Emergency Wardens e-news: Feb 2012
1
Editor’s Note
Editor’s Note
Ready Queensland: A
smart phone app to
mobilise Queensland’s
volunteers
Do we need Fire
Safety Audits?
Peru: 26 die in blaze at
Lima drug rehab
centre
Meet some of our new
recruits
F5M Customer
Satisfaction Survey
2011-2012
Scenario: Nurse
Stabbed with butter
knife
Response to the
above scenario
Graeme Hancock
training in the Red
Centre
First 5 Minutes gears up
for brand new CRM in
2012
In this 3rd
Edition At First 5 Minutes, we appreciate the effort, time and energy invested by
emergency wardens to accomplish their duties diligently in their respective
Emergency Control Organisations (ECO). In most cases wardens fulfill their
responsibilities in tandem with their actual ‘formal’ remunerated job. F5M is
focused on ensuring that the importance of the role of wardens is understood by
the broader community and that the warden community is recognized for their
commitment and acquired expertise.
With our 25 years of experience, we have amassed a significant understanding of
educating people to assist their colleagues in times of emergencies. Every year,
we train approximately 150 000 wardens. Many members of this active warden
network have acknowledged and often report that their F5M training has
enabled them to proactively and professionally deal with emergencies outside
the workplace.
Wardens being trained by F5M have the benefit of attending training sessions
delivered by industry experts and exposure to the very latest training
methodologies and tools. The F5M ground breaking R.E.A.C.T ™ training program
involves the application of scenario based training. This enables better alignment
to the trainees’ interests and facilitates significantly enhanced engagement and
therefore learning outcomes. Wardens gain competence and confidence in
fulfilling their role as well as a great sense of satisfaction of contributing to the
welfare of others.
With a view of maintaining a high level of commitment to warden training, F5M
maintains a warden engagement program.
What is the F5M warden engagement program all about?
It is a concerted effort of ALL employees of F5M to help create a community of
wardens and engage with them at every possible opportunity. Officially, we meet
our wardens on 3 occasions each year during training. However, we strive to
engage with them more often. The idea is if we enable a social network to
develop around and with emergency wardens, they will have a higher propensity
to attend the sessions, making everyone’s task easier and more pleasant. There
are 2 main initiatives that we maintain to support warden engagement:
1. Emergency Wardens Facebook Page
2. Emergency Wardens e-newsletter.
This e-newsletter is designed to enhance the development of the community of
emergency wardens in Australia. It is quarterly publication containing a mixture of
‘easy reading’ information, case studies, some possible scenarios as well as some
more ‘serious’ technical information about emergency management.
Happy reading! [email protected]
2 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
“While our
communities were
devastated by the
natural disasters of
2011, the outpouring
of compassion was
overwhelming” –
QLD Premier Anna
Bligh
Ready Queensland:
Smartphone App to Mobilise
Queensland Volunteers
“Immediately following the
disasters, Volunteering Qld was
inundated with calls from people
around Queensland and Australia.
“Within three days of the floods
striking Brisbane, 55,000 people
had registered their desire to help.
“As well as that, thousands of
people signed up for the Mud
Army – who can forget the images
of people dropping everything to
help out perfect strangers in their
time of need.”
Features of the App Include:
Register with CREW (Community
Response to Extreme Weather) to
be an emergency volunteer;
See current emergency
volunteering opportunities;
Access all the key contacts for
emergencies in one place and
save your own emergency
contacts;
Watch the short disaster
preparedness and response
videos;
Find out what you need to have in
your emergency stay/go kit (and
check them off when you’ve got
them); and read the latest news
fromwww.emergencyvolunteering.
com.au
The project has been made
possible through the joint State and
Federal Government funded
Natural Disaster Resilience Program
(NDRP).
Volunteering Qld CEO, Jelenko
Dragisic, said the natural disasters
of 2011 highlighted just how
important technology and social
media were when it came to
rebuilding homes, neighbourhoods
and communities.
“Volunteering Qld has learnt much
from the experiences over the last
year, now providing better support
and services for emergency
volunteering,” Dragisic said.
“We’ve enhanced our database
of emergency volunteers, agencies
and opportunities. Improved
services means we can quickly
register, search and match
opportunities with volunteers easily
and conveniently – and Ready Qld
will take that to a whole new
level.”
To download the App, search
READY QLD on the App store or visit
www.emergencyvolunteering.com
.au for more information.
More than 1,000
people have
downloaded
Volunteering
Queensland’s new
Smartphone App,
Ready Queensland, in
the two days since it
launched on 15
January.
QLD Premier Anna Bligh said the free
App, Ready Queensland – developed
by Volunteering Queensland with the
research assistance of the University of
Queensland – would empower
Queenslanders to be better equipped to
work together in situations of disaster.
“This App will not only inform
Queenslanders about preparedness for
disasters – resources, checklists and
advice – but will also provide real-time
updates and information about
volunteering opportunities in your local
area.
“While our communities were
devastated by the natural disasters of
2011, the outpouring of compassion was
3 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
Fire Hose Reel not wound on drum
correctly also cable interfering with
the hose reel.
The building essential services standard sets out the minimum standards
for the maintenance and testing of the buildings essential services.
Building owners have an obligation to ensure that they provide a safe
and rapid evacuation of persons in the event of an emergency.
Furthermore they also have to ensure that the emergency facilities are
maintained in an effective condition by a competent person.
In Oct 2011 Nick Grice (Operations Manager SA) held a breakfast
meeting seminar and presented to some 50 Property Managers and
Facility Managers the importance of ensuring that the building essential
services are being maintained.
The photographs that follow are examples of common noncompliance
issues regularly identified by F5M during Fire Safety Audits. This evidence
and the consequences of these issues not being identified / monitored
provide for compelling motivation to engage F5M to undertake Fire
Safety Audits.
Do we need
Fire Safety
Audits?
Nick Grice
Operations Manager, South Australia
Service label stuck over the
manufactures instructions and colored
identification band.
Fire hose reel cupboard used for storage obstructing fire extinguishers.
4 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
Contact First 5 Minutes on
0733552855 if you believe a Fire
Safety Audit is required in your
building.
A shopping trolley is blocking the exit in this
shopping center.
No charge light on an emergency light.
Emergency exit blocked by a pin board.
An emergency exit blocked by electrical
contractors.
5 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
Peru: 26 die
in blaze at
Lima drug
rehab centre 28 January 2012
A fire at a drug rehabilitation
centre in the Peruvian capital Lima
has killed at least 26 people,
officials say.
Another 10 people were injured at
the Christ Is Love centre, which
used biblical teachings to treat
addicts.
Firefighters said the doors were
locked, trapping patients inside;
some leapt from windows to
escape as flames swept through
the building.
Health Minister Alberto Tejada said
the rehab centre was not licensed
and had twice been ordered to
close.
"It was a house they had taken
over for patients with addictions
and they had the habit of leaving
people locked up with no medical
supervision," he told the Associated
Press.
Interior Minister Daniel Lozada said
police were looking for the centre's
owners.
"We want them to explain why - at
the time of the disaster - there was
no one there looking after the
centre," he told Peru's RPP radio
station.
The cause of the blaze has not
been established, but some reports
said a mattress was set on fire
during a dispute between
recovering addicts or as part of an
escape attempt.
All the victims were men, and most
died of smoke inhalation.
'No way out'
The fire began on Saturday
morning when patients were
having breakfast at the centre in
the poor and densely populated
San Juan de Lurigancho district.
BBC's Mattia Cabitza: "The problem
was that many patients could not
get out of the building because it
appears the doors were locked"
Gianfranco Huerta, a patient, said
he had to jump from the second
floor to escape the blaze.
"The doors were locked, there was
no way to get out," he told RPP.
Chief firefighter Antonio Zavala
told the Associated Press the fire
was of "Dante-esque proportions".
"We've had to use electric saws to
cut through the metal bars of the
doors to be able to work,'' Mr
Zavala said.
Local media said firefighters also
knocked through a wall from a neighbouring building to rescue
people from the smoke and flames.
Weeping relatives of drug and
alcohol addicts receiving
treatment there gathered outside
the building to seek news of their
loved ones.
Relatives of patients waited anxiously
outside the Christ Is Love Centre for news
6 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
Meet some of
our new
recruits.
I am also an Australian Red Cross
blood donor and give blood every
now and then (though one of
those times ended up with me
almost fainting on the sidewalk.
What do you like about your job at
F5M?
My job at the design department is
like a combination of all the things I
have done in the past and it feels
good to know that my designs
actually save people’s lives. I feel
lucky to be included in this team
and wish to be fully functional
soon.
What are your main challenges for
the year ahead?
Moving, learning more about my
job and learning how to cook
decent food =).
How do you like to spend your free
time?
I like catching up with friends and
family, watching TV, movies,
listening to music, reading and
trying out new stuff. I also like to
work on various projects and do
photography when I get the
chance.
Nanda Stoltz National Project Coordinator
Who is Nanda Stoltz?
I am a highly motivated and
determined person with a passion
for waterpolo. I have been playing
water polo since I was 13 and
represent Australia. I have been
lucky enough to travel all over the
world with waterpolo and meet
some amazing people. I
graduated from University in 2010
with a Bachelor of Business:
majoring in sport management
and minoring in event mgt. My
recent employment with F5M has
driven me to be as successful in my
role as I am with waterpolo.
What do you like about your job at
F5M?
I enjoy interacting with the F5M
staff and learning new tools,
techniques and skills to help
improve my business knowledge.
What are your main challenges for
the year ahead?
My main challenge for the coming
year is to learn the ropes of F5M
and absorb as much information
as I can.
How do you like to spend your free
time?
I like to: play waterpolo, go to the
gym, go surfing, watch
movies/relax and spend time with
friends.
Ria Carabeo Design Officer
Who is Ria Carabeo?
I am the new designer at the Brisbane
office. Prior to working for First 5
Minutes, I have worked for various
industries including manufacturing,
packaging, and property
management. I was recently an EEN
student. I currently live in the sunny
Gold Coast but will be moving to
Brisbane soon.
Emergency Wardens e-news: Feb 2012
7
F5M
Customer
Satisfaction
Survey 2011-
2012
This was the first annual survey
conducted in December 2011, to
monitor how satisfied customers
are with the services provided to
them by First 5 Minutes. Individual
online questionnaires focusing on
each part of the customer journey
were sent to a random sample of
890 customers nationally through
www.surveymonkey.com website.
The survey received a very warm
welcome from customers with 20 %
of sampled customers responding.
In the survey, respondents were
asked a series of questions
pertaining to First 5 minutes’:
Pre-sales service
Administration
Accounts/Contracts Management
Communication
Training/Consultancy Delivery
Knowledge and Experience of Staff
Products and Services
Promise v/s delivery
Training Consultants
The overall results were extremely
positive and encouraging. An
overwhelming majority of
customers believe that First 5
Minutes is an ‘above average to
excellent’ organisation with staff
having excellent knowledge and
experience doing a good job
across the spectrum of themes
investigated through the survey.
Some excellent constructive insights
were provided with some customers
expressing concerns regarding
specific issues that warrant greater
attention and effort on our part.
E.g. our response time and
communication, particularly
relating to delays in the completion
of evacuation diagrams.
First 5 Minutes is leaving no stone
unturned to address all issues
identified via the survey. Some of
the initiatives already implemented
to support the further enhancement
of our customer service include:
1. A F5M customer service
charter has been
developed. New KPIs are in
place for all staff to support
this charter.
2. Customer service initiatives
have been developed for
inclusion in the 2012/2013
FY business plan.
3. A customer service
excellence award for all
staff
Nurse
stabbed with
butter knife:
hospital
security to be
reviewed July 13, 2011
Security at Blacktown Hospital will
be reviewed after a nurse was
stabbed multiple times with a
butter knife yesterday, Health
Minister says.
The 48-year-old female nurse was
working at a hospital computer
when a 39-year-old emergency
department patient approached
her about 4.30am, police said.
The patient allegedly punched her
in the face before stabbing her
with a butter knife in the arm, back
and breast area.
Another nurse stopped the attack,
detained the man and secured
the knife, police added.
The nurse was treated for cuts and
puncture wounds. The injuries were
not life-threatening and she has
since been discharged, a
spokeswoman for the hospital said.
The minister said the attack was
"very worrying" and announced a
review of security measures at the
hospital.
"It is my understanding that all
emergency department staff carry
duress alarms and security guards
are on site at the hospital 24 hours
a day, but not necessarily in the
emergency department," she said
in a statement this afternoon.
Find the F5M
Response below
Jay Ramanah
Professional Development
Manager
Imagine that you
are the receptionist
at that a facility
where an incident
like the one
described above
happens. How
would you and
your ECO
R.E.A.C.T™?
8 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
F5M
Response to
the above
Scenario
This situation refers to a personal
threat i.e. an armed or unarmed
person/s threatening injury to
others or to themselves. In incidents
involving workplace confrontation
or threat of personal harm it is
imperative that nothing is done to
provoke the situation. As such in
many of these situations the raising
of the alarm will have to be done
discreetly, for example do not
activate the building Emergency
Warning System or operate a
Manual Call Point (WARNING, in
buildings where there is electronic
security access control in place
activation of a General Fire Alarm
(GFA) can disarm/unlock
electronic security door locks
allowing unimpeded access to all
areas by unauthorised persons).
R- Response to a raised alarm / Raise
an alarm
Tell yourself to stay calm. Do
not attempt to be a hero –
accept the situation and be
prepared to wait. Do not speak
unless spoken to and only if
necessary. Do exactly what the
offender tells you. Do not be
argumentative with either the
offender or other staff. Do not
make suggestions to the
offender. If your suggestion is
wrong the person may think
you planned it that way.
Discreetly contact Security as
soon as possible.
Discreetly telephone the Police
emergency number if able to
do so without danger and to
keep the phone line open.
Alternatively, ask some other
responsible member of the
staff, by way of pre-
determined gesture/s or key
word/s, to phone the Police if it
is safe to do so.
If available, activate the duress
system discretely.
Do not place yourself at risk.
Stay out of danger if not
directly involved in the
incident, if it is safe to do so,
leave the building then
discreetly raise the alarm. Call
the Police and notify
Management.
If directly confronted be deliberate in one’s actions if
ordered to carry out an
instruction by the offender. The
act should be carried out with
due consideration to one’s
safety.
Obey the intruder’s instructions,
do what you are told and
nothing more, and do not
volunteer any information.
E- Examine
Commence recording the
offender’s appearance,
objects touched etc. to
assist in the investigation.
Carefully observe any
vehicle used by the
offender/s, taking
particular note of its
registration number, type,
colour, and number of
occupants and their
appearances.
Observe the offender/s as
much as possible. In
particular, take note of the
speech, mannerisms,
clothing, scars, tattoos or
any other distinguishing
features, and record these
observations in writing as
quickly as possible after
the incident, as the Police
will want your individual
impressions of what
happened before your
memory is influenced by
discussion with others.
Immediately after the
offender/s have/has left,
mark off any areas where
they stood or touched. Do
not allow anybody in these
areas until the Police have
checked for fingerprints
and other clues.
Ask all witnesses to remain
until the Police arrive, and
explain to the witnesses
that their view of what
happened, however
fleeting, could provide
vital information when
placed together with other
evidence.
How to R. E. A. C. T™
to a Personal Threat
as described by the
scenario above?
9 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
A – Assess
Assess risk to your safety and the
safety of staff/occupants in the
building.
C – Control
Lockdown is required to protect
occupants from an external
threat by excluding or isolating
the threat (e.g. offender with a
gun). Security will assess the risk
and scope of the lock-down.
Ensure doors are not chocked
open
Secure all areas.
T- Talk
Advise all wardens and
occupants that they should
remain in ‘lock down’ situation
within the building until further
notice
Ask Wardens to help you with
calming occupants down and
reassuring them
Keep in constant
communication with
emergency services
Keep wardens and occupants
informed of the developments
at regular interval of time
through e-mail, phone or PA
system is available.
Exclude all members of the
media from the area and allow
only the authorised person to
make statements.
Graeme
Hancock
training in the
Red Centre - A
Photo Album
Graeme Started his Journey on sun
30th Oct that has taken him to
places such as Docker River,
Imampa, Finke, Areyonga and
Hasst Bluff from South Australia into
the Northern Territory travelling
more than 5000 Kms. The following
photos will tell the story.
10 Emergency Wardens Australia: Feb 2012
First 5 Minutes
gears up for
brand new
CRM in 2012
First 5 Minutes’
recent
investment in IT
infrastructure
and software is
unprecedented.
It demonstrates
F5M’s
commitment to
continuous
improvement in
exceeding its
customers’
expectations. –
Nathan Benson,
Design & IT
Manager, F5M.
Over the past 18 months F5M has
invested significant resources to
scope and develop a new
Customer relationship and
process management system
(CMARS). F5M is committed to the
implementation of CMARS to
support the efficiency of service
delivery to its customers.
What is CMARS?
CMARS is F5M’s new customer
management and relationship
system that will revolutionise the
way we manage our business in
the future.
It will introduce new business
processes that will significantly
change the way we operate on a
day to day basis. This new system
will greatly enhance the efficiency
of our administrative processes and
remove a high proportion of
resources currently deployed to
undertake repetitive non-
productive and mundane work
requirements. This will enable a
reallocation of resources to
become more proactive in building
and maintaining our client relationships and the provision of
service excellence. How will CMARS help improve our
client relationship?
CMARS will manage all aspects of
F5M’s relationship with its valued
clients; from quoting through to
service delivery and after sales
service. The CMARS data base will
enable connectivity to F5M web
interfaces, providing real time
information to our trainers’ in the
field as well as all operations staff.
CMARS will greatly enhance First 5
Minutes ability to manage client
relationships ensuring that our
clients are aware of the full range
of services and products available
to them and how well F5M is
performing against the service
commitments made. The CMARS
Database will also facilitate regular
customized and relevant
communication with F5M clients
through newsletters and frequent
e-mail communication.
Furthermore, CMARS will feature
comprehensive CRM functionality
to support the leverage of our
existing client base as well as
marketing insights and tools to
support the engagement of new
customers.
CMARS will also facilitate the
introduction of new laptops for
trainers with immediate
web/database connectivity and
the ability to manage training
warden registers on site.
What is the status of CMARS’s
implementation now?
According to Nathan Benson, IT
Manager F5M, CMARS is currently being
customised to suit the business process
needs of First 5 Minutes. This is a very
detailed and important part of the
project to ensure objectives are met.
Following the customisation of the
system, F5M offices will undergo a full
infrastructure upgrade involving the
installation of new servers in all offices.
What training will be provided for staff?
Before go live, staff will benefit from a
robust training program that is currently
being developed. Besides being
involved in the development phase, staff
will have hands on experience in testing
the system and providing feedback
before its implementation. Furthermore,
all F5M colleagues will be fully trained
and assessed on being able to use the
new system before we go live in mid-
2012.
From little things – Big
things grow
We welcome your feedback and
contribution to this newsletter.
Write to: Jay Ramanah, Professional Development Manager