a few hippie K9 friends who rebel against conventions like dog collars and eating out of bowls. I’m more of a traditionalist myself…as long as someone is willing to fill the bowl, I’m in.

Consider a recent story in The New York Times, which compared government subsidies to the gold rush, since developers of large-scale clean-energy projects are encouraged to cash in on stimulus spending by adopting green practices. The article discussed a ranch in San Louis Obispo wherein one million solar panels will provide enough power for 100,000 homes, at a cost of $1.6 billion. But subsidies are not limited to large corporations. Even homeowners can benefit from tax incentives like rebates for solar window installation and energy efficient appliances. I wonder if I should have solar panels installed in the doghouse.

• How can you achieve the goal of practicing energy-efficient standards to protect and improve the environment?

What would it take for the Average Joe to convert his own business and/or property to a facility that is energy efficient? Start small. Wherever you are on your sustainability journey, many options are available for improving performance. You needn’t hire a contractor to rip out all of your walls, ceilings and floors and replace the roof, lighting and parking structure all at once. Instead, find a sustainability consultant and ask what you can conservatively do to reduce your property’s carbon footprint. And while you’re at it, find out how to reduce your puppy’s paw prints. It wouldn’t hurt to ask.

• Is it possible to “go green” without breaking the bank?

The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. And so it goes with going green. Simple things like starting a recycling program or switching from plastic plates in the cafeteria to eco-friendly products will effectively help save the planet. Many such actions and products are so simple and affordable; you’ll wonder why you didn’t use them all along.

One of the best ways to get going in the right direction is to join existing groups that promote earth-friendly construction. The US Green Building Council is one such organization, which is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. The council’s community of leaders is working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation through programs such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), which is redefining the way people think about the places where we live, work and learn. The only lead-generation I need is the scent of bacon and I’ll be on the trail.

An internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED is a system which provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green-building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. What’s more, the LEED system is set up to evaluate new construction, existing buildings including operations and maintenance, commercial interiors, cores and shells, doghouses, schools, retail, healthcare, homes and neighborhood development. If you own or manage a facility that would benefit from a LEED-rating evaluation, contact the USGBC today.

When disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.5 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information.

Is your security protocol in place to protect against tailgators?

As the NFL football playoff season enters a fever pitch, you might consider hosting a tailgate party before heading into the stadium for the big game. And I definitely suggest doing so. First things first…stock up on beef jerky. But tailgating of an entirely different sort may be putting your property at risk. Even if the security team at your building has things well in hand with turnstiles, documented access, PIN numbers or visitor badges, the practice of quickly slipping in behind someone who has passed through screening is called tailgating and is a very common technique for breaching building security. Is your building at risk?

The threat might start out innocently enough—with an employee opening a door and thoughtfully holding it open for others, or security personnel naively trusting and allowing entry of uniformed workers who are carrying heavy packages. But these seemingly common courtesies could put your company in harm’s way. So the way to protect your property is to develop, adopt and stringently adhere to anti-tailgating strategies. Or you could always hire a guard dog, which is my personal recommendation.

At RJWestmore, we have come up with some simple suggestions for preventing tailgaters, built on the acronym “STOP TAILGATERS.”

Security First—the first step to prevent unauthorized entry to your building is to proactively develop a comprehensive security plan for your property. My wife and I have a plan in place which includes barking at unwelcome visitors.

Teach your tenants and employees the risk of ignoring security protocols. If they understand the tailgating can expose your building to domestic violence, theft, sabotage, and terrorism, they might be more inclined to follow the rules.

Open your doors only to people who have valid IDs and associated PINS (where necessary), or stop to sign in as visitors.

People who are already allowed access to your building might also present security risks if admitted to every area of the property. Since not all threats are external, restrict access for subpopulations for high-security areas such as laboratories, pharmacies, operating or equipment rooms and computer centers. You may want also want to restrict and track access to valuable equipment, sensitive files, copy machines and areas containing toxic chemicals. You also might want to restrict access to the kitchen if your visitors are of the four-footed variety.

Tailgating not only affects safety but building management practices as well. If your HVAC or lighting system is tied to occupancy, an influx of unexpected bodies could affect energy-spend.

Allow flexibility in your plan. The security system that is right for you will depend on the specific entry points you wish to secure, location of the entrance, the reason for controlling access to it and the flexibility of your budget.

Inaccurate headcounts during emergencies can lead to occupants unknowingly being left behind or emergency personnel needlessly searching for people who were never on the premises. So make sure that the system you adopt keeps accurate counts.

Leave security to professionals. If you have a security system in place and believe that your building is important enough to protect, why would you allow unauthorized access to it? For a fail-safe system, hire a team of pros.

Guards might be worth the expense. While you might be inclined to cut personnel costs by eliminating security guards, you should consider a simple cost-benefit analysis to decide whether full-time security guards might be right for you. Guards can visually confirm badges match the people seeking to gain entry. Guard dogs are always an option, though they might not be able to understand the subtleties of customer relations.

Anti-tailgating programs are most effective if they are multi-pronged. So consider adopting more than one strategy for keeping tailgaters at bay.

Timothy McVeigh was granted access to the Oklahoma City building he blew up long before he committed the crime. So, when it comes to granting access to unauthorized personnel, better safe than sorry. Canine crimes are not usually premeditated. Just sayin’.

Everyone in your building should be aware of the safekeeping culture. So consider holding safety seminars or providing materials that clearly communicate your security system.

Risks to building safety frequently result in crimes carried out by someone you didn’t even know was in your building. So make sure your security team understands their role as gatekeepers.

Smart cards house multiple credentials on one card. Consider issuing these to building tenants, employees and visitors to electronically track traffic. For dogs, you might consider issuing Smart Snacks instead.

Tailgating strategies are easy to retrofit and complement most existing security systems. So adopt those systems that will work best for you and then build a culture that encourages adherence to the plan. Even if you have the best security system on the market, your safety measures will fail if occupants don’t buy in.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.5 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information.

2011 Had Disasters A-Plenty

Hundreds of thousands of people’s and puppies’ lives were forever changed by natural and man-made disasters in 2011–from tornadoes to floods, wildfires to hurricanes, earthquakes to tsunamis to terrorist attacks and everything in between, across the world, preparation paid off and recovery response was remarkable.

In the United States alone, in 2011, the American Red Cross launched 137 domestic disaster relief operations in 46 states and territories in order to help people recover from the fires, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes that rocked the United States. Internationally, disaster recovery extended to the earthquake in Japan and continued to tsunami response in Thailand. You’ve got to hand it to those folks at the Red Cross. They even help pets after disasters.

“The disasters we faced in 2011 affected many lives,” said Regional Red Cross Director Tina Labellarte. “Red Cross workers across the country worked tirelessly to make sure people had a safe place to stay, food to eat and help getting their lives back on track.”

This year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that there were 99 Major Disaster Declarations, 29 Emergency Declarations and 114 Fire Management Assistance Declarations. We only had a few emergencies in our doghouse. My wife and I are still training JR. As one of the most active years for disasters in recent history comes to a close and Americans ring in a new year, FEMA is encouraging people to Resolve to be Ready in 2012 by making a resolution to be prepared for emergencies. And, as we recently reported, we encourage RJW Training System clients and friends to start the New Year off right by resolving to be ready.

But, apart from signing up with FEMA, how exactly can you as a building owner and or property manager, prepare for disasters in 2012? Here are our top 10 suggestions for a safe and sane 2012:

1. Make an emergency kit. If you have yet to prepare a go-bag for your car, office and home, don’t let another month go by without putting one together. Make sure you remember to pack pet food in it if you have a dog. (If you’ve got a cat, I think it should be made to fend for itself. Most of the cats I know are loners anyway. But that’s just my opinion.)
2. Protect your computer. Cyber threats are very real. Don’t take electronic safety for granted.
3. Be aware of your surroundings. The threat of terrorism is a reality that cannot be ignored. Remain vigilant about suspicious behavior and report anything unusual to authorities. Or you can always rely on the Twilight Bark. It’s worked for centuries.
4. Protect your property from threat of fire. Install fire sprinklers, alarms and extinguishers. Also, tour your property and make sure flammable products are out of harm’s way.
5. Guard your kids against disease. Due diligence will reveal that boosters are beneficial. Make sure your children are inoculated. Make sure your canines are vaccinated, too.
6. Go green. As members of the Green Building Council, we support efforts to create and protect a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. We are part of a community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation.
7. Prepare for regional disasters. If you live in California, you should understand how to prepare for earthquake. In Kansas, learn about tornadoes. And in coastal communities, make sure you understand tsunamis and hurricanes. But wherever you are, take the time to learn about each and every disaster since this year has taught us that disasters of any kind can strike virtually anywhere.
8. Stay Connected. Experts agree that social media will continue to play an important role in emergency management in the year ahead. In our continuing effort to lead the way where disaster communication is concerned, we have introduced a new interactive Facebook Fanpage. Check it often to learn about disasters and emergency management. Also, check out my Tweets. I try to keep friends, fans and followers posted about disasters around the world.
9. Know your building. To be prepared in the event of any emergency, you should understand the ins and outs of your own building as well as the proper way to evacuate should disaster strike. The RJWestmore Training System Version 2. 5 helps commercial buildings with compliance to fire life safety codes. Our interactive, building-specific e-learning training system motivates and rewards tenants instantly! It’s a convenient and affordable solution to all of the training needs of your building(s).
10. Above all, in 2012 and beyond…BE SAFE!  

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information.

There is a very long list of vaccines for a variety of debilitating diseases such as: cervical cancer, diphtheria, influenza, Lyme disease, pertussis, rabies, tuberculosis, and yellow fever—just to name a few. Likely the biggest vaccine triumph is the eradication of smallpox, a disease which once killed one out of every seven children in Europe. In my humble opinion, the rabies vaccine was most important.

In addition to savings lives and improving well-being, vaccines also save society money, as the cost of a single dosage is many times less than the time and resources required for treatment of the associated disease.

How do vaccines work?

• The human body is attacked by pathogens and produces antibodies every day. The canine body is much the same. (In case you were wondering.)
• Antibodies become a sort of “memory cell” in the body to help ward off future attacks.
• Vaccines contain a weakened form of a disease that, when injected, does not produce the disease itself but encourages antibodies and subsequent memory cells.
• These memory cells can remain in the system for decades. I wonder if they can implant memory cells in dog brains. Sometimes my pal Rex doesn’t even notice he’s chasing his own tail.

There is a long history of distrust of vaccines in the United States. In 1879, a gentleman named William Tebb created the Anti-Vaccination Society of America. Skeptics still remain, refusing childhood vaccinations for their children due to concerns about the risk of autism, ADHD and hyperactivity.

• Some individuals contend that vaccinations do not stop diseases at all, and that factors including better sanitation practices, reduced poverty, and better education work together to lower disease rates.
• Any link between vaccines and autism has been thoroughly discredited.

Let’s review two notable vaccines, one developed half a century ago, and another which is currently in the news:

The poliomyelitis viral disease, commonly known as polio, afflicted hundreds of thousands of people annually before the development of a vaccine:

• Scientist Jonas Salk created the safest and most effective polio vaccine in the 1950s, which instantly saved thousands of lives. Salk was hailed as a hero, as the country came to a standstill to celebrate the news.
• The polio vaccine is heralded as a major scientific achievement, an example of how hard work and diligence can conquer problems.
• I can’t find any evidence of a similar celebration when scientists found a vaccine for Bordetella was found.

Gardasil is the brand name of a relatively new vaccine that prevents the human papillomavirus virus, (HPV), which can lead to cervical and other genital area cancers:

• According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly two thirds of cervical cancer deaths can be prevented through widespread adoption of the vaccine.
• Controversy surrounds some states and school districts which call for mandatory HPV vaccinations.

Looking towards the future, advances in medicine will likely reverse the likelihood of many diseases. Research into HIV and advanced smallpox vaccines, as well as DNA-based solutions, are an example of this type of treatment, which has generated significant interest. The only thing that can capture JR’s interest is dinner in his bowl.

Despite unproven claims about vaccines, booster shots play a vital role in limiting the spread of some of the most crippling diseases in the world. For more information about preventable diseases, vaccine schedules and the importance of following all recommended guidelines, visit the CDC’s site at www.CDC.Gov.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information and remember to BE SAFE.

With wildfires, droughts, historic flooding and several other disasters, 2011 proved to be quite a year for emergency managers. It was also quite a year for me. I rolled in a pile of something and carried the odor around for days. To help with what is expected to be a turbulent 2012, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced the Resolve to be Ready in 2012 campaign. The purpose is to promote individual and business preparedness in the face of disasters.

Before we go any further, I want to disclose my resolutions for 2012:

1. Gain between 10 and 12 pounds.
2. Exercise less and conserve strength by napping in the sun.
3. Chase various animals more frequently (despite the fact this contradicts resolution #2).
4. Ask the guys at the station to cook things that will make my coat nice and shiny.

The good folks at FEMA are encouraging the private sector to be more self-sufficient in its management of disasters. After such a busy year as 2011, the reserves of FEMA and other organizations are sparse. The private sector can help itself by limiting losses incurred following disasters or by preventing damage altogether through proper planning and safeguards. I’ve been planning ahead for months. Our doghouse is prepared for anything and everything.

Many training materials and tips for improving readiness can be found through the site Ready.gov:

• Multi-language communication materials are available in several languages including Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, French, and Hindi, among others. Why can’t somebody invent a dog-bark translator?
• Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Programs are intended to help organizations to follow proven standards for optimal safety. Followed standards come from three sources— the American Society for Industrial Security, the British Standards Institution, and the National Fire Protection Association.
• Voluntary certifications through Ready.Gov are the result of a partnership between the Department of Homeland Security and the private sector and are designed to promote self-sufficiency and a decreased reliance on government aid.
• Disaster kit contents are detailed on the site, including the importance of following the rule of storing one gallon of water per person per day. I’m on the 1.5-gallons-of-gravy per-day rule.
• Pledges can be taken at www.Ready.Gov/Resolve, which certifies an individual or business entity is taking necessary steps to be ready to act during a disaster.
• Free materials including the publication Ready Business are available through the site. I offer a stellar tome called How to Succeed at the Dog Park without Even Trying.
• Business Continuity Plans that will allow companies to resume business operations quickly are fully explained on Ready.gov. Companies are encouraged to consider work-at-home arrangements, backup data storage, and other safeguards that will prevent delays in business.
• Disaster Planning Exercise training materials can be downloaded from the site and used to run real-world drills. Personally, I don’t like drills. “Sit!” “Stay!” Those are no fun. I have some commands for you people. “Get the leash!” “Drop that salami!”

Business owners and facility managers are encouraged to offer readiness tips, including:

• Incorporate readiness information and products into any holiday parties. Perhaps you can provide a NOAA radio as a party gift. Or maybe a gift card to the local pet store?
• Need a theme for your party? While “disaster preparedness” might not sound too exciting, you could build a fun volcano or rent a fake snow machine to bring some lightness to the party while raising awareness.
• Perform fire drills during the holiday season to ensure tenants don’t forget about safety.
• Hang up various print and electronic banners available for free from Ready.gov. My wife had me hang a bunch of posters in our doghouse including some of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin.

Resolving to be ready does not mean you have to live a constant state of paranoia or fear of disaster. Stop following me you crazy squirrels! It simply means implementing the right practices, products, or facilities that limit your building’s exposure to harm. Your tenants and their employees will have confidence in your safety features, which can prove invaluable in an emergency situation.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information and remember to BE SAFE.

I am pleased to announce the new RJWestmore Training System Fan Page on Facebook! It’s intended as a meeting place for emergency management professionals to “virtually gather” to share information. Our goal is to facilitate engaging discussions about disaster preparedness, fire life safety and building management among Facebook users around the world. I’m thinking of starting a “Friends of Squirrels” Fan Page.

My pals at RJWestmore remain committed to continually advance our social media presence as a service to the community—to help business leaders, property owners and managers, first-responders, healthcare professionals and everyday folks prepare for and recover from disasters of all kinds. Serving commercial real estate companies for more than 20 years, RJWestmore Inc. offers a state-of-the-art Training System, which was recently upgraded to Version 2.5, to building managers and property owners throughout the country.  I have a training system of my own “PoochSoft Stick Chewing V1.4.” We’re still in beta mode.

The fully-integrated system allows property management companies to administer one site or an entire portfolio, with all users in the same system. Property Managers can train occupants, floor wardens, and fire safety directors, with all user-training and testing recorded. Subscribers also enjoy quick-access to building-specific Emergency Responder information and other resources. What’s more, the RJW Training System automatically routes certifications and sends compliance reports to every tenant-subscriber.

The fully-automated system features personalized certificates, which are instantly sent to users via email upon course completion. And annual reminders for each training-module are also automatically sent to each user along with quarterly employee-compliance reports, which are sent to every tenant. I try to send Bowzer and Miles reminders on their fetch level certifications, but they just chew them up…

An added benefit, the RJW Training System sends out automatic notifications to local fire departments. Those guys and gals are the best! Props to my Dalmatian brothers! And higher-level users can automatically create real time Special Assistance and Floor Warden Lists and get automatic notification of updates to Special Assistance, Floor Warden and Fire Safety Director Lists. Automatic updates and maintenance make the system even easier to use.

Fans of the Facebook page will receive updates about the awesome training system, further enhancing our innovative service. We also want to encourage clients to talk to each other, to share tips about best practices for emergency and disaster preparedness and recovery. I had my own Fan Page for a while, but I simply had too many fans

Highlights of our new Fan Page:

• Use it as a social media gateway to the corporate blog, RJ the Firedog blog (This is my own blog!), Twitter feed, and YouTube content.
• Take advantage of information available through daily posts which will detail the latest news and best practices in emergency management—covering a myriad of topics such as earthquake preparedness, indoor air quality, government agency news, fire safety, beef jerky national aggregate pricing, evacuation procedures, disease prevention and CDC warnings, cyber threats and many other related topics.
• Learn about industry events such as conferences for emergency management and first- responder professionals as well as security training summits.
• View engaging photos and videos relative to emergency management communications and training. These really do exist! Have you ever seen a video of a fire drill in action? It’s riveting!

Like the RJWestmore Training System Fan Page today to become a part of the best emergency preparedness group on the web. As the fan base grows, we hope the page will emerge as a central hub for networking and information-sharing for dedicated emergency management and building management professionals, property owners, building managers and safety personnel across the country. It will also expose more people to my extremely witty repartee.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information and remember to BE SAFE.

Are you prepared for holiday-related hazards?

As a building owner or manager, the holidays are a time to spruce up your building with decorations and host fun events. This always reminds me of the Charlie Brown Christmas, when Snoopy decorates his doghouse. That pooch is a talented actor! Of course, you will want your tenants to enjoy themselves at holiday get-togethers. However, you will also be wise to keep an eye on safety. Since we are committed to helping property managers and owners BE SAFE, we would like to devote this blog post to offering several key tips to help you manage holiday mail and deliveries, food, parties and decorations!

Mail and Deliveries:

• As the volume of parcels increases, it becomes more likely the mailroom staff might miss suspicious packages. Do a refresher course with these individuals regarding how to spot mail that looks out of place. For tips about what to tell employees, check out the resources available through the Department of Homeland Security. Or you can always call in your trusty canine. Our noses are made for safety inspections.
• With more deliveries in and out of your building, your security staff could become lax in the enforcement of proper protocols. If all deliveries need to be screened at a central location, don’t make exceptions for people who are “just” bringing flowers or honey-baked hams or pork chops. Terrorism or the actions of disgruntled individuals are always possible. So every situation demands vigilance.

Holiday Food:

• Practice good hygiene when handling group lunches. Don’t allow employees to eat food such as lunch meats and cheese that has been sitting out for hours. In fact, better to just give all of that food to the dog…just to be safe. Observe the two-hour rule and move food quickly to a refrigerator or throw it away. A tenant’s business could become crippled if half of the employees get food poisoning.
• If tenants are preparing food on site, be sure they follow safe food-handling rules such as avoiding cutting board cross-contamination and making sure they frequently wash their hands.
• Carefully inspect food-based deliveries such as chocolate-covered fruit or cakes. Be sure that packages arrive from reputable vendors and provide identification and that delivery personnel arrived in clearly marked vehicles. And I’m not talking about the kind of marking that Fido or Rover provide.

Holiday Parties:

• If you are serving alcohol at your holiday party, be sure the amounts are strictly limited in order to prevent individuals from acting inappropriately or attempting to drive. Provide shuttle buses or cab drivers to ensure everyone arrives home safely and you and your tenants avoid potential legal problems.
• Be sure your party venue is coded to accommodate attendees and has clearly identified emergency exits. (This should be true not just for parties but at all times.)
• Consider giving safety-oriented gifts such as arm rests for heavy computer users or a quality flashlight for employees. Then again, I think the best gift idea is a giant bone. It’s what I’m giving my wife and JR.

Decorations:

• Advise tenants who want to hang strings of lights to use a power strip and to keep warm lights away from paper sources. Extension cords must be completely taped to the ground to avoid tripping-related incidents. Forbid the use of candles or lanterns at all times.
• Turn off decorations at night.
• Decorations such as mistletoe and holly berries can be poisonous to pets or children. Encourage the use of man-made decorations in these cases, instead. Vote “no” on operation Holly Berry. When it comes to decorations, plastic can be a dog’s best friend.
• Instruct tenants not to place large decorations in stairwells or on emergency exit signs. They should also make sure they leave sprinklers and smoke alarms uncovered, so as not to interfere with operation.
• Live Christmas trees need water so they don’t become dried out and pose fire hazards.

All of our safety tips are intended to increase holiday cheer! It’s important to embrace the holidays and let your tenants, visitors and employees have fun—as long every individual and puppy, as well as your property, remain intact.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information and remember to BE SAFE.

Safety first! Your most important concern should be, of course, for tenants:

• Provide non-slip entry mats (some are even heated) in the lobby and other entry areas to prevent falls.
• Place boot scrubber bristles outside the building so individuals can clean off snow before entering. This will also help protect the floors inside of your building. I’ve seen some of you skip wiping your feet when on entry! Come on, people!
• Pour sand and salt on outside stairs and ramps. Also be sure handrails are in good working condition and are optimally positioned for safety. I’ve found it works best when you are low to the ground and have four paws. My wife and JR and I never slip!

Flooring is a considerable investment for the average office space. Whether it is carpet, wood, or tile, floors in high-traffic areas take a lot of abuse. If you mix in the winter trifecta of water, sand, and salt, then your floors can be quickly scratched and soiled. So what can you do?

• Vacuum regularly to remove sand and salt.
• Encourage tenants to offer shoe cubbies or other receptacles for boots. In really bad weather, you could even offer “slippers” which employees can change into once they enter the building. For “bring your dog to work day,” you can outfit us with those great booties!
• Be careful using de-icing products which contain pretty harsh chemicals, which can damage both flooring and surrounding exterior plants and even pets!

Protect the exterior of your building from the intrusion or rain or snow:

• Replace caulk around exterior windows. This material is very cheap, so you will only need to pay for labor to remove the old caulk and apply a new bead. Make sure you schedule this work during a two to three day stretch of good weather.
• Consider installing awnings above entryways to deflect rain and snow. This gives tenants and visitors an opportunity to remove excess mud and snow from their shoes.

Don’t neglect the one part of the building you typically never see – the woof! Oops, I mean the roof:

• Be sure your building has the right pitch to discard record snowfalls. For flat roofs, you need plans in place to remove snow to prevent cave-ins. Did you see the video of the snow on that football stadium? Yes? Then you know why you need a plan.
• Buildings with roof water tanks need extra attention. The controls and piping for the water tank can quickly freeze if they aren’t insulated. I have a doghouse water system that is triple-filtrated and insulated against 80 below zero! Protect them with the proper coverings to ensure your tenants have access to water so they will be able to warm up with tea or coffee, or to make suitable gravy for kibble…You will also need unfrozen water to operate the building’s sprinkler system, necessary for refilling water bowls.

Checking the heating system is best done in the fall or late summer. But it’s better late than never to get it done in the early stages of winter:

• Review last year’s winter with employees and tenants to identify any floors or areas of the building that were markedly colder or more slippery than other areas. Another tactic for finding warm spots is to release a tabby into the workplace. They will find all the sunny spots. Work with HVAC techs to correct heating flow issues or any leaky ductwork problems.
• Change furnace filters for optimum performance.
• The pumps and motors of your heating system work hard to produce enough energy. Examine and oil these parts properly, especially before the first full-day’s usage.

Making your building safer during the winter is not only the right thing to do, but it can also limit your liability in the case anyone slips. Use handrails! You should also focus on the physical pieces of your building to ensure tenant comfort and to protect your investment.  The “chateau de pooch” is worth $185,000, so you can be sure I am serious about care and upkeep.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information and remember to BE SAFE.

Some viewers heard Lady Gaga singing during the latest EAS Test.

When it comes to emergency management and disaster preparation, communication is king. Wait, I thought I was the king? At least I’m king of my own doghouse. On November 9^th, FEMA conducted a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). In 1997, the EAS replaced the Emergency Broadcast System which had been in use since 1963. The current system uses the familiar signal-sound to alert viewers and listeners to impending emergency announcements and to enable localized hazardous weather alerts. Now take that sound and amplify it times 1.5 billion. That’s a dog whistle for pooches. But the EAS was developed in order to allow the President of the United States the ability to address the nation within minutes.

With about 15,000 radio and broadcast stations participating in the November 2011 national test, most reported a smooth testing procedure, but it was not without its hiccups. Improving the test is an ongoing goal of both the government and broadcast partners which requires the public and private sector working together for a worthwhile common goal of improved emergency communications. I have my doubts about this one, I’ve been watching C-SPAN and I don’t see too much cooperation.

Here are some of the glitches that occurred during the test:

• One North Dakota county reported that only 33 percent of the area stations broadcasted the test.
• Some DirectTV subscribers heard a different kind of piercing sound than everyone else—footage of Lady Gaga singing instead of the test alert. Now that’s just awesome.
• Some Time Warner Cable subscribers saw home-shopping wares in place of the emergency alert. I prefer watching: “When Animals Attack!”
• Individuals using antennas for reception reported that they saw regular programming, or that the EAS image stayed on the screen long after the audible test was completed.

Despite these glitches, the federal agencies involved assured the public that they were conducting a working test, and that data would be gathered and evaluated in order to improve the system. They even sent out a release prior to the test to make it clear that they were not anticipating a 100-percent success rate. I have a 100 percent success at being awesome. It’s just a natural talent. A shiny coat wins every time. One of their reasons for anticipated glitches was because there are so many stations throughout the country, each one with specialized equipment necessary to successfully accept and transmit the test signal and associated emergency announcement.

A frequent criticism of the EAS is that it ignores new communication methods which most people rely on such as the Internet and mobile devices. Until recently, I thought these mobile phone things were actually attached to people, like a third hand. The EAS was not sent via either of these channels. However, there is a new initiative called the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) which aims to integrate several alert methods and agencies in order to greatly enhance coverage.

Here are a few interesting facts about the new system:

• Intended as an umbrella system that integrates EAS, the National Warning System (phone-based alerts), NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards and the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS).
• Created in response to criticisms about the government alerts for Hurricane Katrina and other similar disasters.
• Works with the major cell providers to allow the government to send text alerts regarding emergencies. If only I could get a hold of that system…” Mandatory 5-mile walks for all canines. Steady diets of ground chuck and gravy vital to health and national security…” Scheduled to be online in the spring of 2012, the messages from CMAS will have a unique signal and vibration so they will stand out from standard text messages.

Business owners should take a cue from the national warning system, planning in advance of emergencies and developing coordinated methods for communicating urgent messages to their teams. Companies should use multiple technologies including text message, email and available building intercom systems to ensure that occupants and staff members are aware of building-specific emergencies. I use barking as my warning system. It’s simple and effective. What’s more, internal systems should be tested once they are implemented.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives.  For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJ Westmore, Inc. Our new Version 2.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information and remember to BE SAFE.