How Ready Are You? 5 Ways To Prepare For Disaster

Man-made or natural disasters can strike any property in any location at any time, putting even the most seasoned property managers to the test. With hurricane season bearing down, are you ready? 

According to JLL New Orleans-based chief engineer Jacques Legrand, the key to surviving a crisis situation is to plan, plan and plan some more. Having an emergency response strategy in place will save time, money and lives when crisis situations arise. 

“Every moment brings different challenges and no two problems are alike,” he says. “Getting everyone on the same page and communication are key.”

Jacques, who recently celebrated 34 years at 1515/1555 Poydras in New Orleans, led the recovery efforts for these properties in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The properties were the first office buildings to reopen in New Orleans. In the years since Katrina, he's used his experience to develop best practices for preparing for and responding to disasters.

1. Establish close working relationships with tenants and vendors.

“My biggest push whenever I talk about disaster recovery is maintaining close alliances with those critical vendors,” Jacques says.

Engage them regularly and regard them as an extension of the property team. Working with critical vendors to ensure the property is operating properly today will help minimize the impact of a disaster tomorrow. 

Part of establishing close working relationships with tenants and vendors is making sure the entire building is trained on how to respond in the event of an emergency. Training should include response teams, building owners, vendors and tenants.

2. Have a formal disaster plan in place.

Develop a formal detailed plan for how your team would react to every type of disaster, whether caused by natural causes, human action or failures in building operations. When developing plans think before, during and after. What preventive measures can you take? Who are your first responders? What’s the game plan immediately following the emergency? 

A predetermined communication strategy is especially important, Jacques says. The usual means may not be available in the wake of a disaster, so communication across multiple platforms, including social media, is imperative for clear and consistent messaging. 

Once finalized, share the formal disaster plan with vendors and tenants, so everyone can respond in concert if and when an emergency occurs. Meet regularly to keep the plans current.

3. Know your property inside and out.

Walk through your building regularly, taking note of any changes or abnormalities in structure. Memorize where every shutoff, fire extinguisher and emergency generator is, and regularly service all of those items to ensure they're in good working order. 

4. Understand your property’s energy supply.

In the event of a disaster, recovery efforts often push building systems beyond their normal usage levels. Emergency lighting, extra fans and vacuums, for example, can overextend the building’s backup systems, making the problem even worse. 

5. Ensure the property is properly insured.

Work with an agent or attorney to secure the appropriate amount of coverage. Be sure the plan covers the people who work at the property, not just the structure itself, and re-evaluate the program annually. And because insurance can’t cover everything, also have a backup plan. This may require an emergency fund to turn to in the event coverage is insufficient for the disaster at hand. 

Jacques says his experience as an engineer responding to Hurricane Katrina has significantly impacted his work. He will be speaking about his experiences alongside AK Preparedness principal Rob French at the upcoming BOMA 2016 International Conference in Washington, DC.