Why Develop an Emergency Plan?

Developing plans to manage emergencies can improve our responsiveness to major crisis events, our ability to care for our consumers during emergencies, and to help organisations recover from emergencies when they are over.

In the community sector we often provide essential services to people who need our assistance without a break in service provision. We also have information about, and an ability to assist, people who might otherwise fall through the cracks and be placed in great danger or further disadvantage during a major crisis event.

What Difference will Planning Make?

Planning and putting these plans into practice makes a difference. It helps us to develop skills, tools and communication systems that assist us and the people we support. It can also reduce the risk that a crisis may bring about the end of our organisation, and it can speed up our recovery after an emergency.

Imagine being the first on scene at a disaster. Imagine the different sorts of experiences you might have if you:

• Have no idea what to do
• Think you know what to do
• Know what to do and have practiced a similar scenario

In all three instances you might be able to provide wonderful support, but the degree of support and the psychological impact of being caught up in such an event would be very different. Planning helps give us control under even the most extreme circumstances, and helps protect our clients, our workers and our organisation in an emergency event.


Back to Risk: Managing Emergencies

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