9/11 Prompts Preparedness

"Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror. The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger."

--George W. Bush

September 11th is a tragic day for all Americans. Each one of us remembers where we were when we heard that the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was struck by a commercial airplane. I will never forget the look of fear that everyone had and the concern for those we love. On this day every year, the media bombards us with images of the event and we mourn for those who lives were lost.

As a result of 9/11, emergency preparedness has received attention in the the public and private sector. Corporations have developed emergency preparedness manuals and encourage managers to communicate the procedures. In addition, corporations are ensuring that they have accommodations for those that are handicapped. These individuals are either placed in offices near emergency exits or are provided a contact that will assist them in an emergency. September 11th was a reminder that we need to be prepared and that we need to protect all of our staff.

September 11th was clearly a tragic day but it was a red flag to many employers. Employers now understand the importance of communicating and practicing emergency evacuations.