Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late to Plan for an Emergency

A public water company used pre-emergency planning to minimize its downtime after a flood. When it became apparent there was a high probability its facilities would be flooded, the company arranged for repair crews to be on call and replacement parts to be stored in a nearby safe area. After the flood waters subsided, restoration work began immediately, while other companies were scrambling to find repair crews and supplies.

A Little Prevention Pays Off

When people hear about pre-emergency or contingency planning, they often think about reacting to an event. But planning for an emergency does not need to be reactive. Plan ahead and proactively establish procedures to prevent a breakdown or help reduce a loss when one does occur. The cost of the water company arranging for repairs and supplies in advance was more than offset by the savings from quickly restoring operations.

Lessons Learned

Your strategy in planning action to help control damage should address three phases:

• Pre-occurrence
• During
• Post-occurrence

Action will vary depending on the particular situation and the goals of your organization. For example, one company may choose to suspend operations during a hurricane, while another may decide to continue production at a reduced level. For a more detailed discussed of pre-emergency planning for business and industry, refer to The Locomotive article “Loss Mitigation Plans: Preparations for the Loss of Essential Services.”