Categories
Learning Random Thoughts

What Will You Do in a Crisis?

Howard Greenstein on WABC

In 2006, I was running management programs at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (now NYU SPS). A new program we were rolling out was “Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery.” I wanted to learn more on the subject, and was invited to FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in Maryland for a conference of educators.

I can’t say I remember everything about that conference, but one speaker stood out. I distinctly remember Ted Buffington’s talk about what happens to people in an emergency. Most people’s response during a crisis is to either Focus, Fold or Freeze™, according to Ted (who owns that trademark). The framework is simple. When something serious happens (fire, terror incident, someone is choking or has a heart attack) are you going to be the person that focuses on what to do and how to help? Will you panic and fall apart – fold? Or will you be a “deer in headlights” waiting for the inevitable?

Emergency workers are trained to focus. You don’t want your police, firefighter or EMT unsure of what to do when disaster strikes. We trust these professionals to have great training, and we respect their ability to help us when we need it. I met lots of incredible people who had saved countless lives at the FEMA training conference.

I don’t recall doing any special training with Ted, but that framework of the mind always stuck with me. What would I do in a crisis? Would I run or freeze? Or could I focus and figure out the situation, and do the right thing? Last month, I found out the answer.

I became a “local town hero” by helping a man stuck on active train tracks out of his car. I witnessed a car swerving off the platform onto the ground-level train tracks at Suffern station on March 16th. This man should never have been driving on the platform but he was confused and went right past the ticket vending machines onto the tracks. I had no idea when the next train was coming. The person inside was unable to open the driver-side door since his car was too close to the concrete platform. While calling 911 and then NJ Transit, and asking people on the platform to watch out for me, I ran out onto the tracks and helped him out the passenger side. The whole time I was conscious of the possibility of a train coming. Got my pulse rate up for sure!

Car on Train Tracks

He was an older gent, and I helped him out of the car, across the snow on the tracks, and onto the platform, and right to a Suffern Police Department officer. (You can see my footprints in the snow between the tracks in the picture above.)

Thankfully, the next scheduled train was 25 minutes later – but there was every possibility that equipment was being shifted or a freight would go by. Kudos to Suffern Police for being there in about 30 seconds (no joke) and to NJ Transit (1-888-TIPS NJT – they say it on every train ride, I actually had to call it!) for stopping the trains. You can watch the TV coverage of this here via WABC 7 NYC.   

People keep coming up to me to ask about this. I can’t explain it other than to say, I was there, and I wasn’t going to watch something terrible happen to this old man. Sure, I called 911, and I had people looking out for me. But when it came down to it, I focused, made a plan and helped a person in danger. Now I know. The police, fire services, and EMTs are heroes who face danger constantly. I was glad I could pinch-hit till they arrived.

When trouble happens, will you focus, or fold or freeze? Ted has some good, but older, resources on the To Achieve site

Categories
Learning Random Thoughts

My Cousin Matt – Hope for early onset Parkinsons

Read the story, and check Matt’s blog Matt’s Journey, to follow the story further.

Parkinson’s case offers glimmer of hope for future research | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News

Parkinson’s case offers glimmer of hope for future research

08:46 PM CDT on Friday, August 15, 2008

By JEFFREY WEISS / Staff Writer jweiss@dallasnews.com

DALLAS – Matthew Greenstein is living a story about illness, failure and a chance at redemption. He’s also an example of how, in an era when medical research is mostly about crowds of scientists and millions of dollars, a little luck might still make a difference.

Some of the details of his life are like an anti-lottery ticket: Matt has Parkinson’s disease at an age — 32 —when almost nobody has it. He has psychological issues that require medication — but most of the medicines are either bad for people with Parkinson’s or not strong enough to treat Matt’s problem.

But here’s the kicker: A couple of months ago, right after his Dallas psychiatrist prescribed his one remaining choice of medication, Matt’s Parkinson’s got a lot better.

And, finally, I’m proud of Matt for having the guts it takes to tell this story.

If you know someone with Parkinson’s, please pass this story on. Maybe they can learn something, or be helped.

Categories
howardgr Learning not-for-profit Training

My NYU Course this fall: Using Social Networks and New Media Technologies in Your Nonprofit

If you know someone who’d benefit from learning about Social Networks and other forms of New Media in a Not-For-Profit context, I’ll be teaching a class at NYU SCPS this fall on the subject. At $400 for 4 sessions, it is an excellent value (IMHO) and a great way to get an overview and some practical advice on using blogs, social networks, and other forms of media to recruit and retain volunteers and for fundraising, outreach, and publicity. Please pass it on.

Course Details | New York University – SCPS

Using Social Networks and New Media Technologies in Your Nonprofit
X39.9211 / Continuing Education / $400
FALL 2008

Donors, volunteers and staff are using technologies, from Facebook to Weblogs, to connect, communicate, learn and inform. What are these new social media tools, and how can your organization use them most effectively? How can you leverage social networks to build community, photo and video sharing to promote your cause, or blogging to keep your constituents informed? The course gives practical examples, and features guests including Tom Watson, author of the forthcoming Causewired and co-founder of Changing Our World.