Proper planning can protect operators from complications, shutdowns and lawsuits
By Jay Shelton
It seems like every week we turn on the news and hear about a devastating tornado or a wildfire spreading rapidly. The number of natural disasters occurring nationwide is staggering.
What’s even more shocking is the level of damage from these events. Over 128 natural disasters caused 207 fatalities and more than $12.8 billion in U.S. property damage in 2013.
When does this become more than just a number? At what point do businesses realize the short- and long-term consequences of disasters? After it happens perhaps?
An estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety. Seniors housing communities are not exempt from this statistic. The industry faces unique exposure because a disaster not only impacts the property itself, but also residents, visitors and staff.
Having a preparedness and continuity plan in place is essential to limit chaos and keep a facility running in the case of a natural disaster. Without prior planning, you leave your organization open to financial disaster, especially if you are forced to close operations for a period of time. In addition, without a proper plan to cope with a disaster, your facility may face lawsuits from vendors, employees or residents’ families claiming negligence.
The best time to write one of these plans is, frankly, yesterday.
It’s not enough to just discuss a plan. When faced with a disaster, things get emotional and hectic. It’s important to put a plan in writing, agree on it, and then communicate the plan among the leadership team, administrators and staff, as well as residents and their families.
What should be in a disaster plan?
First, it’s important to understand that a disaster plan is a living document that must be maintained and updated periodically to ensure the plan can be executed when a disaster occurs. Also, there’s no one-size-fits-all plan for disaster recovery, but there are some best practices that can guide you in your planning.
Create a comprehensive business-continuity plan that addresses steps specific to your facility or group of facilities and areas of risk. A few examples include utilities backup, mutual aid, disaster recovery services, data backup, and internal and external communication procedures.
What does proper planning entail?
- Set goals for what you want to accomplish within your plan. For example, establish answers to questions like: “Where do we relocate?” and “Who should I partner with?” is a great start.
- Seek out a reputable disaster restoration company that offers disaster and continuity planning. Set up pre-arranged agreements that outline the priority of service and assessment of emergency equipment needed. This way, when the restoration company responds, they will have all the necessary equipment and personnel.
- Develop an action plan for each type of disaster. Note whether your company faces additional exposures based on location (e.g. if you operate in an area prone to a specific type of disaster). Common disasters include fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and flooding, or even non-natural disasters such as a data breach.
- Include communication procedures that ensure employees, vendors and residents’ families know how and when to reach you. Consider establishing an alternate method for your phone service if the switchboard becomes unusable, such as forwarding incoming calls to a cell phone or remote number.
- Make sure safety systems work. If your facility has a security/fire alarm system, be sure it is operating properly and that key personnel know how to arm/disarm it.
- Keep copies of insurance policies and other critical documents in a safe and accessible location such as a fireproof safe or backed-up computer system.
- Store chemicals properly. Pay special attention to areas where you store flammable or toxic chemicals.
- Understand the plan. Ensure everyone involved, from management to staff to maintenance to residents, have some familiarity with and understanding of the plan that’s been made. Identify backups for essential operations and patient care.
How can you test the plan?
Testing is essential to ensure that the disaster and continuity plan actually works, and that it aligns with current operations and addresses all areas of response. The plan should be tested at least annually, although seasonally is recommended as cold and hot weather present a wide variety of issues that could be missed.
There are several types of tests that should be considered. Each senior care facility needs to evaluate what fits its unique situation. Here are two specific types of tests that should be run in combination with each other.
1 A tabletop exercise that simply walks through a disaster response with all parties involved in a conference room. Each person is responsible for outlining his or her specific response and how it coordinates with others. During the exercise, the scenarios can be changed or other unexpected issues can be introduced and the response discussed. A major issue with only running tabletop exercises is that it does not reflect real-world situations that arise during a disaster, but it is cost-effective and can highlight coordination issues.
2 A physical disaster response drill is time-consuming and costly, but it is the closest replication of how the response plan will work. It not only will test operational coordination, but also the physical placement and operational capabilities of the equipment. Unnoticed problems, like inadequate fire hose lengths, can be exposed during this drill.
No matter how well-prepared you may be for a disaster, the situation will be infinitely more complicated by the nature of assisted living conditions. Is evacuation necessary? What will it cost and what are the risks of staying? What are the risks of leaving? These are questions that will remain unique to each seniors housing community. All facilities differ greatly in population and location.
The most important thing to do during a disaster is remain flexible, even when following a plan. Understanding the nature of your plan and the disaster at hand will help all communities work through a disaster.