Severe Weather. Did You Take the Pledge?

Well, it's official!  This week, April 22-28 has been designated as the National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The goal according to Weather Channel communique is to "engage consumers to be proactive about their severe weather preparedness plans". For those of us in Connecticut, we shouldn't need to much urging to do this given what happened in October 2011.  An early snow fall coupled with leaves on tress  brought down and disrupted  electricy to thousands upon thousand of Ct. residents.  This is a call to action!  Million Preparedness Pledge, have yo taken the pledge?  The goal of the Million Preparedness Pledge is to inspire  and motivate 1 million people to commit to be prepared before a weather emergency.
This effort is being spear-headed and sponsored by FEMA, NOAA, the American Red Cross and The Weather Channel.  This is a call to action, that is important to you and your family as well as your community.  If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.

Is there a Security Audit in Your Facility's Future?

“Law enforcement responds to criminal activity and security is designed to mitigate criminal activity,” Benne says. Paul Benne, is a senior associate of technology and a security specialist with Syska Hennessy Group.
For an insightful discussion on why conduct a facility Security Audit,  review this article Your Real Risks.  While the cost of conducting a comprehensive Security Audit may run $10,000 to $50,000, a portion of that may be mitigated by having an in-depth discussion with your insurance carrier.

Early Detection key for Warren Buffet

A little prior planning, followed by action yields desired results.  We urge our clients, friends, family and fans to heed Warren Buffet's sage advise and TAKE ACTION, get screened.
Prostate Cancer kills over 28,000 men each year.  Did you know this?   According to the Cleveland Clinic,  80% of men reaching their 80's will have some cancerous cells in their prostate.  The key to survival , as Warren Buffet said, early detection.
Check-out the American Cancer Society's  Find Cancer Early-Screening Guidelines.
The ultimate goal of the clients of Metroguard is to safeguard their assets, family and self.  We can think of no better place for them to start than with their own health!  That is why we are committed to providing relevant Check lists and Guidelines.  Prevention is the first line of defense in any Security Solutions Plan.

Tornadoes in Connecticut? Are you ready?

Most of us in Connecticut think that tornadoes are something that happen in the Mid-West or in the Southern states... well, anywhere but here in Ct.
Apparently, 100 tornadoes or possible tornadoes have struck Ct. in recent history.  The folks over at Wikipedia have compiled the History of Tornadoes in Ct. and is the source of this recap graph.  For our purposes, the next 6 months is prime time for tornadoes.  To that end, the question is, how prepared are you and your family? How prepared is your business, building and facilities?
     Check back with us, as we compile Emergency Readiness Checklists and Emergency Resources that we hope will help keep you and yours safe. In the interim, look at and download this checklist prepared by FEMA and American Red Cross Emergency Preparedness List...
Let know know what steps you are taking to prepare for an emergency.

   

Building and Facility Managers Resources

INDUSTRY LINKS:
American Association of School Administrators
Community Association Institute
Ct. Association of Health Care Facilities
Ct. School Buildings and Grounds Association
Construction Institute
Electrical Safety Foundation
Facilities Net
Facilityzone
International Association of Venue Managers, Inc.
International Facility Management Association, Ct. Chapter
National Institute of Building Sciences
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PUBLICATIONS:
Todays Facility Manager

SCHOLARLY RESEARCH:

Important Tips for Selecting Outside Contractors

Plant Services Magazine details 7 Tips for Picking an Outside Contractor.  While the article is addressing hiring maintenance contractors, their tips apply in general when thinking about outsourcing.  Four key concepts to keep in mind.
1.  Precise Planning of your needs
2.  Hire the right Qualified workforce
3.  Engage those with the right equipment for the job
4.  What's their Safety Record?

We'd like to hear from you.  What are your TIPS on Outsourcing and Engaging Outside Contractors?

Facility Managers Embrace Social Media

The folks over at the International Association of Venue Managers, Inc. published  a great article in the Dec. 2011/Jan 2012 magazine which reviews the Social Media platform landscape and recaps ways to use these exciting tools.  An important observation they make is to focus on two to four platforms that make sense for your organization. Don't forget You Tube, it  is the second most popular website in the world.  Follow this link to read the entire article:  Facility Manager Maagazine

Have you developed a You Tube channel for  your facility for say Safety Instruction videos?
Let us know how your applying Social Media platforms at your facility.