Emergency Preparedness

And that's the nature of emergency preparedness, trying to know the unknown. There's so much we can't predict: when and where will the next big earthquake strike? Will the H5N1 Avian Flu Virus mutate to become a highly contagious virus in humans? Will the levees hold in the next big storm? Here's what we do know: we've been tested; we've survived; and we can take with us knowledge and lessons learned to help us prepare for whatever's next.

Preparing for a Pandemic
Some people think an avian flu pandemic might be next. Whether it's a media-induced "infodemic" or it's the real deal is hard to say, but statistics from the World Health Organization show that while influenza pandemics are rare, they are recurrent events. In the 20th century there were three pandemics, the "Spanish influenza" in 1918 that killed an estimated 4 to 50 million people, and subsequent milder pandemics in 1957 and 1968 with estimated deaths of two million and one million respectively.

Building owners and property managers are particularly vested since any potential disaster affects every aspect of their job, from building operations to tenant safety to business continuity. There are excellent resources available to help commercial real estate professionals prepare for a possible avian flu pandemic outbreak--preparedness publications, educational seminars, web resources, and the list goes on.

The industry is also coming together to strategize collectively. In January, the Real Estate Roundtable held its first meeting of the Avian Flu Pandemic Working Group in Washington, DC. Leaders from principal real estate associations and companies joined public health officials for a half-day session of sharing information and resources and discussing ways the industry should be preparing for an avian flu pandemic. Lisa Koonin with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and James Caverly with the Department of Homeland Security Infrastructure Partnership Division, told attendees that employers should develop workplace strategies to prepare for a possible pandemic, including:

• Making sure employees who can telecommute have the tools to do so.
• Revisiting human resource policies to address sick leave issues.
• Having a recovery plan.
• Working with local government and community agencies to obtain the latest information and resources during the pandemic.

While every disaster has a unique set of issues and contingencies to deal with, many of the best practices and tips to come out of avian flu pandemic preparation can be used in other emergency scenarios. Absenteeism and adequate staffing is an across-the-boards issue. Proactive organizations can counter this issue early by defining emergency leave policies, developing alternate modes of work through revised scheduling and remote location or telecommuting, and planning for a measurably reduced work force in an emergency. Having a good sheltering plan in place is applicable to terrorist attacks and certain natural disasters, but may also be useful during an avian flu outbreak as some buildings could potentially become quarantine centers. Communications are also critical. Even though there are variances in the way emergencies are communicated, for instance a building alarm might sound during a terrorist attack but not during a pandemic, establishing a command center and having a system in place for communicating with staff, tenants, community services and the media is essential for any emergency situation.

The "NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 1600 Standard for Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs" establishes a common set of criteria for disaster management, emergency management and business continuity programs that focus on the protection of a business' core assets by developing and implementing a program to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies.

The CDC has created the "Business Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist" to assist businesses in preparing for pandemic influenza. The checklist covers planning for the impact of a pandemic on business, employees and customers; establishing policies to be implemented during a pandemic; allocating resources to protect employees and customers during a pandemic; communicating to educate employees; and coordinating with external organizations and communities. And while the checklist is specific to pandemic preparation, it serves as a good template for developing an overall emergency preparedness checklist.

The nimble property manager or building owner will take the best of the available resources and design an emergency preparedness plan that protects their building in a variety of circumstances. Emergency preparedness might be tricky business, but it's a lot more manageable if we at least have a glimpse of what might be coming our way.

Richard D. Purtell, RPA, is vice chairman of BOMA International and General Manager of Triple Net Properties, LLC, Cincinnati. The views expressed in this article are the author's own.