Bryan Paarmann, a veteran, and retired FBI Special Agent with a 30-plus year public service career in law enforcement and security has dedicated much of his life to protecting others and helping individuals and communities handle crises. Now, a Senior Vice President at Brosnan Risk Consultants Bryan Paarmann has held several very significant leadership positions, including leader of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Bryan Paarmann, FBI (retired) continues to train and speak to groups around the country to educate people on today’s varied threat landscape and how to effectively handle emergencies. Bryan Paarmann explains a few fundamentals here.
The first step to successful crisis management is to be prepared ahead of the crisis. Thoughtful planning and preparation in relatively calm times allows for a more effective response when times turn turbulent. Develop a strategy for how to handle a potential emergency and ensure everyone on the team, or in your household, knows what it is. Repeated exposure and familiarity with instructions ensures common awareness. For instance, it is advisable to have an evacuation route mapped and posted in a visible location. In the workplace or other commercial or public enterprises, law governs that you mark emergency exits clearly. Ensure you are in compliance. It is also advisable to occasionally conduct drills to not only practice emergency response but also identify flaws in the system and ascertain that everyone knows the plan and their role in it.
In case an emergency does occur, Bryan Paarmann says it is crucial to remain calm. This will facilitate better decision making and have a net positive effect on others around you. While this may be easier said than done, it is essential to effectively receive input, analyze the situation, and take action to protect yourself and others. In his many years in managing crisis situations, Bryan Paarmann saw time and again the importance of staying calm in stressful situations. If you start to feel confused or anxious in the midst of a crisis where your immediate safety is not at risk, stop for a moment if possible, take a deep breath, and re-focus on steps to take to ameliorate the current situation. Panic is a result of the body’s production of the stress hormone cortisol, which affects the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, the area responsible for decision-making and action. By deliberately overriding this instinct, you can continue to think clearly and critically.
Next, Bryan Paarmann advises you should get to a safe place. Depending on the nature of the emergency, this may mean running away to a sheltered space. If you are in the open, get inside. If there is a threat outside, secure ingress routes and get away from doors and windows. If it is not safe to go inside, find the best shelter that is immediately available. The key is to get off of the ‘X’ and remove yourself from the dangerous situation.. In the case of a natural disaster, such as flooding, get to high ground. Get as far away from the threat as possible.
Once you are safe, call for help. Use whatever emergency number is applicable (911 in the U.S.). Give a detailed description of the situation and your location. Even if you can’t speak for whatever reason, emergency services can likely track your location if you are using a landline or GPS-enabled cell. If it is safe to do so, tune in to your local radio station, TV, or Internet news channel. Emergency responders often use these platforms to issue specific instructions, such as in the case of a terror attack or natural disaster.
Bryan Paarmann points out the government also has a detailed list of emergency tips on its website. Review this to find more advice on how to handle potential issues that are a threat in your area. Bryan Paarmann suggests taking an emergency response or first aid course as well. A few hours spent in such a course could save a life.
To inquire about booking a training or speaking engagement with Bryan Paarmann FBI, connect with him via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-paarmann-11a4a1aa/
