Emergency planning

We’ve seen a lot, but with preparedness, we can handle the rest of 2020 and beyond.

Posted September 21, 2020

September is National Preparedness Month, and the theme is “Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today.” Now is the time to evaluate and plan for emergencies at work and at home.

Plan for disaster now Steps you can take to prepare for natural disasters or emergencies include:

Prepare a plan
Build a kit
Learn what disasters are common in your area and confirm insurance coverage related to those disasters
Learn what can protect your home or workplace (g., paneling windows)
Sign up for weather warnings
Communicate the plan with family and coworkers

There are many resources available to start planning. One of those resources, ready.gov, provides tips, lists, and guides that can make the planning process easier.

In 2017, there were almost 600 deaths and 4,270 injuries related to weather events. Most of those deaths were a result of flash floods, tropical storms, or heatwaves, according to Injury Facts. As you identify disasters that are more common in your area the Red Cross and The National Safety Council offer resources and information that can help you prepare for specific natural disasters, such as:

Earthquakes
Floods
Hurricanes
Tornados

Many emergencies and disasters, such as storms, lightning strikes, wildfires, and floods, are unavoidable. Some events are created by nature, but the devastation can be worsened by the failure of man-made structures, such as failing dams or poor engineering. Therefore, it is important to be prepared. The initial steps are to learn the types of disasters that can happen in your area and to prepare accordingly.

Preparedness can largely be broken into three major categories:

Home

This category pertains to having a plan and the right supplies. Talk with your family about what you’ll do when the time comes to avoid being unprepared. Make sure to have adequate amounts of the following supplies on hand for every member of the family: preserved food and water, backup power sources, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, medications, and blankets. Also, do not forget about your pets and items they will need. Red Cross and NSC.org provide comprehensive lists of items to keep in the home. Emergency kits for the home should include items such as nonperishable foods, sealed drinking water, battery-powered radios to tune into news outlets, batteries, and candles. Emergency kits should also be created for those with special diets or medical needs. Each year, make sure items in your emergency kits have not expired.

Vehicle

Being stranded in your vehicle, or nearby, is a serious and potentially life-threatening event. The chances of dying of exposure increase if you are stuck in a vehicle or left without one in severe weather. Cold, heat, flooding, dehydration, and starvation are potential threats if you become stranded. If your car dies suddenly, it is important to let somebody know immediately so that you can be helped as soon as possible. Essential items to keep in your car are jumper cables, flares, tools, a spare tire, clean water, nonperishable food, a first aid kit, a phone charger, rain gear, blankets, and extra clothing. Most vehicle supply kits are stocked with many of these items and more.

Work

Emergency exit plan Emergencies can also be encountered in the workplace. For example, there might be a coworker that has a life-threatening medical issue, the building might catch fire, or a storm might cause a flood. At work, employees should be involved in training and communication related to disasters and emergencies. Employees should learn about evacuation plans and how to provide CPR and first aid training. Companies should create a structure of responsibilities in case something disastrous happens. Companies also need to share emergency evacuation plans and train team members to handle both natural disasters and emergencies.

As many companies and families review their preparation plans for emergencies and disasters, the resources mentioned in this article can be a huge help. SynTerra is available to assist companies that need help with emergency planning. To review current plans or to create a new plan, contact Bill Husk at bhusk@synterracorp.com or Paul Tarquinio at ptarquinio@synterracorp.com.

Kathy Webb, P.G.

Senior Market Leader | Principal

Kathy Webb, who co-founded SynTerra (then known as The Fletcher Group) in 1992, has completed remedial investigations and regulatory compliance projects associated with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) facilities, state and federal Superfund sites, solid waste landfills, brownfield redevelopment, utility coal combustion residual (CCR) management units, and regulated industrial facilities. She has supported litigation as an expert witness related to chlorinated solvents, metals, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Kathy is known for her practical assessment strategy with the perspective of the client’s business objectives. She routinely evaluates groundwater corrective action systems for effectiveness and progress toward achieving compliance objectives. She has co-authored a trade journal paper with case studies of low-impact remedial strategies. Kathy is a licensed Professional Geologist in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Mark Taylor, P.G.

Principal

Mark has worked more than 40 years in natural-resource based industries. His expertise includes mine geology and mine engineering, hydrogeologic and geotechnical investigations, solid and hazardous waste management, and regulatory negotiations. He has published peer-reviewed papers about coal geology, ore geochemistry, mineralogy, and solid waste management. He is a leading expert in mining and environmental permitting for litigation support.

Mark is licensed as a Professional Geologist in South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Washington. He serves on the boards of the Upstate Red Cross and Upstate Forever. He served on the South Carolina Board of Registration for Geologists for six years. Mark holds a Master’s degree in Geological Sciences from The University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Science from Harvard University.

Andrea Kehn, P.E.

Vice President of Engineering | Principal

Andrea Kehn, leader of our Civil & Environmental Engineering Business Unit, has 28 years of experience in chemical manufacturing and environmental consulting. She leads and supervises staff professionals on multidisciplinary projects for a variety of industrial clients. Andrea’s vast experience and expertise includes: air quality construction and operating permitting; air quality modeling; air permit record-keeping and reporting; Oil Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP); NPDES permitting; water quality modeling; process safety management; risk management compliance and auditing; and RCRA compliance.

Andrea is registered as a Professional Engineer in South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

Ruth Albright, P.E.

Vice President | Principal

Ruth has led projects for major industrial facilities throughout the Southeast and beyond. She built her knowledge of environmental regulations and their application to manufacturing operations while working for the second largest chemical manufacturing company in the United States. At SynTerra, she has expanded both her knowledge and reputation working for chemical manufacturing operations of all sizes. She has also worked extensively with other manufacturing operations, including pulp and paper, industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, food, and automotive parts and assembly. Her experience includes air and wastewater permit compliance, solid and hazardous waste management, solid waste construction permitting, hazardous materials transportation, wastewater treatment systems, air pollution control equipment operations and maintenance, and ambient air monitoring systems.

Ruth is a professional engineer registered in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Michigan, Arkansas, and Kentucky. She is an active member of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Environmental Technical Committee and serves as the chair of the water subcommittee. She has previously served as the program and committee chair for the Greater Greenville Chamber of Commerce Environmental Affairs committee. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Clemson University.