My view about the past two weeks

For the past two weeks since Mr.Landon is gone things has been quiet difficult for some of us because he was the person who will make sure that we all understand how to overcome some of the things that we found difficult, but it seems to be a challenge that we need to face on our own and I can tell we doing good so far with the lessons we get from Mrs.Valerie. They are really helpful because we as emergency managers cannot just think that we can make people to understand what they have been told to do and how to react during and after a disaster has strike. From the past lessons that we are getting from Mrs.Valerie, we can now see that communication is the most important tool to use during a disaster. By doing so we can serve our customers what they want to get and, not only during a disaster, but in everything that we are doing we should respect and know how to manage all the things that the people need to know and by doing so it will be easy for us and the people to use communication skills more effectively.

Communication is the most essential tool and it needs to have good communication strategies that will lead to good reactions after or during crisis. Since we are doing the lessons about communication, we find it important to know how to communicate with other organizations, respecting their cultures and their values. We find it easy when we have communication professionals such as the media, elected officials and business leaders, reason being that they make our job easily, quickly, accurately and effectively. When dealing with disasters it is always recommended to go smart, big and fast because saving life’s is our number one priority. With effective communication we can do all of the above.

Since we are doing communication lessons and receiving activities from Mrs.valerie, We sometimes need to search for information via internet and sometimes it is difficult for me to follow the links but, I can tell you guys with the help from White, I find it easy to do more research using internet because most of the lessons that we are doing we need to use internet to get the information we need, and now I know how to do it on my own. I really enjoy the lessons too much.                  

Effective Communication

Communication is a very important in emergency management. Sometimes it is very difficult to communicate as emergency managers; you may find that in some disasters there are no sources  of communication and that makes it very difficult for responders to reach the place where disaster have occurred and to reach disaster survivours, e.g. no signals on cell phones. Communication is good because is a good way of making response and recovery efforts more easily.

We are doing communication lessons which have opened my eyes and ears. I’ve learned that you don’t have to assume that people can hear or understand you. One should ensure that the message is delivered and received by the listeners, that way you can have the desired feedback. The lessons are also preparing us how to communicate with the media or public because as emergency manager is what we are going to do during and after disaster.    

Skyping with girls in Washington

Girls talk

I had a great day skyping with three intelligent young ladies and we spoke a lot about our different backgrounds and our lives. I was thinking that everything is easy for them but they work hard to be the better people that they are today. We both value our families and the type of music we listen to is kinder the same like the one song we all like is 'girls run the world' by Beyoncé.

When coming to food we like different things and for we prefer walky-talky (heads and feets), but desserts work well for them. I am looking forward to skype with them again and thanks for your time girls. Girl’s Power!!!!!

Kanana Secondary School EOP

The Emergency Operation Plan, (EOP), draft for Kanana Secondary is completed and it is delivered to other stakeholders who are part of this plan. They are impressed with the good work we have done as World Disaster Management Community College, (WDMCC) students with the help of Mr. Landon and the school. We looking forward to make the final plan up and going for the school, I hope they make it active. Expanding this plan for other schools will be a good thing and that will build a resilience community in Kanana.

                                                                      

We did a great job and team work really pays good results, Big up to everyone.

Deliver the draft EOP to the Fire Chief

Delivering the draft EOP

What a wonderful day I had at the fire department office in Klerksdorp with my fellow emergency manager’s students. We went there to deliver the draft of Kanana secondary plan that we have created with Mr. Landon and the fire chief was so excited to see us. We also met the deputy chief and he showed us the records of incidents they have worked on and he explained his background about his job. 

We took a tour with Mr. Sithole, an employee there, in the building learning about different types of trucks and what they exactly do, the equipments they use during incidents and we also saw the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) of the fire department. I enjoyed myself to the fullest and I am grateful for this opportunity and effort they are doing for us even though it was raining.

Me in action

Things are improving and that’s a good sign for a better future ahead of me. Hard work pays and it opens doors that are difficult to be opened. I am proud to be part of this college.

Students at Klerksdorp Fire Department

What a nice day, having a ride with Mr. Landon to Klerksdorp fire department office it was cool and exciting. It felt like it could be a daily thing. I was more than happy to be at the fire department office because we learnt so many things that we need to know as emergency management students and we were also motivated a lot by the words that we heard from fire department workers.

They were so excited to see us and we were welcomed with warm hands by everyone there. We were shown around the building and I was so excited to see the fire Emergency Operation Center (EOC). I was like oh my… what a nice thing and we were taught about the tools that they use for responding to fire emergencies. They even showed us some of the incidents that they have responded to. The fire chief told us some inspiring words: that he feels so ashamed that they are in our country but someone had to come out of the country to give us this life time opportunity so now all they have to do is to just be grateful to what the every child is ours foundation is doing for us and he will personally make sure that this college becomes popular as it is a very big thing that has to be known by almost everyone. He also said he will like to see us more successful in future and also see this college expanding to other communities.

When we came back it was so amazing and fun because it was so rainy and we had to sit at the back of the van and it was awful because there was a lot of a rain in Kanana. Some people were laughing at us, they were like what in the world are they doing? are this girls sick or what? But believe you me it was so fun.

Streets of Kanana after a normal rain storm

  

Training for Fire Department

The training so far is okay because we are doing the theory part and I have learned so much about different types of fire classes and how to handle fire if it might occurs. Fire is a dangerous threat, it can kill people, destroy properties and it can happen anytime because of the things we don't take to consideration e.g. overloading electrical plugs, so prevention is better than cure.It is use full to have the basic information about fire. The practical part, we gonna be trained how to swim, fire safety  and the things that fire fighters do during any incidents.

This is a good opportunity for me  to be exposed in different trainings and being able to help others with the information that I have gained and especially for my family. It is a good thing to help others but I have to be more concern about my safety.

Planning section

The moment that we've been waiting for is soon to be arrive.Since we been planning the Kanana Secondary School EOP (emergency operation plan) now is getting done and is going to  be given to the school soon.It was great to be part of the plan I was doing threat analysis, I thought it was going to be difficult for me but now even at home I can analyze threats,actually can see them every where I go,I even have my EOP for my family at home.