Are You a First Responder?

Jan 12 Port-au-Prince 7.0 Earthquake - posted on Flickr by bomgoclub.ning.com

Horrible news out of Haiti about the devastation caused by a 7.0 earthquake near Port-au-Prince. Twitter reports were some of the most immediate yesterday evening, when other communication channels were shut down and transportation into the area was limited. Within the first hour the American Red Cross, Unicef and President Obama had already pledged aid to the island – and began organizing the first relief efforts. International music star Wyclef Jean issued an eloquent statement on his blog, and people are volunteering to make the trip to Haiti to assist in any way necessary. But how many more individuals, organizations, even nations, are still deciding what to do or whether to respond at all? What makes someone a ‘first responder’ in any emergency?

Admittedly, a natural disaster of this magnitude is extreme. But for individuals and businesses of all sizes – unexpected events can lead to everything from a ‘really bad day’ to opportunity loss or even closure of business. On the same day that the earth reminded us ‘who’s boss’ once more, I heard from one of my associates about their toilet exploding – and what a disaster that was to muck up. I don’t even like thinking about the mess. Another colleague had their brake lights go out, causing the motorist behind them to nearly hit them on the way to work, and then swear at them profusely. This required an emergency detour to the repair shop on an already overbooked work day, but the brake lights got fixed – so clients were seen. One of our own clients experienced website failure, which required immediate trouble-shooting to avoid user complaints. These kinds of things happen all the time.

Now I am not suggesting by any means that all of these events carry the same weight. Obviously there are degrees of disaster, and the worst ones like what just occurred in Haiti eclipse the daily hiccups exponentially. However, how we react to any unexpected event is important. Taking swift action saves time, money, reputation and in some cases, lives.

You too can be a Hero

You don’t have to be a paramedic or other emergency rescue worker to arrive on the scene first and take action. You do need to be able to calmly assess a situation and make decisions. Maybe prioritize things if there are choices, and then take steps to solve the problem. But commitment and action are key. For those people suffering in Haiti, they need a LOT of assistance right now, so it will take multiple agencies and charitable donations to begin clearing the rubble.

In case you haven’t done so already, here are some sites where you can make a donation:

Oxfam of America – Haiti relief

American Red Cross – pledge to Haiti

Unicef – response to Haiti

Other suggested relief organizations, via Huffington Post

Help Haiti heal.

– Donna

P.S. And if you have to deal with any personal or business disasters, here’s wishing you a calm spirit, strength to take action, and aid if you need it.