Being prepared for disasters and emergencies is an ongoing process requiring:
- Updating plans for disasters and emergencies
- Testing our plans in so far as we are able and
- Improving plans
Community organisations operate in a rapidly changing environments. There needs to be at least an annual review process for reviewing and updating plans for disasters and emergencies. This review process needs to include learnings from others (see below).
Some aspects of plans for disasters and emergencies can be tested, for example:
- Evacuation procedures
- Power failure
- Internet failure
- Decision making process when the disaster or emergency triggers have been activated.
Where the process of identifying risks has identified backup systems as part of the solution the backup systems need to be tested.
