by Omar Fercha, LAT, ATC

Are you PREPARED?!? I’m not talking about being prepared for your workday. If you are reading this I amn assuming you are embracing our PREPARED principals everyday at work. I’m talking about being prepared for the unexpected. When I worked as an ATC in the collegiate sports setting, I spent my time on the sidelines observing practice and games in a thought experiment. After every hit, I imagined what I would do if a player sustained a life threatening injury. Broken bones. Head injuries. Basically anything that could happen to a player in the worst case scenario. Would I be ready to leap to action? Where were my supplies located? This process helped to keep my mind sharp and remember bad things can and will happen.

An Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

Bad things don’t just happen at work. The night is dark and full of terrors. Are we ready to answer the call when something terrible happens?

Much like the plan you have at work, creating an EAP at home ensures you have a process to follow in case of an emergency. Fire, flood, tornado, serious medical injury, earthquake, intruders. Your family should have an EAP for any and all scenarios that may apply to where you live. Make them specific. Practice them with your family, with your community.

Practice? You’re talking about Practice!? YES. I’m talking about practice. We do fire drills for a reason. We are creatures of habit and in a time of chaos you want this to feel easy for your family. Resources for developing your family’s specific EAPs can be found here.

First Aid Kits

Supplies are critical. From a bandaid, to a tourniquet, to gloves, having something available is better than nothing. It can literally be the difference between life and death. You should have a First Aid kit in your car, in your house, in your pack when you are on the go. You’re not going to know when you need it, so keep them close. Building your own first aid kit is easy with these resources!

Not sure what to do with all of these supplies? Ask your Injury Prevention Specialist for more information.

Strong Is Never Wrong

Get Fit! Take fitness seriously. Not just to look good, but to ensure you are able to help those you love in the event you need to do so. It’s easy to say, “your adrenaline will kick in when that time comes,” and yes, it will. But it doesn’t last forever. An adrenaline kick is quick and gets used up real fast. Then what? You have to rely on your fitness and determination to get through the rest. Find the time to get yourself to a fitness level that gives you the best opportunity to save a life.

Omar Fercha, LAT, ATC || Omar is a Portland, OR based Athletic Trainer with Work Right NW. He has 10+ years of experience working with youth to Division 1 athletes. Five years ago, he brought that experience to the sidelines of the industrial athlete. In his free time you can find him hiking with his wife, dogs, and toddler.

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Be sure to check out our other blogs for further injury prevention education and tips for the industrial athlete from Work Right NW!