Winter is over (at least for most of us), and warmer weather is on the way. We can put away our snow shovels and ice melt at the sites, and for many better conditions are on the way. No matter where you live, property managers must always be ready for the inevitable. Ice and snow storms may be over, however, now we face springs storms, tornado's, hurricanes, and of course those disasters that can strike no matter what time of the year it is.
Property managers can never avoid risks. What we can do as responsible property managers is minimize and be prepared for them. Whether fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, winter storm, or other event, being prepared and knowing what to do in case we are faced with disaster is critical to resident safety and protection of the asset.
In conducting an emergency preparedness seminar in Michigan for an apartment association I asked those that had a preparedness plan to raise their hands. With a full room before me, no one could acknowledge having a plan in place. I followed with the question as to how many had a emergency preparedness kit, knowing all too well what the answer was going to be.
The first step when developing an emergency response plan is to conduct a risk assessment to identify potential emergency scenarios. An understanding of what possibly could happen will enable you to determine resource requirements and to develop plans and procedures. Unfortunately the types of emergencies are probably greater than you think. We know the obvious as mentioned above related to mother nature and those such as fire and flood. Some emergencies can be related to geography, which will be identified with any full assessment. These events can include hurricanes along the eastern coast and earthquakes in our western states. Those in New Jersey and New York have learned over the years that hurricanes are not limited to the southeast, and in fact more major storms have hit the northeast than in the south over the last couple of years.
Now for those emergencies that we may not think about but are events that can have an impact on life and property and in today's world seem to be increasing. This includes an emergency situation where someone enters your office threatening to do harm or God forbid dangerous substances are found in one of your apartment homes. Safety training of what to do when someone threatens to do bodily harm or is brandishing a weapon is part of the world we live in. Most everyone has heard the term "flight or fight." Safety professionals now have expanded it to "flight, hide, fight." There are a few options you have, and something everyone on your team needs to know. First, if possible lock the subject out. This is followed by getting everyone in a secure location inside away from doors and windows and immediately calling 911. If the subject cannot be locked out, "taking cover" as it is called is the next step. Getting everyone into a room that can be locked or barricaded can save lives. Third, if there is a secondary exit out of the building, take it and get away from the scene while calling 911. Last but only to be used if there are no other options is the "fight" scenario. Never place yourself or others in danger, however, it may be your only recourse. This part of the emergency plan called “protective actions for life safety” and includes building evacuation, sheltering from severe weather such as tornadoes, “shelter-in-place” from an exterior airborne hazard such as a chemical release, and lock down. Lock down is protective action when faced with an act of violence. The other scenario is related to finding dangerous materials. Let's say your service technician is investigating a water leak and in the course of the investigation finds suspected dangerous materials. What should they do? First course of action is to notify the authorities. Second course is to leave the premises and get any residents out of the building for their safety and protection. The advent of meth labs and terrorist activity have brought a whole new light into dangerous activity we face today.
A comprehensive emergency preparedness action plan addresses any and all threats and is critical to protecting life and assets. The second component is having a disaster preparedness kit with essentials to protect your residents, your team, and the asset. Hurricane Fran hit North Carolina in 1996 and made a beeline from Wilmington, North Carolina right up through Raleigh and later into Virginia. Several of my communities had significant damage including one property that had trees uprooted or major limbs down on 117 trees. We had limbs crushing cars, buildings, and even water lines broken because the roots severed lines. One of my sites was without power for almost five days and the area looked like a war zone. I can tell you because my team was prepared and knew how to professional and quickly deal with the situation, recovery went extremely smooth. Having a plan and knowing what to do prevented panic by the team, reduced panic by our residents because they witnessed a professional acting team, and minimized damage to the assets because we had the equipment and tools to act accordingly.
Are your sites ready to face a disaster or situation? How will your team react to whatever threat they may face? Do you have a plan in place? Do you have a preparedness kit in place? Basically are you and your teams prepared?
