There are two kinds of disasters: the kind that are inevitable and the kind that might happen. With natural hazards, like lightening, high winds, and flooding, the question is not “if,” but “when” they will happen. But fires, earthquakes, civil unrest and many other catastrophes may or may not happen… to you. Unfortunately, when it comes to disasters, there is no “never” category, so it’s always a good idea to prepare for the worst.
Proactive property managers create emergency response and emergency restoration plans. But creating the plan is only half of the job.
“If you have a plan, and it’s not updated and practiced regularly, that could be just as bad as having no plan at all,” explains WPM President of Commercial Management and Construction Services, Mike Klein. “Managers may develop a false sense of security, thinking that they have a book of instructions ready to go in the event of an emergency. But what if the emergency personnel phone numbers have changed? …or a recommended vendor is no longer in service? …or the person with the key to the water shut-off room isn’t accessible? Do you have a ‘Plan B’?”
Clearly it is the job of the manager to ensure that the emergency preparedness plan is thoroughly updated and meticulously well-rehearsed. WPM property managers have years of experience tackling the tasks of preventing and recovering from disasters. As a result, they have amassed extensive experience with emergencies across many building types and geographic locations. Below is a list of some of their most important ‘do’s and don’ts’ for disaster response planning and remediation.
Prepare for the worst. Managers often prepare for routine smaller emergencies, such as flooding or electrical outages, but they balk at devoting time to preparing for something catastrophic. Regardless of how unlikely a major event may seem, it is imperative to prepare for the worst. Your team is your most valuable resource for citing potential problems and developing appropriate solutions. Walk your team through your buildings, inviting their recommendations and adjusting the plan based on their feedback.
Plan for the Unique Challenges of Your Location. Consider the unique challenges your property could encounter, particularly regarding its water and power supply. Do you have a generator powerful enough to run your essential equipment for an extended amount of time? Have you considered risks to your water supply and developed a solution for each contingency?
Verify the Supplies. Ensuring that the supplies necessary for an emergency response are in place and in adequate condition is a task that requires ongoing attention. Materials can “walk away”, either through theft or as they become cherry-picked for other projects at the property. That is why managers ought to conduct periodic assessments of emergency response supplies.
Verify the Personnel. Managers often poll their employees to see who can stay in the event of an emergency. But be wary of putting your faith in the results of this poll; it is one thing for someone to say they will stay or show up when the sky is blue, but quite another for them to stay when a storm is raging or when they receive a phone call in the middle of the night. Things happen. People have families and homes to look after in emergencies. Managers will need to plan for training those who will be staying, and provide adequate food, supplies, first aid and equipment for the duration of the emergency. In addition, managers also ought to authorize the appropriate remaining employees to make purchase decisions or create plans of action to speed up the remediation process.
Verify the Vendors. In addition to knowing who among the internal staff can be counted on during a disaster, managers should know which external service providers are contractually bound to show up to the facility and render service in a timely fashion and at a fair price.
Klein explains the importance of establishing vendors before an emergency: “When a major weather event such as a hurricane or ice storm hits, all of the vendors are really busy. So going to the phonebook in the midst of the crisis will not be effective. WPM has developed relationships with a broad array of service vendors who can be counted on to show up for our properties first, in the event of a disaster.”
Is your team prepared for a disaster? Remember, it is not a question of “if”, but “when!” Contact WPM at [email protected] with your questions or comments. We’re happy to share our years of experience.