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What are the Best Tips for Disaster Contingency Planning?

Sheri Cyprus
Sheri Cyprus

The best tips for disaster contingency planning are to analyze and prepare for the worst case scenario through organization and teamwork. It will often take many different departments in a business to adequately prepare for specific situations. Although disasters such as a bad earthquake or power outage may not occur, the goal of contingency planning is to be prepared in case something does happen. One of the most helpful tips in disaster contingency planning for businesses is for the person coordinating the project to create a committee.

Having employee volunteers as part of a contingency disaster planning committee helps get workers involved and brings attention to the importance of the project. Assigning employee volunteers to head sub-groups such as water, emergency food and safety supplies can help create an efficient team. Regular meetings with reports from the sub-heads must be included for the disaster planning to be ongoing and effective. The project coordinator should be able to give clear directions to the committee members as well as monitor their progress and make adjustments if needed.

Manual can openers should be kept with nonperishable foods.
Manual can openers should be kept with nonperishable foods.

In order for disaster contingency planning to have maximum benefits, every conceivable crisis situation should be anticipated. Keep specific situations in mind to make the supplies and actions much more focused and effective. For example, if the group is preparing for a power outage in winter, warm blankets will need to be collected as emergency supplies for when the electric heat is off. For a power outage in summer, those same blankets can be used as seating or to block sun from the windows.

Blankets are necessary items for disaster contingency planning.
Blankets are necessary items for disaster contingency planning.

Reports from the disaster contingency planning committee meetings could then be circulated to the different departments of a corporation or other business. The leader will have to ensure that department heads are aware of their role in disaster contingency planning, such as who will handle any insurance claims. Making sure that the insurance amount is enough to cover employee compensation, property damage and time interruption of the business are other departmental or senior management issues that should be resolved when planning for contingency disasters. Brochures and other information from governmental agencies may also be helpful for disaster contingency planners.

Discussion Comments

Raynbow

@heavanet- You make a great point. Those are also two items that stores run out of first when there is a disaster, so it is important to have extra flashlights and batteries on hand as part of a disaster plan. It's also important to make sure that you have a variety of battery sizes, because you might need them for flashlights and other items if the power goes out.

Heavanet

When putting together a disaster contingency plan, you can never have enough flashlights and extra batteries. A few years ago there was a power outage in my area. I helped out at a local charitable organization that checked on various people in the community and handed out items that they needed. We found that so many people were without flashlights and batteries, that we began stocking up on them for the next disaster.

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    • Manual can openers should be kept with nonperishable foods.
      By: Denis Junker
      Manual can openers should be kept with nonperishable foods.
    • Blankets are necessary items for disaster contingency planning.
      By: B747
      Blankets are necessary items for disaster contingency planning.
    • Canned goods are an important addition to disaster supplies.
      By: Николай Григорьев
      Canned goods are an important addition to disaster supplies.
    • Rechargeable flashlights are useful in a disaster.
      By: krishnacreations
      Rechargeable flashlights are useful in a disaster.
    • A disaster contingency plan should include putting together first aid kit.
      By: Paul Gibbings
      A disaster contingency plan should include putting together first aid kit.