{"id":3947,"date":"2020-01-30T17:50:03","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T17:50:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=3947"},"modified":"2022-12-14T13:19:42","modified_gmt":"2022-12-14T19:19:42","slug":"organizational-resilience-planning-is-key-for-mitigating-vulnerability-to-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/organizational-resilience-planning-is-key-for-mitigating-vulnerability-to-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"Organizational resilience: Planning is key for mitigating vulnerability to disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Ryan Searles<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Catastrophic events<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>workplace violence<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have become<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ever-increasing<\/span>\u00a0threat<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>at<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>our\u00a0<\/span>public institutions and workplaces.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>As an expert in security<\/span>\u00a0and force protection,<\/span>\u00a0I spend\u00a0<\/span>a great deal of time\u00a0<\/span>consulting with my<\/span>\u00a0clients\u00a0<\/span>on\u00a0<\/span>such emergen<\/span>cy preparedness<\/span>, which I break down<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>into\u00a0<\/span>three<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>key areas<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>revention,\u00a0<\/span>r<\/span>esponse, and\u00a0<\/span>p<\/span>ost<\/span>-e<\/span>vent<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>r<\/span>ecovery<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a brief look at each\u00a0<\/span>area<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Preve<\/span><\/b>ntion:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0No<\/span>\u00a0emergen<\/span>cy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>or violent event\u00a0<\/span>is 100<\/span>-percent avoidable,<\/span>\u00a0but the name of the game is mitigation. If\u00a0<\/span>you can<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pr<\/span>e<\/span>vent<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the majority<\/span>\u00a0of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>threatening\u00a0<\/span>events from happening,\u00a0<\/span>and mitigate the effects of\u00a0<\/span>even<\/span>ts<\/span>\u00a0you can\u2019t control, your organization\u00a0<\/span>will be<\/span>\u00a0exposed to substant<\/span>i<\/span>ally l<\/span>ess<\/span>\u00a0risk.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>For our clients,\u00a0<\/span>prevention begins with a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>v<\/span>ulnerability\/<\/span>g<\/span>ap\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>nalysis<\/span>, which\u00a0<\/span>assess<\/span>es<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>an institution\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>physical security, employee security, risk, material security, and many more areas.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Par<\/span>t of an overall organization security assessment,\u00a0<\/span>a vulnerability\/gap<\/span>\u00a0analysis is\u00a0<\/span>designed to find\u00a0<\/span>deficiencies\u00a0<\/span>in\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>n<\/span>\u00a0institutio<\/span>n\u2019s or business\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>security\u00a0<\/span>processes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and is an essential for\u00a0<\/span>the safety of its\u00a0<\/span>people, brand,\u00a0<\/span>operations<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and functions<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Once the gaps are found it is up to the organization to then close the<\/span>m\u00a0<\/span>by implementing\u00a0<\/span>new or updated<\/span>\u00a0polic<\/span>ies<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0procedure<\/span>s<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>security measures,\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0<\/span>taking\u00a0<\/span>other actions<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>initial assessment and<\/span>\u00a0resolution of deficiencies, I recommend a follow-up assessment within\u00a0<\/span>one<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>year. If<\/span>\u00a0no major change<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0to the organization or its processe<\/span>s have occurred<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>future assessments then can be scheduled\u00a0<\/span>every\u00a0<\/span>two to three years<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Response:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>How quickly and efficiently we respond to emergencies of different types can m<\/span>ake all<\/span>\u00a0the difference<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in the level of severity<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Therefore, t<\/span>raining and awareness are\u00a0<\/span>essential<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for getting<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>your<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>staff<\/span>\u00a0ready to respond.\u00a0<\/span>In addition to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>knowing\u00a0<\/span>how<\/span><\/i>\u00a0to respond,\u00a0<\/span>they<\/span>\u00a0must also\u00a0<\/span>practice that<\/span>\u00a0response\u00a0<\/span>through drills and re<\/span>hearsals\u00a0<\/span>that help<\/span>\u00a0condition<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>them<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>respond<\/span>\u00a0appropriately when\u00a0<\/span>their<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>minds and bodies are under stress.\u00a0<\/span>It is important to remember there are different types of drills for different emergencies.\u00a0<\/span>The way we should<\/span>\u00a0respond for a fire\u00a0<\/span>is not the same way we should<\/span>\u00a0respond for an\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>ctive\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>hreat<\/span>\u00a0such as a shooter<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I recommend educating your\u00a0<\/span>staff<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>twice each<\/span>\u00a0year on various emergencies and\u00a0<\/span>conducting<\/span>\u00a0drills every quarter.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Post Event<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Recovery<\/span><\/b>:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0The recovery process after an event can be long and\u00a0<\/span>emotionally difficult<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>but there are preparations you can\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>ake\u00a0<\/span>to make\u00a0<\/span>it<\/span>\u00a0easier. Your\u00a0<\/span>employees, students, residents, patients, etc.,\u00a0<\/span>must be your top priority. Do you have bereavement\u00a0<\/span>or other\u00a0<\/span>counseling available? Do you have casualty assistance available?\u00a0<\/span>Priority No. 2 is getting your business, plant, school, etc., b<\/span>ack up and operational.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I conduct t<\/span>abletop exercises with\u00a0<\/span>my clients\u2019<\/span>\u00a0leadership team<\/span>s<\/span>