Severe Weather and Your Contingency Plan

Here in the United States, last week was "Severe Weather Awareness Week" with each day featuring a different type of severe weather that might impact you.  Tornadoes are particularly challenging for us due to their sudden appearance, and erratic behavior.  Forecasting is improving, and many areas are benefiting from more timely warnings than ever before.

As you work to enhance and test your contingency plans, remember to include attention to matters that may arise suddenly, affecting not only your staff, but customers, vendors, or others who are in your facilities when a sudden crisis - like a fire or a tornado warning - arises.

Your planning and testing activities should include attention to non-employees who may be in the building.  Both fire and tornadoes create a sudden need for action.  Fire creates a need for an orderly, safe evacuation, while tornadoes create a need for shelter.  By considering the "non-employee" individuals in your planning and testing activities, you increase the chance of protecting them as well as your employees.  Doing so makes you the best possible corporate citizen, and reduces both reputation risk and legal liability.

Just another insight into the complex world of contingency planning.