• Obtain input from all functional areas. • Promote a free flow of ideas. • Issue a mission statement for the plan. • Establish a schedule and budget. Step Two— Analyze Capabilities and Hazards • Review internal plans and policies—evacuation plan, fire protection plan, hazardous materials, etc. • Meet with outside groups— government agencies, community organizations, emergency management office, utilities, etc. • Identify codes and regulations —environmental, fire, seismic, safety codes, etc. • Identify critical products, services and operations. • Identify internal resources and capabilities—personnel, equipment, facilities, organiza- tional, backup systems. • Identify external resources— emergency medical services, local and state police, contractors, etc. (formal agreements may be necessary). • Review insurance. • Conduct a vulnerability analysis: - Within facility - Within community - Historical—earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes - Geographic—proximity to flood plains, airports - Technological— process or system failure - Human error (largest cause of workplace emergencies) Step Three— Establish the Plan • Detail emergency response procedures. Step Four— Implement the Plan • Integrate into company operations. • Conduct training. • Evaluate and modify the plan. Post-Disaster Considerations • Direction and control—the emergency management group is to be led by the emergency director, who is in charge of all aspects. • Life safety—first priority. • Property protection—essential to restoring operations. • Community outreach—your relationship with the community will influence your ability to protect personnel and property, and return to normal. • Recovery and restoration—to keep people employed and the organization running. • Administration and logistics— maintain complete and accurate records. You can hope that your business or organization never suffers a disaster that would interrupt or threaten its prosperity. But you can be sure that if disaster does strike, a full and timely recovery will depend on your ability to deal with the unexpected. I hope that I have stimulated your thinking about how to be better prepared by encouraging you to give careful consideration to the importance of organized disaster planning. You are encouraged to consider all areas, especially those unique to your organization. However, regardless of your organization’s individual needs, technology will likely play a major role in your plan development and recovery effort. Therefore, it is also important that you make a business continuity plan (BCP) dealing with technology issues a focal point of your overall strategy. The following chart provides some Web sites that may be referred to for information to enhance any disaster planning program. ADJUSTERS INTERNAT IONAL . COM 5 A D J U S T I N G T O D A Y
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