Lucien Canton, a certified emergency manager and author of Emergency Management: Concepts and Strategies for Effective Programs, offers these tips for taking the first steps toward implementing an emergency preparedness plan.
- Make it a recurring topic. Add emergency planning discussions to weekly or monthly staff meeting agendas. Ask employees to think of “What if?” scenarios and then discuss potential follow-up actions. Even informal discussions will help keep this topic current and give the company direction if a disaster strikes.
- Identify a crisis management team. Choose creative, energetic employees who need and want challenges to categorize potential scenarios and outcomes, and pair them with actions to maximize the opportunities to continue business in the event of a disaster and to communicate with customers.
- Perform a threat assessment. Determine what disaster threats exist. Consider location, material risks, exposure and historical data. A small amount of preparation could save money, time and lives if a disaster occurs.
 
 
