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Catastrophe Planning - The First Steps
The most important part of any disaster plan is communication. Employees
should know that a disaster plan is in place and if an event occurs, what
steps will happen and what they are expected to do.
Consider how people react differently under pressure and take that into
consideration when you delegate responsibility. Find out if you have
employees who have EMS or fire fighting training or employees with special
skills such as construction and maintenance. Evaluate the equipment you have
at your disposal such as four-wheel drive vehicles and construction
equipment.
An emergency phone chain should be in place so all employees are notified if
an event occurs outside business hours. On the job, all employees should
have ready access to emergency numbers and cell phones should be available
for use in the event that the company phone system is down. A disaster
management handbook should be created and made available. Phone numbers
along with account numbers for service providers should be included in the
handbook. A line of credit with a bank is recommended in case emergency
repairs or temporary office space and equipment is needed.
This is a very brief overview of some of things to consider when putting a
catastrophe plan in place. All possible causes of loss (i.e. fire, flood,
power outage, terrorism, earthquake, etc.) should be examined and plans put
into place. In addition, your insurance program must be reviewed for its
adequacy in protecting you, your employees and your business in each
situation.
In the coming months, we will be providing additional information and a
seminar on disaster planning. If you received this newsletter through the
mail, you will be on the list to receive the information. If you would like
to be added to the list, please send an email to
us.
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