Disaster Reponse Planning:
Expect the Unexpected

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have raised concerns among Americans about the safety of their cities, communities, and workplaces, as well as the ability to respond quickly and effectively in the wake of a disaster. Although these events were unprecented, sooner or later every institution will face some type of unforeseen event that could have a severe impact on its operations, assets, or employees. To survive a catastrophe, preparedness is crucial. Effective disaster response management calls for risk analysis, disaster response planning, crisis management communications, and business recovery strategies.

There is no hard and fast definition of what constitutes a disaster. Sometimes a disaster develops quickly, hitting full-force with little or no warning. Other times, a disaster looms on the horizon for a long period of time until it becomes large enough to become a threat. When disasters occur, emergency response significantly affects the extent of damages and injuries sustained.

Disasters do happen, including injuries to people, fires, explosions, chemical spills, toxic gas releases, vandalism, natural disasters such as floods, and man-made disasters such as terrorist acts. Anticipating disasters and planning our response can greatly lessen the extent of injuries and limit equipment, material, and property damage.

Disaster Response Plans (DRP) are the law. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires facilities with more than 10 employees to have a written emergency plan. Top management support and the involvement of every employee are imperative.

Risk Analysis

The first step in a risk analysis involves conducting a thorough hazard assessment of our facilities. This step should strive to minimize the likelihood, as well as the potential impact, of major events such as fire, flood, terrorism, and workplace violence. The major risk issues associated with such events include injuries, loss of life, property damage, and disruption of critical operating functions. Based on our hazard assessment, our DRP should then be written for various disaster situations.

Disaster Response Planning

Numerous actions may be required immediately following an event, including employee/student/visitor evacuation, controlled shutdown of our facilities, confirming headcount at designated assembly areas, and providing first aid. Also, internal and external resources may need to be called upon to stabilize the situation and mitigate any further consequences.

Next, all employees must know how to respond to identified potential disasters. The DRP should be reviewed with all employees when it is initially drafted, when employees' responsibilities in the plan change, and when the plan itself changes. A copy of the DRP should be easily accessible and convenient to all employees. Also, each new employee should receive a copy of the DRP during new employee orientations.

Communications

Senior management's leadership is vital during a disaster. While events can vary dramatically, there are numerous guiding principles to effective disaster response:

• Communication is critical to success, but can be difficult during a disaster.
  
  
• Identify major constituents (employees, students, and visitors) and establish appropriate communication channels for each group.
  
  
• Establish internal, external, and public media protocols that will provide instruction, stability, and confidence during a disaster.
  
  
• A senior level disaster response team must be properly organized and trained to deal with the types of incidents the institution could face.
  
  
• The disaster response team should be notified as soon as it appears there is a serious incident. Clear written policies that designate a chain of command, listing names and job titles of the people who are responsible for making decisions, monitoring response actions, and recovering back to normal operations are also imperative.
  
  
• The creation of a comprehensive disaster response plan calls for the involvement of senior management as well as communications professionals. Public scrutiny is now a fact of life for all institutions, and management is learning that preparation can make the difference between success and failure in the perceived handling of a disaster.

Business Recovery Planning

The most complex part of disaster response planning is business recovery planning. This involves actions designed to restore critical operational functions in the shortest and most cost-effective manner. Business recovery planning includes:

• Establishing a steering committee to develop disaster response and business recovery strategies.
• Identifying critical processes or functions that must be restored within a short time frame given a worst-case scenario.
• Establishing recovery times objectives for key operations.
• Examining alternative recovery strategies, such as conducting classes or business at other locations.
• Documenting agreements with vendors or suppliers for pre-contracted equipment and services.
• Identifying essential staff so they can be assigned responsibilities and carry those responsibilities out during the course of a pre-determined recovery timeline.
• Testing business recovery systems on a regular basis and revising them to reflect changes in operational practices.
• Working with law enforcement and public safety professionals who are interested in preventing looting and ensuring public health and safety.

Expect the Unexpected

Remember that the main objective of any DRP is to provide a safe environment for employees, students and visitors during a disaster, and to limit the loss of property. The events of September 11, 2001, clearly illustrate to complacent institutions that disasters do happen.

Expect the unexpected is a good motto to follow. Putting our plan in writing, communicating the plan to all employees, and implementing the plan through regular training and drills will ultimately pay off when a real disaster occurs.

MEND Team

At the request of the District Safety Committee, a disaster recovery committee was formed. The committee has named itself MEND (Maricopa Emergency 'N Disaster) Team and identified its mission: to put in place a disaster planning template for use by every college within the District.

The MEND team members appreciate any input from our governing board members, employees, and our students on how to successfully implement our disaster recovery plan.

Published in the Winter 2002 Edition of In Brief