It is important to be prepared for an emergency because you never know when a disaster will strike, an emergency management officer said at Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support’s annual National Preparedness Month event Sept. 8.
“You never know where you will be when an earthquake or chemical attack will happen,” Sam Phillips, the emergency management officer for Naval Support Activity Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, said. “You need to be prepared both at home and at work.”
DLA Troop Support employees, as well as employees from other tenant organizations on the NSA Philadelphia compound, heard tips on how to prepare for an emergency that could occur on the base.
“One hazard that may happen on a government installation is an act of terrorism,” Phillips told the audience. “One way to respond is to shelter-in-place, find somewhere safe that you and your coworkers could go and make sure you have everything you need to protect yourself.”
Phillips also showed a video that explained how to shelter-in-place at work. In it, he described what workplace locations work best and the items needed to have in a shelter-in-place kit in the office.
When choosing a shelter room, a bathroom works well, Phillips said in the video. A bathroom provides running water and a toilet if you are there for a while.
“You need a room with few or no windows, and few doors,” he added. “Make sure it is large enough to hold your people. A rule of thumb is 10 square feet per person will provide enough oxygen for up to five hours.”
A sample of items to have in an office kit include:
Susan Segal, a tailored vendor logistics specialist in the Medical supply chain, said the event was informative.
“I learned that my bathroom is my safe place because it has one window, one vent and one door, and is easy to seal,” Segal said. “I will definitely gather the things that I am missing (in a kit) and be better prepared in the event of an emergency.”
Phillips encouraged all employees to take advantage of the base wide-area alert network, AtHoc, to be immediately informed of any situations that occur on NSA Philadelphia.
The event also included representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services and the Red Paw Emergency Relief Team, who provided resources on how they can assist in preparedness and disaster response.