10 timely tips on planning for disaster response

With our current economic challenges, homeland security interests, H1N1 pandemic flu and hurricane season, it only makes good sense to be as prepared for potential disaster as possible. The N.C. Division of Emergency Management released these basic suggestions in August to help local government officials better prepare their cities and counties.

1. Encourage employees and their families to develop family emergency plans and kits.

Each individual and family should have plans made and supplies gathered together to evacuate quickly or completely sustain themselves at home for three to seven days if disaster strikes. Details concerning family preparedness may be found at www.readync.org (in Spanish at www.listonc.org). If your employees are prepared at home, your agency will function better.

2. Familiarize yourself with your city/county disaster plans.

Learn the details of your disaster plan now before a real disaster develops. Ensure your disaster response team members are each familiar with their roles as defined in your plan. If you choose not to follow your disaster plan, your citizens and the media will want to know why.

3. Identify your agency's spokespersons.

Know the primary spokesperson (and at least two backups) for your organization during a disaster. Ensure that all employees also know who those spokespersons are. With today's instant communications, a disaster in your community can become world news as it happens. Your response could be breaking news, and you need to know who will be speaking for you.

4. Develop a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) – then practice it.

Back up critical information like contact phone numbers, operational checklists, e-mail addresses, maps, operational procedures, necessary records and forms, and other critical information on portable electronic storage units in case you have to operate from an alternate location. Be sure your employees know the plan.

5. Consider a policy to fuel all agency vehicles at the end of each business day.

Fuel is a precious commodity and critical to the operation of government services. An instant fuel crisis may hamper or halt your services. Implementing a policy that instructs your employees to fill agency vehicle fuel tanks would provide one to two days of operation while supply sources are identified.

6. Build relationships with neighboring jurisdictions and develop mutual aid agreements.

No single organization or agency can own and maintain all of the resources necessary for significant disaster response. Developing relationships and forming agreements before a disaster helps to ensure adequate response support when needed. Mutual aid support may also be sought through the State Emergency Operations Center at (800) 858-0368.

7. Learn how to request assistance.

Know how to quickly assess your need for assistance and ask for help. The best local contact is your emergency management office, most likely listed under county government. Your local emergency manager can connect you with mutual aid and state support resources in time of disaster.

8. Ensure that your congregate facilities have emergency response and evacuation plans.

Schools, community centers, eldercare facilities, hospitals, shopping centers, auditoriums, recreation facilities and other such gathering areas for large crowds each need to have an emergency response and evacuation plan. Calling 911 is not an adequate plan.

9. Recognize the role of the private sector in disaster.

Local business owners need access to their businesses as soon as possible so they can return to normal operations. The sooner local businesses are operational the sooner the community will return to normal.

10. Recognize the value of volunteer organizations in disaster.

Volunteer organizations bring food, water and a variety of support resources for disaster survivors and disaster workers. Get to know those agencies and incorporate their capabilities into your plan.