Disasters: think, plan, and act: encouraging employees to plan for workplace and home disasters and understand their roles during each can go a long way to help keep workers more productive.

In the post-September 11 environment, employees seem to get a constant barrage of disaster-related information, not only from media reports but also from employers and local government officials. All too often, however, the "war on terrorism" and the corresponding preparedness activities send conflicting and confusing signals that may cause people to be uncertain and worried while at work. The quintessential example is this message: We may get attacked again, but go about your usual business and report any suspicious activity

Unfortunately, this type of mixed message causes uncertainty about what to do. It's also unsettling, because, after all, we have to go to work, take care of our families, and try to live a normal life. We can't think about looking over our shoulder for "bad guys" all the time.

It's normal to not want to think about bad things happening to us or those for whom we care. Even when a major disaster happens, we naturally put negative thoughts aside--the more time that elapses after the event, the less we think about it. We even become dismissive of warnings of potential disaster when the risk may be high but the frequency is low, such as warnings about a potential terrorist attack. This is why "warnings" from government officials and others are often disregarded.

Some in the media, the armed forces, and law enforcement are predicting mass hysteria (mislabeled "panic") should another terrorist attack occur. However, long-term academic research on disaster behavior shows that when disasters occur, our primary response is concern for the welfare of our family and close friends.

For example, what did you think about on Sept. 11, 2001, when you first learned of the terrorist attacks? Did you run out into the street, screaming loudly? Unless you were in one of the places being attacked, it is likely that your first reaction was to wonder whether your loved ones were okay. You probably picked up the phone and called your spouse, parents, or siblings or attempted to contact your children's school to make sure your sons and daughters were safe. You may have become quite frustrated if the telephone circuits were overloaded or you couldn't get a cell phone signal.

Confirming the safety of loved ones was a common behavior that day, and an entirely expected one. We relieved our anxiety by making sure those we care about were okay and letting them know we were safe as well. In that situation, it was very reassuring to us to hear the voices of people we care about.

ANOTHER FIRE DRILL

But even as we prepare for the possibility of another attack by terrorists, we have to recognize that other kinds of disasters can and will happen, such as severe weather or earthquakes. We must ask ourselves, "Is there anything we can do to prepare for such disasters in the workplace?" The good news is that there are simple things we can do and ask others to do that will relieve anxiety and help workers deal with disaster disruptions effectively.

The greatest and most universal disaster threat is a fire. Fire is the most frequent workplace disaster, but also the one for which employers and building facilities managers are most prepared. Many communities require regular fire drills, and many employers designate and train employees to act as floor wardens and take responsibility to ensure that everyone exits safely.

When a fire alarm sounds, it's pretty easy to roll your eyes and say, "Oh, another fire drill." But thanks to frequent drills, you know what to do in the event of a fire--you exit the building, gather in a safe place, and wait for a fire or building official to tell you it's safe to go back inside.

According to John Hall of the National Fire Protection Association, home fire deaths outnumber workplace fire deaths every year, usually by "an enormous margin." Perhaps this is because fire drills are conducted frequently at worksites, but seldom at home. The reason, of course, is that fire drills are required by law in most workplaces and schools, but not in homes. I'll recommend later, but for now I'll reinforce--it's important to have fire drills at home, too.

But what about other kinds of threats, such as tornadoes or chemical spills from train derailments or tanker truck crashes? Although the National Weather Service has significantly improved the lead time for tornado warnings, we typically aren't listening to NOAA weather radio updates (provided by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce), television, or local radio station broadcasts at the workplace. Consequently, we may not even know about a tornado threat until it begins to rain really hard and the wind begins to howl. Likewise, we may not be aware of a nearby train or truck accident until we hear the sounds of wailing sirens from fire trucks responding to the situation.

The simplest and best thing to do to prepare for these very real and common situations is to ask your employer about your company's disaster plan. Get a copy of it and become familiar with your role in the plan. Share it with employees and encourage them to become familiar with their roles as well.

If your company doesn't have a written disaster plan, help is available. Every community has someone designated as an emergency manager. The actual title may be different--homeland security director, civil defense director, and fire chief are common--but the point is that someone is designated by local governments to prepare communities for disasters and help residents plan for them. This includes helping local businesses with disaster preparedness.

LAND VS. CELL PHONES

An important element of disaster preparedness, as mentioned previously, is communication. When disasters strike, you want to make sure your loved ones are safe. Encourage employees at your workplace to talk to their families about what to do if a disaster occurs and they are not in the same place.

For example, children in schools will follow directions from administrators and teachers. If you or your co-workers have children in school, find out if the school has a disaster plan and what the plan recommends that parents do. While you may want to drive to the school to pick up your kids, the school likely has other plans. A mass of parents descending on a school can actually make a situation worse by blocking roads, which can make it difficult for emergency responders to do their job. Avoid the urge to rush to a school. School officials spend a great deal of time and energy determining how to protect children in their care, and children are much safer remaining at school than attempting to leave during a disaster or immediately afterwards.

We also need to learn from some recent events. As many people discovered during a massive power outage in parts of the United States and Canada in August 2003, it is often impossible to get a cell phone signal when cell towers lose power. A lot of the "old-fashioned" hard-wired telephones still worked, however, because the wired telephone network was built during the Cold War and was hardened to resist attack. Backup power systems to keep these phones working are common. Thus, having at least one land-line phone that plugs directly into a telephone jack is important. Even if you lose electric power, it is likely that your hard-wired telephones will work.

Write down the telephone numbers (land line and cell) and e-mail addresses of your loved ones as well as an out-of-town contact. Make sure all of your loved ones have copies of this list. When a disaster occurs, keep calling all of the numbers. Keep in mind that because the hard-wired phone system in the United States is hardened against attack, you may find it easier to make a long distance call than a local call. That's why having an out-of-town contact is helpful, because you and your loved ones may be able to reach that person when you can't reach each other locally.

Also remember that in today's society, e-mail is a very common way to maintain contact. As we observed on September 11, a lot of telephone systems were overloaded and calls weren't getting through, but e-mail systems were still working. If you can't get a call to go through but have broadband internet service, try sending an e-mail message.

THINK, PLAN, AND ACT

Preparing for a disaster doesn't take a lot of time, and it isn't hard to do or expensive. The best way to reduce anxiety about disasters is to recognize what could happen and develop an appropriate response. Think through a plan, both at work and at home with your loved ones. Collect and store in a convenient place some essential supplies you would need to take with you if you have to evacuate quickly, such as if a fire occurs or a flood or hurricane threatens and local officials advise evacuation. (For a recommended list of disaster supplies, see the Department of Homeland Security's Web site at http://www.ready.gov/supply_checklists.html.)

According to many professionals, including doctors at the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is important to involve children in the household disaster planning process. Contrary to what some may think, children are less frightened about a disaster if they have talked about it in advance with their parents and know what to do and how to react. Including children in disaster planning will also help reassure parents if disaster strikes while they are at work and their sons and daughters are at home.

As part of the family disaster planning process, conduct drills at home, too. As I mentioned earlier, many more people die in fires at home than at the workplace. A family-friendly set of directions on conducting a home fire drill can be found in the Resource Center of the Home Safety Council's Web site, http://www.homesafetycouncil.org.

Also, if earthquakes or tornadoes are a threat in your area, conduct a "drop, cover, and hold on" drill or a tornado drill at your home and in the workplace. Get instructions on these drills from your local emergency manager or Red Cross chapter (http://www.redcross.org).

While tornadoes, earthquakes, and fires are not things we want to think about, we are more reassured and less worried when we know what can happen and what we should do. Think, plan, and act--three simple ways to prepare that often result in less anxiety and fewer disaster-related injuries.

What happens if disaster strikes at home while you're traveling on company business?

In January 1999, a devastating ice storm struck Washington, D.C., while dozens of a company's employees were in Kansas City for a four-day conference. The ice storm tore down power and telephone lines, preventing many of the employees from contacting their loved ones. Television news stories were stark: water utilities were shutting down because pumps could not run, grocery stores were closing, and traffic crashes were blocking roadways.

One employee who was attending the convention in Kansas City was concerned by the news reports but felt confident that his wife and children were okay. He and his family had developed a disaster plan and stored sufficient supplies, including foods that don't require cooking, plenty of water, and essentials like blankets, warm clothes, and working flashlights. Although he wasn't able to return home until three days later (airports serving the Washington area were closed for a few days, after which returning flights were over-booked and delayed), he found that his confidence was well-placed. His family had followed the disaster plan and still had plenty of food and water on hand.

Workers who travel on company business worry about the well-being of their loved ones at home. When disasters occur, news stories can make the situation seem much worse than it really is or highlight the most terrible consequences of an event, leaving travelers imagining the worst. Developing a home disaster plan and reviewing it with everyone in the family can't prevent a disaster from occurring, but these simple steps can go a long way to help alleviate anxiety when work responsibilities call for out-of-town travel.

For more information about how to prepare for disasters in the workplace and at home, consult these resources:

American Academy of Pediatrics

(http://www.aap.org/family/frk/frkit.htm)

American Red Cross 

(www.redcross.org)

Department of Homeland Security 

(www.ready.gov)

Home Safety Council

(www.homesafetycouncil.org)

National Fire Protection Association

(www.nfpa.org)

Rocky Lopes is former manager of disaster education with the American Red Cross and has more than 25 years of experience in the field of disaster preparedness and response. He is an independent consultant specializing in disaster public education, training, and outreach. He can be reached by e-mail at [e-mail].