Helping your teams in a disaster

The first rule of disaster recovery is to be prepared. This doesn’t only mean that you have to have all the right equipment, but your team also need to be mentally and physically ready for the task at hand. This could be a mountain rescue, firefighters going into a burning building or CBRN teams assessing hazardous zones to diffuse a situation. There are a number of ways in which operators can help and support their teams before and during disaster recover situation.

Real time care of teams

In emergency response situations, teams are often wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and need a lot of gear in order to do their jobs. Recent studies show that heavy duty PPE can significantly increase the risk of higher heart rates and heat strain¹ and this is especially true when environmental conditions are warmer than they are used to. Physiological monitoring systems that offer real time alerts help operators mitigate the risk of heat related injuries that can impair their cognitive function.

Each individual in your team is different and their bodies will react to stresses and strains differently. Standardised protocols are essential but may not be easy to follow in the field or ideal for everyone. Physiological monitoring in real time can make a difference to the wellbeing of your team members at the time that they need it.

Acclimatization

Acclimatization can go a long way to help teams with their missions. Understanding the environmental conditions as well as local nuances can be key to a successful outcome of the mission.  Physical acclimation may not be possible to help prepare your teams when they are on operations and therefore fitness and mental training are important to help them adapt to the environmental impact on their bodies. When the situation does not allow for acclimatization, then personal monitoring of each team member is a must.

Be prepared – take it into the operation

Team members can’t automatically jump into a highly stressful emergency and know just what to do without the hours of training that goes on behind the scenes. Physical fitness also plays an important part in the mental wellbeing of a team, and it gives them the confidence that they can meet the physical needs of the environment that they find themselves in. Monitoring their physiology while they are preparing  also means that operation managers can formulate a benchmark for each team member and understand their thresholds so that they can continue to be a core part of the success of an operation.

Talk to us today about how we can help improve the wellbeing of your teams. We’re exhibiting at the International Security Expo, Stand F91. We’d love to see you there!

1: Variability in Heat Strain in Fully Encapsulated Impermeable Suits in Different Climates and at Different Work Loads | Annals of Work Exposures and Health | Oxford Academic (oup.com)