How Observant are You?

If you’ve ever been through any preparedness training with the Office of Emergency Management and Safety, or OEMS, you have probably heard that you should know two different evacuation routes to exit the building in the case of an emergency. You may feel confident that you already knew your evacuation routes; but, do you really?

When was the last time you truly took notice of your workspace and considered how you would survive in an emergency? How many of these questions could you answer correctly…

• What color is the door handle to your office or classroom?
• What color are the walls in your office or classroom?
• What is the closest object to your door that you could use to block it? (i.e. a desk, bookcase, filing cabinet)
• Where is the best place to hide in your office or classroom?
• If someone collapsed in or near your office/classroom and you were instructed to get an AED, where would you find it?
• Where is the fire alarm in your office or classroom (the device that will flash lights and sound an alarm)?
• Could you find your way out of the building if it were totally dark? What if the exit you normally use was blocked?

Nobody is expecting you to memorize every little detail of your workspace. All of us have the potential to overlook things. But, keep an open mind and don’t get complacent about safety. Take a mindful approach to finding your evacuation route and your nearest severe weather shelter area. Take a look and find what you may be missing!

Want to learn more about the importance of power of observation? Check out this Ted Talk titled, A Lesson on Looking.

Submitted by:
Hayley Holmes, OEMS Safety Coordinator, HHolmes@nvcc.edu