Multifaceted Approach for Success
Having started in the trades at a young age, I have always maintained a safety-first mentality in my work. As I’ve advanced in my career and pursued different opportunities, the commitment to emergency preparedness and situational awareness has remained constant.
It is no surprise that UG2 has been an excellent professional fit for me given that my approach to emergency preparedness aligns with UG2’s core values. Successful emergency preparedness relies on strong interpersonal relationships, a mastery of proven practices, becoming a citizen of your customer’s industry, and the ability to adapt each plan to the unique needs of a particular facility, location, and situation.
Leaning into Reciprocal Relationships
Experts in emergency preparedness know that some of the most critical professional experience comes from the reciprocal relationships built with first responders. As someone with first responder background and experience, I have a deep appreciation for how these close working relationships with first responders enable continuous learning and information sharing. As a result, it allows leaders in emergency preparedness to stay at the top of their game. The insights I glean from those professionals are priceless, to me and my teams, as well as to the customers with whom I continuously share that expertise.
In my engineering services work, I have embraced opportunities to educate and partner with first responders. My background has enabled me to teach high rise safety to members of the fire department, instructing them in the use of our facilities’ fire control centers and mechanical system control panels. The trainings we have delivered allows the departments we would rely on in an emergency to fully understand our systems, which means a higher level of safety for all involved—those using the facilities and the first responders themselves as well as my customers’ properties and assets.
Preparing for Regionally Specific Needs
Cookie-cutter emergency preparedness plans are not sufficient in a time when crises can range from extreme weather events to active shooter situations. Working in a major urban setting on the West Coast has meant running drills for wildfires, tsunamis, active shooters, earthquakes, explosions, gas leaks, and more.
My role has included developing a customized site-specific sequence of operations that informs how an engineering team is trained to react to all these events, from a building fire to an armed intruder in the lobby. Tailoring a plan to those different scenarios—and continuously revisiting and refining—is essential in a constantly evolving environment.
Mentoring the Next Generation of Leaders
Managers in the engineering services field understandably feel tremendous pressure to manage—to increase facility efficiencies, improve responsiveness and elevate service. What I came to understand very quickly is that effective management means embracing every opportunity to be in the field yourself.
My engineers are among my customer’s most important assets. As a manager, there’s no more important role I have than helping to nurture, mentor and support those engineers. Through those relationships, you build trust and loyalty, and you have a finger on the pulse of what’s happening daily in the facility.
When a customer calls in desperate need of just the right engineer, I know exactly who to call—and I can trust that person will take my call, because I have been building a relationship with them from their first days on the job whether they came on as an apprentice or chief engineer.
Partnering With the Customer
Building a trusting relationship, becoming deeply familiar with a customer’s particular challenges, priorities, site specific needs and ensuring they benefit from the expertise and relationships I work so hard to build is at the core of mine and UG2’s success in emergency preparedness.
Do you have questions about emergency preparedness in your facility? The experts at UG2 would like nothing better than to partner with you to build the right solution.