Essential resources help property professionals prepare for any emergency or disaster
(WASHINGTON, DC—September 10, 2007) September is National Preparedness Month. To bring awareness to the importance of emergency planning in commercial real estate, BOMA International has released its top 12 ways for property professionals to be prepared for any emergency situation that may arise.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Preparedness Month is a nationwide initiative to encourage Americans to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools. The threat of emergencies can be reduced through prevention, early detection, notification, effective evaluation or relocation measures. BOMA International encourages its members and all property professionals to play an active role in all aspects of disaster preparedness.
Begin your preparedness planning now. Here are some guidelines to help you get started or to augment an already existing plan:
- Review your building’s emergency preparedness plan – have you put together a preparedness team to deal with emergency issues when they arise?
- Have your preparedness team take part in “what if” exercises, in which team members propose responses to a number of emergency scenarios.
- Develop a multi-layered crisis communication plan that creates a fast and effective line of communication with tenants, local authorities and agencies, and the media.
- Determine how your company’s leave and salary policies will apply in emergency situations, such as a pandemic flu outbreak, when a significant portion of your workforce may not be able to come to work.
- Identify essential personnel and consider cross training personnel to provide those critical services.
- Identify building elements that may warrant special attention in the event of a natural disaster, such as roofing materials, flashing and coping materials, roof vents and air intakes, awnings, gutters and downspouts, roof-mounted, post-mounted or suspended signage, free-standing equipment and siding materials.
- Review local evacuation procedures and identify the agency that will issue evacuation orders.
- Determine how the evacuation order will be communicated and where evacuation routes and shelters are located
- Make certain all of your tenants are aware of the building evacuation procedures, and encourage tenants to participate in evacuation drills
- Appoint a re-entry team to access building damage after the disaster.
- Include a list of primary, secondary and out of region suppliers to ensure an organization’s ability to rebound from a catastrophe is not hindered by a lack of resources.
- Consider identifying off-site work facilities or telecommuting capabilities to ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster.
“Preparedness is paramount to protecting lives and business operation in the event of an emergency,” said BOMA International Chairman and Chief Elected Officer Brenna S . Walraven, RPA, CPM, Executive Managing Director, National Property Management, USAA Real Estate Company. “A well-planned, regularly reviewed and practiced emergency preparedness plan is more crucial than ever and is a property professional’s best defense when disaster strikes.”
Participate in National Preparedness Month with BOMA International by ensuring that your building or business is ready. Whether you need to create an emergency preparedness plan or augment an existing one, learn about sheltering in place or best practices from industry experts, BOMA International has all of the answers you need.
BOMA International offers guidance on designing an emergency preparedness plan to help commercial property professionals prepare for any type of situation.
The Property Professional's Guide to Emergency Preparedness (book) This publication provides a broad approach to emergency planning with emphasis placed on preparedness, evacuation, terrorism, natural disaster, communication, recovery and emotional reaction. Appendices provide an explanation of the Homeland Security Advisory System, best practices for mail center security, a sample emergency evacuation plan, disaster relief resources and a list of FEMA publications.
Are Your Tenants Safe? BOMA's Guide to Security and Emergency Planning (book) This document provides a framework for a comprehensive approach to emergency planning. Main sections: Creating an Emergency Plan, Considerations for Specific Emergencies and Security Threats, Planning, Choosing Security and Dealing with Media are included. Checklists and a sample fire emergency plan are provided.
Pandemic Flu Tenant Brochure (brochure) Pandemic Influenza: Are You Prepared? was developed to assist BOMA members in communicating with their tenants on important issues relating to pandemic influenza. The brochure is a powerful tool to relay information on the potential impacts associated with pandemic influenza, the importance of developing proper planning in the case of an outbreak and methods of implementing procedures to help individuals protect themselves.
When Disaster Strikes, What Really Matters? (white paper) This White Paper from BMS CAT provides helpful checklists and tips for preparation before, during and after a disaster strikes your building, including information on mitigating existing damage to reduce business interruption, and, should the need arise, cost effective recovery solutions.
Emergency Preparedness for Natural Disasters (audio seminar) Earthquakes. Tornadoes. Hurricanes. Even blizzards. Few areas are immune from some sort of natural disaster. And, if your building is prepared for these types of emergencies, you’re prepared for most others.
Emergency Preparedness in the Wake of the 9/11 Commission Report (audio seminar) The 9/11 Commission Report makes clear that commercial property owners and managers represent the first lines of defense in national emergencies. The report recommends standardization of emergency preparedness and business continuity plans—and most importantly, use standards of preparedness to assess insurability and credit-worthiness. This audio seminar explores the implications of this report and how they will affect the commercial real estate industry.
For a full list of BOMA and other publications related to safety and emergency preparedness, visit the “BOMA Store” at www.boma.org.
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International is an international federation of more than 90 local associations and affiliated organizations. BOMA’s 16,500-plus members own or manage more than 9 billion square feet of commercial properties in North America and throughout the world. The mission of BOMA International is to enhance the human, intellectual and physical assets of the commercial real estate industry through advocacy, education, research, standards and information. Founded in 1907, BOMA International celebrates 100 years of commercial real estate in 2007. Learn more at www.boma.org.
CONTACT:
Laura Horsley
Director of Communications
BOMA International
(202) 326-6315 or lhorsley@boma.org