4 Elements Of A Preparedness Plan

By Author: Akansh
Total Articles: 67
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Preparedness planning involves identifying resources in the organization, defining roles and responsibilities, developing policies, procedures and planning activities to reach a level of preparationthat enables to respond in a timely and effective manner in the face of a crisis situation. The plan should be flexible enough to be adapted to the actual crisis situation.

Preparedness planning is of significant importance for those involved in crisis management, communication and training services. It is important to have a plan in place for quick and effective action in case of a crisis situation. Because of its future-oriented nature, it is generally received with resistance because it takes up resources in planning for a crisis that may not actually occur. Such resistance can be overcome by effective crisis communication training.It is important to involve all those involved in crisis communication and response to avoid duplication of efforts, make the plan more robust and increase the overall efficiency of the crisis response.

The ...
... elements of a preparedness plan are:

1.Coordination -There may be multiple entities involved in a crisis response. There should be a clear line of crisis communicationdefining the responsibilities such as activating response, communicating with headquarters, managing public relations, communicating with media, liaising with other agencies and managing administrative activities.

2.Assessing the gap between needs and resources - An importance aspect of planning is compiling a list of likely needs and available resources. If a gap is identified, measures need to be taken to bridge it.

3.Crisis communication - The planshould clearly define the mode of communication in the face of a crisis. Multiple sessions of crisis communication training should be conducted so that all involved are equipped to respond in the face of an actual crisis. A single point of contact should be identified for communication with media and external agencies.

4.Resource mobilization and allocation- A plan clearly defines resources available and their allocation in case of a crisis situation. A plan for mobilization of additional resources and at what stage to communicate them should also be included in the plan.
The best way to know the efficiency of a crisis management plan is to simulate it and evaluate if it is working or not. In case of a roadblock during simulation, the plan would have to be revised and simulated again.

Every entity, be it a corporate, a school or a government agency, needs to have a crisis management plan. The plan needs to be communicated to all those involved in the crisis response. Constant sessions of crisis communication training need to be conducted so that during an actual crisis the response is smooth and effective.