Risk Management Magazine

There is nothing wrong with using a portable generator during an emergency, but it must be used wisely and in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications. When used in a confined space, generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide within minutes.

Sometimes, we make decisions contrary to our training. When we leave the military environment at the end of a work day, a lot of us leave our risk management training at the door. I speak from experience. Even though I had quickly thought through some aspects of risk management, I did not necessarily implement all of the steps one winter day a couple of years ago.

On a crisp December evening, I noticed some of the Christmas lights on our house were out. The unlit strand was along the trim in an area not for the faint of heart. In that spot, the trim rises sharply, perhaps 48-50 degrees, to an apex about 30 feet above the driveway. I have an extension ladder that easily reaches that area, so I wasn’t too concerned about making the repair.