Preparing for emergencies can prevent disruption of all-important cashflow

Nov 1, 1999 12:00 PM, Larry Anderson

Find time to think the unthinkable.

It's the first step toward getting prepared for a crippling emergency that could halt cashflow - the lifeline of a business.

Security and safety personnel - and company executives, too - should ask: "What's the worst that can happen to us?" Such thoughts may find resistance in the corporate environment, says David Nichter, a security consultant and trainer. "Executives don't like to think about it because you have to assume the systems and structures you have in place may not work in the event of an emergency."

After facing the possibility of a natural or manmade disaster, companies should plan carefully how they can:

* minimize the damage to the company's business, and

* recover quickly.

Emergency preparedness and contingency planning for security managers was the topic of a panel discussion moderated by Nichter as part of the ISC/East show in New York. The session was co-sponsored by Access Control & Security Systems Integration magazine.

Four Steps To Get Prepared Here is step-by-step advice on contingency planning from the ISC panel:

* Plan Contingency planning is a new buzzword in the industry, and one that has theoretical and practical aspects. During an emergency, business all but comes to a halt. Responding in a way that minimizes the impact on cashflow requires careful up-front planning followed by flawless execution of the plan. Taking pre-emptive steps and leaving no stones unturned in the planning process can be a legal defense against liability claims resulting from a disaster. "We're required by regulation to do planning for internal and external disasters," said Ben Scaglione, director of the security department of New York Presbyterian Hospital. Planning should cover both natural disasters (flood, earthquake) and manmade disasters (workplace violence, bomb threats). "You will never be able to achieve 100 percent control, but you can achieve 100 percent management if a crisis occurs," said Scaglione. A threat to the company's computer system might be another example of an internal crisis, and an argument in support of maximum redundancy. "We have internal concern about our computer centers," said Richard Guter, vice president and assistant director for administration of Chase Manhattan Bank. "We have an elaborate system of card access systems for restricted areas, but if somebody wants in there bad enough, they can get in." Emphasis on backup systems is an effective strategy for contingency planning. "If we have a site go down, we have a backup site set up which will operate until the primary site is ready to resume," said Guter. "There is no disruption of service."

* Put a team in place. Gather participants from all facets of a business together, put them in a room and review every possible emergency scenario and how it can impact the business. Compile a list of the top 10 risk areas and then plan a company-wide response to each one. What backup systems do you have in place in the event of an emergency? Are they adequate? Include someone on the team familiar with the company's insurance policies to evaluate how the company would be covered in emergencies. Also include a financial person to help evaluate the potential lost revenue during a crisis.

* Designate an emergency control center. In every company, there should be a place designated where contingency planning personnel go in the event of a crisis. It should be a location where information can flow in and out easily; no crisis can be managed adequately without up-to-date information. The room should have telephone lines, a television and VCR, and paper and pencil to document the disaster management process from start to finish. A limited number of cellular telephones should be programmed for use in the emergency to avoid clogging the system and making communication with the outside world impossible. An incident command center is modeled after those used by EMS personnel and police departments to manage emergencies. Each person has a role to play as the contingency plan unfolds.

* Train. It is the most important phase of the contingency plan, and the most challenging. "Most crisis plans implode because employees aren't informed of what to do," said Nichter. "You can talk it, but if you can't walk it, it won't work," commented Scaglione. "Training is what you need the most. Take the plan out and make sure it works. When you write it, and when you do it, it's two different things. We run a drill once a year to streamline the system of how we react. Every staff member needs to know how to use the fire extinguishers, and where the pull stations are located." Adds Guter: "Each floor has a fire safety program with a fire warden, an assistant warden and searchers. We have a security force trained in the use of fire extinguishers. You have to have a program in place to search restrooms or lunchrooms." Fire indicators should have flashing lights (to warn the deaf). One of the best learning opportunities is when an incident occurs, which helps personnel learn from experience relating to different parts of the plan. "You can't predict an event, but if you live through it you should document it for later use in training," said Nichter.

"The hardest thing is managing the crisis while preparing in parallel for the business to resume," said Nichter.

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© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

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