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How to Provide First Aid for Burns

We've all probably burned our skin at one point in our lives. Some more serious than others. When burns are more severe, medical attention is required. Until help arrives, it is important to know how to provide first aid for burns. Whether it's from staying out at the beach too long or burning our hand on the stove, burns are a painful and sometimes dangerous affliction of the skin.

Before providing first aid for burns, however, it's important to know all you can about the nature of burns. Burns range from minor to severe, have many symptoms and are caused by many different things. Let's take a quick crash course in everything you need to know about burns.

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Everything You Need to Know about Burns

How to Manage the Pain

How to Provide First Aid for Burns

Final Thoughts

Everything You Need to Know about Burns

Burns are defined as "damage to the skin caused by extreme heat," but there is much more to it than that. Burns are caused by many different things and circumstances. The symptoms of burns are numerous, and severities of burns range from very minor to life-threatening. It's important to know the distinctions of each before providing first aid for burns.

What Causes Burns?

Symptoms of Burns

First-Degree Burns

Second-Degree Burns

Third-Degree Burns

How to Manage the Pain

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Burn pain is one of the most prolonged and intense types of pains. Burn pain is hard to control due to a number of factors. These factors include its unique characteristics, its various components, and its ever-changing patterns. Treating the burns may cause just as much pain as the burns themselves as the dressings must be changed, and the wounds cleaned. Many studies have shown that burns require an aggressive treatment of pain.

How to Provide First Aid for Burns

lady with a black cloth covering her hair and eyes

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Before providing first aid for burns, it's important to determine the severity of the burn. The more severe they are, the more complex first aid for burns becomes. Let's break down by severity how to provide first aid for burns.

First Aid for All Burns

Is It a Minor Burn or a Major Burn?

First Aid for First-Degree Burns

First Aid for Second-Degree Burns

First Aid for Third-Degree Burns

Final Thoughts

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Burns can vary from very minor to very severe. Providing first aids for burns requires recognition of the severity of the burn. To determine the severity of the burn, it is important to know the different symptoms of burns. First-degree burns tend to be more of an annoyance more than a concern.

Second and third-degree burns, on the other hand, can be very serious and require doctor supervision. Third-degree burns are very serious and require you to call 911 immediately. Remember, before help arrives it is up to you to provide first aid for burns. Those first steps can be key to lessening the severity of the overall situation.

Treatment For Shock: 10 First Aid Information You Need To Know

Shock is a life-threatening medical emergency, and you should seek medical treatment for shock immediately. One of the main symptoms is low blood pressure. You may also feel faint or weak, have a weak or rapid pulse, cold and clammy skin, or shallow, rapid breathing.

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What Is Shock?

What Are the Different Types of Shock?

Is There a Need to Seek Medical Treatment for Shock?

Shock | Everything You Need to Know

Basic First Aid

Conclusion

Treatment will depend on the cause of the shock being experienced. Tests will be run to determine the cause, IV fluids are usually given, as well as medication to raise blood pressure.

What Is Shock?

Shock will occur when there is an inefficient flow of fluids through the body which is life-threatening. It is often the result of an illness or severe injury. Types of shock include emotional or psychological shock and medical shock.

Emotional or Psychological Shock

Medical Shock

What Are the Different Types of Shock?

Neurogenic Shock

Hypovolemic Shock

Cardiogenic Shock

Anaphylactic Shock

Septic Shock

Is There a Need to Seek Medical Treatment for Shock?

If you suspect a person is in shock after an injury immediately call 911 or take them to an emergency center as soon as possible. You can save a person’s life by getting them medical attention immediately. When treatment for shock is done quickly, there is less chance of damage to vital organs. The sooner treatment for shock is done, the better.

Treatment

Treatment will be different depending on the type of shock. Generally, administering large amounts of fluids is done to raise the blood pressure (fluid resuscitation) with an IV. This is done either in the emergency room or the ambulance and is the first-line treatment for shock for all types. The doctor will then add medications to the fluids to ensure blood is flowing to vital organs and to raise blood pressure. Tests will be done such as EKGs, blood tests, and X-rays to determine the cause of shock and to see if the cause is an underlying illness.

Call 911

Call 911 immediately if you suspect someone is in shock
Don’t hesitate to see if the symptoms get worse before seeking assistance
Stay with the person until help comes and stay on 911 to listen to further instructions
Turn the person on their side if they are bleeding from their mouth or vomiting
Don’t raise their head
Elevate their feet approximately 12 inches above their head; if their back, neck, or head is injured or if you think they have a broken leg or hip bones, then don’t do this

Start CPR if needed

If the person isn’t breathing or their breath is weak, start CPR for children or adult CPR; continue until the person is breathing or help arrives
If on the way to the emergency room or waiting for help, check the person’s airway, breathing, and circulation
If they are breathing on their own, check their breath every 2 minutes until medical assistance arrives

Treat Injuries

Apply pressure to wounds that are severely bleeding
Administer first aid for injuries

Keep the Person Warm and Comfortable

Loosen tight clothing
Cover with a blanket or a coat
Keep them still and don’t move them unless they are in danger
Keep them calm and reassured
Don’t give fluids even if the person says they are thirsty as they may choke if they suddenly lose consciousness

Shock | Everything You Need to Know

Causes

There can be several reasons for shock to occur that include the following:

Constant diarrhea or vomiting
Burns
Spinal or neurologic shock
Severe anaphylactic or allergic reaction
Infection, or septic shock
Dehydration from heat illness
Heavy external or internal bleeding from a blood vessel or a serious injury
Heart conditions such as heart failure or a heart attack

Symptoms

Rapid heart rate, or tachycardia, and low blood pressure are the main symptoms of shock. The symptoms include the following:

Weakness
Fainting or dizziness
Weak, rapid pulse
Clammy, cold skin
Shallow, rapid breathing

Depending on what type of shock you are experiencing, the following symptoms can be seen:

Chest pain
Sweating
Bluish fingernails and lips
No urine or low amounts
Unresponsiveness or confusion
Seizures
Agitation or anxiety
Eyes that appear to be staring

Prevention

If you know you have an allergy to something, carry an Epi-pen with you at all times which you can obtain from your doctor with a prescription. Avoid things that cause you to have an allergic reaction. Learn how you can prevent shock by preventing dehydration, injury, and heart disease.

Basic First Aid

You can perform these while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Cardiac Arrest

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is the most important thing to do in the treatment for shock. If a person’s heart has stopped pumping blood and CPR is not done, they will die. Using an AED, or an automated external defibrillator, or CPR may save their life. It’s best to take a CPR course at a fire department, Red Cross center, community college, or a medical center to learn this procedure. AEDs are available in many businesses and public areas. They don’t require training to use. CPR training will review how to use this device. American Red Cross and American Heart Association recommend doing the following:

Calling 911
Starting chest compressions fast and hard in the center of the chest, allow recoil between compressions, and turn over to medical personnel when they arrive
If you have been trained, use rescue breathing and chest compressions
Use an AED if there is one available, but don’t delay chest compressions

Bleeding

Most bleeding will stop on its own, but if it is severe, it could lead to shock or death. Take these steps to control bleeding:

Cover the wound with either cloth or gauze and apply direct pressure to stop blood flow; don’t remove the cloth and add more if needed as it will help to form clots
Don’t apply a tourniquet as it may damage the limb

Bee Stings

These can be painful and deadly if you are allergic. Use these tips while waiting for assistance:

Remove the stinger to prevent further venom from being delivered
If you know the person is allergic, use an Epi-pen or call 911 if you don’t have one
Use an ice pack to reduce swelling
Take an antihistamine such as Benadryl to reduce itching and swelling
Tylenol or ibuprofen are good for pain relief
Monitor the person for signs of anaphylaxis that include itching, redness, hives, and shortness of breath

Conclusion

Seeking prompt treatment for shock is required for the best results. Your results will depend on how fast your treatment for shock was applied, your recovery, your overall health, and the reason for the shock. Spinal shock is the most difficult to treat, as the spinal cord is responsible for many of the body’s important functions. There are few effective treatments but research is making progress in the treatment of these injuries.Cardiogenic shock has a survival rate of 33% because it is the result of dysfunction or injury to the heart. This makes it difficult to treat and recover from. Septic shock has a mortality rate of 24-50%. The faster the infection is treated, the great chance of success. Hospitals are now using specific treatments to identify septic shock and treat them aggressively. Hypovolemic and anaphylactic shock respond well to early medical treatment.

We hope this article has shed light on what shock is and the proper treatment of shock. Remember, if you suspect that you or someone else may be experiencing shock, do not delay – follow this guideline, and seek help immediately.

10 Disaster Relief Charities: Where to Go for Help After a Disaster

When disaster strikes you or your family, it’s normal to feel helpless. It is natural to be frightened and to wonder where to turn to find the aid you’ll need to get through to the next day. But there are many places to go for help. Disaster relief charities exist and will reach out to any community in need. Whether it’s medical care, food, and water, shelter, hygiene products, spiritual guidance, or even cold hard cash, you can find what you need to get you by after a disaster. Even once the initial shock and the need for immediate relief subsides, many organizations will help with repairs.

Disaster Relief Charities

These groups are dedicated to helping those who have been affected by disasters. It is literally what they are there for. So, take advantage of their services in any way you can. The best plan is to know which organizations are available locally before disaster strikes. Therefore, make it part of your disaster preparedness plan. Find out which humanitarian groups are available in your area. Consider whether or not you have a strong preference for taking aid from a secular organization versus a religious one. Then, ask for help when you need it.

American Red Cross

disaster relief charities — Image CC0, by ErikLyngsoe, via Pixabay

The American Red Cross is a secular, volunteer-led humanitarian organization. This massive organization provides not only disaster relief, but also blood donations, safety training, international relief services, and aid for military families. The American Red Cross’ mission statement declares that the organization “prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”

The Red Cross offers medical care, financial assistance, and emergency communication at no cost to those in need. It also operates disaster shelters across the country.

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian organization that provides some services to those in crisis. This organization offers disaster relief, financial assistance, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and aid for veterans and the elderly. The Salvation Army also vows to end human trafficking, domestic violence, gang violence, LGBTQ issues, poverty, and unemployment. The Salvation Army operates thrift stores located across the country as well. While there is no cost to receive assistance from The Salvation Army, you may be expected to spread the organization’s religious agenda.

United Way

The United Way is a secular volunteer organization that specializes in responding to poverty and its effects on health, education, and stability. United Way’s 211 program allows anyone in need of help to dial 211 from any phone. Dialing that number puts the caller in touch with local relief services. This includes disaster relief, emergency alerts, mental health support, shelters, domestic violence assistance, housing and utility assistance, employment services, healthcare information, and aid for veterans.

World Vision

World Vision is a global Christian humanitarian organization. Although the organization identifies itself as religious, it stresses that its services are available to all people of all faiths, as well as those who do not practice religion at all. World Vision’s focus is mostly on connecting children in third world countries with sponsors. The sponsors pay a monthly fee to help provide those children with food, drinking water, and access to education. The organization also provides relief in the event of a disaster.

Learn more about World Vision below:

Samaritan’s Purse

Samaritan’s Purse is another Christian organization dedicated to helping people around the world in the name of Jesus. This organization, devoted to global disaster response, stockpiles supplies in warehouses all over the globe. When disaster strikes, they hand out food, water, cooking utensils, food, blankets, tents, and rain gear. Samaritan’s Purse also supplies hospitals with medical supplies and dispatches medical teams to areas where people have no access to emergency medical care.

Episcopal Relief and Development

Episcopal Relief and Development is the official organization of the Episcopal Church. It focuses on four distinct goals: hunger, healthcare, economic opportunities, and disaster relief. This organization has a well-developed U.S. Disaster Program, which proved key in response to the 2017 hurricane season. Episcopal Relief and Development offers a wealth of disaster preparedness education resources on its website.

Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities serves communities with over 160 agencies across the United States. Each agency offers social services customized for the specific community it serves. Catholic Charities is the official disaster relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church. The organization provides direct long-term and short-term aid to relief victims. The aid they provide often includes food, water, home repairs, rebuilding, and cash assistance.

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)

The United Methodist Committee on Relief is the humanitarian organization of the United Methodist Church. This organization and its donors ship disaster relief kits around the world. Cleaning kits, Hygiene kits, and school kids are designed to help people keep living their daily lives after surviving a disaster. Volunteers can go to the UMC’s website to find instructions for assembling relief kits and to print shipping labels. They can then ship supplies directly to The United Methodist Committee on Relief for distribution.

Operation Blessing

Operation Blessing is a non-denominational Christian organization that vows to ease global human suffering through the “demonstration of God’s love.” This organization aids not only those affected by natural disasters but also refugees fleeing war-torn countries. This includes housing, food, shelter, and medical care. Operation Blessing also runs a program called Extreme Blessing Home Makeover, which rebuilds the home of those affected by disasters at no charge.

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD)

National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster is an association of over 50 organizations that provide disaster relief services. These include religious, secular, and government-sponsored disaster relief charities where people affected by disasters can go for help in an emergency. Anyone with the proper experience can become a member of the NVOAD and help to coordinate disaster relief efforts by applying on the official National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website.

How You Can Help

Every organization on this list relies at least mostly on donations and volunteers to provide disaster relief services for those in need. Donating is easier than ever. Just plug in the website of the disaster relief charities of your choice and donate instantly. But, don’t feel like you can’t help if you’re not able to afford to make a monetary donation. Time or item donations are also essential. Maybe you have a basement full of old camping equipment. This could provide shelter and safety for someone displaced by a hurricane. Or, perhaps you make a mean homemade chicken soup and would enjoy handing out hot meals to those in need of nourishment. Contact one of the disaster relief charities in your community, and find out what they need. Some will even arrange pick-up or transportation if you want to volunteer.

Don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help in your time of need. And encourage your friends and family to do the same. There is no need to suffer when is available needlessly. Reach out to disaster relief charities that provide relief if you’ve been affected by a disaster. Then, ask them what they can do to help you survive as comfortably as possible. The number of services available may surprise you. Many even go beyond the primary responsibility of handing out bottled water, food and supplies. Many disaster relief organizations also provide cash assistance, housing, medical care, and even counseling, if you apply for them.

Be Prepared

Preparedness is always the best plan, so choose an organization before you desperately need one. Create a disaster preparedness plan and review it often. Encourage your friends, family, and everyone else in your community to do the same. Consider donating money or volunteering your time. Choose the disaster relief charities you and your family would most likely turn to if you found yourselves in need. Then, you won’t feel like you’re getting something for nothing if you end up needing their services some day. Even if you never do, you’ll feel good. You’ll know that you’ve helped people at what was probably their lowest, most vulnerable moment in life. And you’ll know that there are people out there who will make sure that you are taken care of, should you ever end up on the other side of the disaster equation.

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The 7 Types of Emergency Management Exercises

Being adequately prepared for an emergency is important for businesses, government agencies, as well as typical families. For larger organizations, management often turns to emergency management exercises for practice. These types of exercises vary considerably in both their complexity as well as their implementation.

With all exercises, they can be classified as either discussion-based or operations-based. In our article, we’re going to be covering the seven types of emergency management exercises that you should familiarize yourself with.

1. Seminars

Seminars are one of the first types of emergency management exercises that we will discuss. With seminars, participants are generally taught the basic core foundation elements that make up the disaster preparedness plan of a business or organization. For most businesses, seminars take place in the form of new hire orientation or onboarding. These types of events do not always have a live instructor thanks to the advent computer-based training modules.

For a seminar to be successful, attendees should walk away with enough basic knowledge to be able to identify emergency exits. They should also understand what various alarm codes mean and other information that is relevant to the type of organization or business that is involved. These types of events are often casual and only require minimal amounts of time to prepare.

2. Workshops

Workshops are another one of the types of emergency management exercises that we will discuss. With workshops, the main goal is to work together in a team atmosphere to establish new ideas, processes, and procedures. The most common way to conduct a workshop involves gathering all of the relevant department heads and other important officials.

Once everyone is gathered, a question and answer session is conducted to establish an open dialogue. Using member input, deficiencies in the current emergency response plan are identified and new procedures are developed accordingly. The level of planning with workshops is significantly higher than that of seminars. It also requires much more time to be able to perform these types of events effectively.

3. Tabletop Exercises

Tabletop exercises are another very common tactic that is used. This is especially true for emergency response groups like the Red Cross as well as groups like the National Guard. Similar to workshops, tabletop exercises tend to involve senior staff and appointed officials who play a key role in the development of new policies and procedures.

Where the two emergency management exercises differ is that tabletop exercises seek to develop an effective solution using a predefined hypothetical scenario. The events are typically much more structured than workshops and tend to be used to test current policies and procedures. These types of exercises require copious amounts of time and can last anywhere from several hours to multiple days.

4. Games

Somewhat similar to tabletop exercises, games are another one of the more effective types of emergency management exercises. Just like with tabletop exercises, games seek to test existing procedures and develop new solutions to hypothetical problems. Where they differ is that games are generally much more structured and have a relatively large set of rules to limit what can be done. With tabletop exercises, the discussions are often much less formal.

Games are especially useful for testing member’s ingenuity and problem-solving skills. Games are a very common exercise method in high-security areas like nuclear power plants and manufacturing facilities. The reason for this is that games can be used to teach members what to do in the event backup systems fail and more.

5. Drills

Students in Santiago during an earthquake drill.

Drills are one of the most common types of emergency management exercises that are operations-based. These types of exercises are common for businesses, schools, government buildings, and more. Fire drills are the most frequently used type of exercise in this particular category.

With drills, the goal is to test the effectiveness of a given policy in a controlled and isolated environment. It has the benefit of providing instant feedback and requires minimum amounts of effort to prepare for. Though drills are mainly planned in advance, surprise drills can be used to provide even more effective feedback as well.

6. Functional Exercises

With functional exercises, the primary goal is to learn how effective an organization is at responding to a disaster even in a given area. Where it differs from other emergency management exercise types is that it mainly focuses on the command structure for a given organization.

For this reason, functional exercises are much more common in strategic environments like military organizations and certain key civic centers. They differ from drills in the sense that they often involve multiple functions at once and that they do not actually result in the deployment of any resources or personnel. Due to their nature, functional exercises are also commonly referred to as command post exercises.

7. Full-scale Exercises

Out of all the types of emergency management exercises covered in our article, full-scale exercises are the most difficult to perform. These types of exercises are reserved for large-scale use by the military and other high-security sectors. With full-scale exercises, multiple agencies work together in a high-stress environment to respond to a simulated emergency or disaster event.

These exercises involve the actual mobilization of personnel and equipment to the simulated area to gauge their effectiveness and response times. Depending on the scenario being practices, the time frame can vary substantially from days to weeks. The scenario itself is often fine-tuned and is fully scripted in advance to practice in a controlled manner.

Summing Up

No matter what types of emergency management exercises you decide to use, the key is to practice them regularly and correctly. By reading our article, you should now have a sound understanding of the seven different emergency exercise methods and how they are best used. Take your time formulating your training plan and remember to update it as needed for maximum effectiveness. If you have any training tips you would like to share, feel free to tell us about them below. Sharing our article is always appreciated as well.

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How to Get a Job in Disaster Relief

When choosing a career path, we think about financial security and paying the bills. We might also consider where on earth the path will take us—where do we want to live? Deep in the heart, nevertheless, is the yearning to do something significant, something that makes a difference. We want respect for what we do and we want to know we have helped people.

Few vocations can meet this mark like disaster relief. Risk, adventure, appreciation and emotional satisfaction come with the job. Witnessing pain, fear and grief do, likewise. For the stout-hearted, there are steps ready to take.

Determine Your Specialty

CDC Emergency Management Specialists — CDC’s Emergency Management Specialists (Image Source: CDC.gov)

If you wonder how to get a job in disaster relief, first remember that this is a wide-ranging field, employing a diversity of professionals. Furthermore, employers range from the federal government to local agencies to private organizations. An interested inquirer must decide the capacity in which he or she will serve. There are positions requiring the coordination of services; the relay of information at call centers; the management of logistics; and the basic provision of food and blankets, for example.

It is plain to see that each of these roles calls for differing levels of education, as well as diverse temperaments. A thorough self-evaluation is in order to find the proper fit, and then proceed accordingly. Although the U.S. Department of Labor recognizes the occupation of “emergency management specialist,” it provides little definition beyond salary.

Determine Your Geographic Scope

As noted, emergency response officials can be national (even international) agents or hometown regulars. A Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) manager might continuously traverse the United States wherever flood, fire, hurricane of avalanche dictate. A local Red Cross coordinator, on the other hand, may occupy the same 10 mile radius for an entire career. This fact goes to lifestyle: if home and family are high priorities, your path best take a local route.

Geography serves to influence in another way. Those seeking exploits and new experiences are much more apt to choose a larger territory over city and region. How to get a job in disaster relief means asking yourself about your passions and motivations. The answer will help to decide on where and how far you are willing to go.

Research, Research, Research

Getting trained on how to install smoke alarms in District Heights — Image Source: RedCrossChat.org

With these answers in hand, aspiring disaster relief workers can now apply their aspirations to the problem of how to get a job in disaster relief. This requires knowledge. For a start, the FEMA careers web page provides numerous job listings, though some are in the political/administrative realm. Significantly, there are tasks found here that lend themselves to students or those simply wanting experience on a part-time basis. Work of this kind helps to confirm a career decision for emergency management.

Other federal agencies, like Housing and Urban Development, operate their own disaster response teams. Closer to home, states like New Jersey field catastrophic first response agencies, as well. Even large cities like Los Angeles must have an office handling crisis mitigation. Passionate individuals learning how to get a job in disaster relief do well not to neglect private charities. The International Committee for the Red Cross hires healthcare professionals, information technology specialists, linguists and interpreters, environmental scientists and forensic analysts for its mobile and resident field staffs.

Education and Training

Knowing the particulars of disaster relief opportunities enables potential workers to zero in on the training they will need to qualify for such employment. Certain jobs—physicians and nurses, e.g.—are easy to figure out. What about logistics? It sounds too broad to map out an educational route. Actually, though this field exists over a wide array of industries and endeavors, there are specific skill sets that make for good logisticians. Business and engineering programs help hone such talents. Others develop the same strengths serving in the armed forces.

While few, if any, majors in disaster relief are available, several institutions offer certificates in the subject. Many of these, as with the University of Massachusetts at Boston, are awarded in cooperation with FEMA. Especially convenient, some of this coursework is offered in online formats.

Getting Your Feet Wet…Blistered or Burned

Theoretical knowledge is an important component of training. Still, work experience is an invaluable factor in how to get a job in disaster relief. Working part-time for an emergency response organization yields greater comprehension about the sometimes unpleasant realities of catastrophic occurrences, be they hurricanes, tornadoes or explosions. Students should seek internships for credit (and sometimes for modest stipends). In addition to FEMA, the Red Cross and local outreaches, groups like Mercy Corps offer an assortment of summer and academic term internships.

Employers look favorably upon such experience because they know the candidate is disabused of idealized notions about emergency response. A seasoned applicant has suffered the boredom and frustration of red tape; knows the physical discomfort and emotional anguish involves. This is the kind of staffer who will stick around when the glory fades.

Flexibility Matters

Granted, a narrow focus is often cited as a key to success. However, breaking into a field is different from rising to the top. In other words, aspirants should not be too particular when asking how to get a job in disaster relief. A newly-minted hydroelectric engineer, finding no immediate openings in that profession, should consider doing a stint as a general laborer. With patience the job of choice will find you, if you are sincerely committed to the mission.

Summing Up

Pursuing work in disaster relief is a sign of diligence, compassion and idealism. Important to remember is that the jobs are plentiful, but not always attainable. Applicants with clear ideas about where they can fit in the emergency response vocational spectrum give themselves a leg up in the process.

At the same time, willingness to compromise on specific assignments makes candidates more marketable and hiring more probable. Ultimately, a systematic strategy of long-term focus and immediate adaptability wins out.