Week 1: Emergency Preparedness
When was the last time you thought about where your first aid kit is? AED? What about fire extinguishers?
In the first week of Safety Month, we added some permanent diagrams of tornado shelter locations and fire exits around the office – because you’d probably never know where all of them are at otherwise. Even the smallest offices can be maze-like.
We also looked at how to properly use a fire extinguisher as well as mapped out their locations around the office. Finally, because pets are such a big part of our lives – and many of our four-legged friends are welcome at TCNA during work hours – cats and alligators being notable exceptions – here are some other helpful tips:
- Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving home.
- Flameless candles are a great way to take the danger out of your dog or cat knocking over a candle accidentally. Cats are notorious for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
- Keep pets near entrances when away from home. And, affix a pet alert window cling to a front window to note the number of pets inside your house. This critical information saves rescuers time when locating your pets. Keep the list updated!
Week 2: Health Safety, CPR and AED Training
What if someone has a heart attack in the office or begins choking on food? There’s a right way to help.
Always have a first aid kit assembled and ready to go. The Red Cross again provides valuable information on what to include here (Red Cross on performing first aid).
The Red Cross also provides pointers including asking for consent to treat someone, checking their consciousness or responsiveness and checking allergies or other conditions in addition to calling 9-1-1 for help.
In the office, team members had an opportunity to sign up for CPR and AED training. An automatic external defibrillator uses electricity to jumpstart the heart and can be a literal lifesaver while emergency services are on their way.
Team members also learned different techniques for helping those who may be choking.
Week 3: Weather and In-Office Emergencies
Here in Texas, we have severe weather and tornadoes. As a good reminder, it’s probably best to not stand near windows with extreme winds. Interior rooms near structural elements of the building and basements are definitely the best way to go. Same goes for earthquakes.
We also checked out what to do in the instance of an intruder. Unfortunate, but it is a reality we must be prepared for – to run, to hide or, if push comes to shove, to fight.
Week 4: Vehicle Safety
Vehicles are what we do. It’s easy to do what we’ve been doing since the 1960s – telling you to buckle your seatbelt. Today’s cars have more opportunities to help customers, though:
- Drivelink’s services through Toyota and Lexus Safety Connect and similar telematics systems are available 24/7 in the case of an emergency
- Electronic control units scattered throughout a vehicle, able to share what the stability control is doing, airbag sensors, wheel sensors and more – all designed to link to a central data control module that can paint a picture of a vehicle
- Call center agents that know how to respond to an emergency
Between Drivelink’s telematics products offered through Toyota and Lexus vehicles as a part of Safety Connect and Destination Assist subscription services and the offerings in development, not only is Toyota Connected helping to offer solutions designed to help keep drivers and passengers safer.