As Hurricane Katrina prepared to strike late September 2005, many companies had already reviewed their disaster contingency plans and felt somewhat confident about what they would do if Katrina were to damage one of their buildings. Yet, as evidenced by the news coverage, no one can precisely prepare for what a disaster will bring. The companies that were most successful in responding in the wake of Hurricane Katrina were those that used their contingency plans as a model, yet adapted to best handle the needs of their buildings. While companies must be ready to adapt, there are still basic steps they can take in order to be prepared for a disaster.

As we reach the start of hurricane season, you should be putting the finishing touches on your current emergency preparedness plan.  With the bleak outlook for hurricanes in 2006, many property managers and vendors are preparing specifically for storms.  Yet the key to an emergency preparedness plan is to realize that anything can happen in or to your property, whether it is storm related, such as severe flooding, or fire, vandalism, and workplace violence. Trying to plan for only one or two possible emergencies can be futile.  Instead, develop a general emergency preparedness plan that can work for any emergency.