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Hot Take! | You May Not Be as Prepared as You Think You Are

Oct 28, 2026
Healthcare Facility Emergency Plans
You can study the plan. Review the procedures. Check every box. But when an emergency happens, will your team know what to do? There's a reason people are fascinated by Navy SEAL training and the current TV show Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. We watch people pushed beyond their comfort zones. We see them face uncertainty, make decisions under pressure, and rely on the training they've put in long before the moment arrived. Here's what matters. They don't wait until they're in the middle of a crisis to figure out how to respond.
 
 
They practice. They repeat. They work as a team. And they train for situations that may not unfold exactly as expected. Because when the pressure is on, knowing what to do and being able to do it are two very different things. Believe it or not, the same principles apply to your residential care facility and it is your job to ensure your team is fully prepared.
 
 
You Can Know the Plan and Still Be Unprepared
  
Think about an athlete preparing for the big game.
 
They study the plays, drill on their technique, and have practiced time and time again what they're supposed to do.
The hard reality is practice isn't the same as playing with the clock running down, the opposing team’s fans yelling, and the game on the line. That's why athletes practice under pressure. They need to be able to apply what they've learned when the situation demands it.
 
Emergency preparedness in resident facilities works the same way.
 
Your staff may have reviewed the emergency procedures. They may know where the plan is kept. They may even be able to answer questions about it during training.
 
But what happens when the power goes out in the middle of the night? What if a storm creates an urgent situation? What if several things happen at once and staff members have to make decisions quickly?
 
Will they remember their responsibilities? Know who to contact? Communicate with one another? Understand what needs to happen next?
 
These are the questions worth asking before an emergency occurs.
 
Sometimes You Don't Know What You Don't Know Until You're Tested
 
 
There's a reason shows like Special Forces: World's Toughest Test draw so much attention. We get to watch people step into unfamiliar situations, face pressure, and discover how they respond when things get difficult.
In one simulated hostage rescue exercise, actress Candace Cameron Bure found herself in a leadership role. And regretfully when under pressure, she let her team down. During the debrief, she reflected on the experience and recognized that stepping up to lead was an area where she needed to grow.
 
It's a powerful reminder that sometimes we don't recognize the gaps in our knowledge, communication, or leadership until we're asked to put those skills into action. And isn't that the point of practice? The goal isn't to wait for a crisis to find out where your team needs help. It's to create opportunities to practice, ask questions, and work through scenarios while there's still time to learn. Because the best time to discover a gap in your preparedness is during a practice exercise, not when a resident is depending on you.
 
 
Preparation Has to Go Beyond the Binder
 
So, how can administrators help their teams become better prepared?
 
1. Make sure everyone knows their role. Staff should understand their responsibilities during an emergency, including how to communicate with one another and who to contact for assistance. Don't assume everyone knows simply because the information was covered during orientation.
 
2. Practice, don't just review. Use appropriate drills and realistic practice scenarios to help staff work through the procedures. Follow applicable requirements and account for residents' individual needs and safety. Practice can reveal gaps that aren't obvious when you're simply reading through a plan.
 
3. Ask the uncomfortable questions. What happens if the administrator isn't available? What if the usual contact can't be reached? What if the first step in the plan doesn't work as expected? You don't need to frighten your team. You need to help them think through what to do when circumstances change.
 
4. Learn from the practice. If staff aren't sure what to do, that's valuable information. Identify where clarification, additional training, or changes to procedures may be needed. The goal isn't to embarrass anyone or point fingers. It's to identify gaps and improve readiness before a real emergency occurs.
 
The Real Measure of Preparedness
 
The military doesn't rely on training because emergencies are predictable. Training helps people respond when situations are uncertain and the pressure is real.
 
 
Your facility may not be preparing for a military mission, but the responsibility to protect the people in your care is significant.
 
Your residents depend on your team. Your staff depend on clear direction and preparation.
 
And as an administrator, you have an important role in making sure the facility is ready to respond. You don't need to predict every emergency. You do need to give your team the knowledge, practice, and clear procedures to respond as safely and effectively as possible. Because when the rubber meets the road, the question isn't whether your facility has an emergency plan.
 
It's whether your team is prepared to put it into action.
 
 
Your Admin Challenge This week, ask one member of your team:
 
“If an emergency happened during your shift tonight, would you know what to do first?” Then listen to the answer. It may be the most valuable preparedness check you do all month.
 
Don't wait for an emergency to find out where the gaps are.

Take the next step toward being more confident in your facility's emergency preparedness. Our Are You Compliance Ready & Disaster Prepared? CEU course helps administrators strengthen their understanding of compliance and disaster preparedness so they can better prepare for the unexpected.

Ready to take action?

Explore upcoming course dates and register today!

https://www.ucampusgroup.com/arf-rcfe-renewal-california

The UCampus Group Team

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