Emergency Plans and Thinking of the Future
Emergency planning is an important part of any organization’s risk management efforts. By preparing for emergencies, an organization can reduce the impact of unexpected events and help to ensure less interruption to their programs and services.
Putting off planning for the unknown is normal. Emergency planning can seem tedious, unpleasant, and even scary. But knowing what to do when emergencies arise and being able to ensure that people are safe and that your organization can pivot, survive, and rebound is crucial.
The Pasadena Senior Center knew that they needed written procedures and emergency plans in place. They reached out to Jericho Road Pasadena to find a skilled volunteer to help them develop their plan.
JRP enlisted volunteer Christina Mesesan to work with the Pasadena Senior Center to develop clear emergency plans that are accessible and available to folks when they need them.
“If a big earthquake happens in the middle of the day or in the middle of the night, what should our next steps be? How do we discern if we should be a place where people can come to, or people can stay, as a shelter? Should water be stored on site? If we have an active shooter situation near our building, what should our next steps be?”
Having a plan and answers to questions such as these ensures that in an emergency, an organization can keep people safe, continue or quickly resume time-sensitive and critical organization processes, and efficiently utilize volunteers who want to help in response efforts. The project was a success and the Pasadena Senior Center is relieved to be better prepared for the future.