It seems extreme foolish for anyone who manages a business or an organization to believe that nothing can go wrong. In reality, a number of things could and possibly will go wrong at some point. A member of staff calling off work, could leave you unable to provide a service. Equipment breakdown will leave you powerless on the day, affecting production. On a wider scale, a weather-related devastation could hit your operations seriously, stopping all commercial activity. One can think of unlimited plausible scenarios and situations. Hence, the words of the eminent American Cardinal Richard Cushing seem meticulous “Plan ahead: It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark”.
By thinking ahead and planning accordingly about conceivable events, you might be able to avoid major disruption. More importantly, as experience shows, when you are prepared, often you can save lives. As I have previously stated, when you engage in emergency planning, use your imagination! Consider scenarios and situations that in normal conditions their extremity would make you ‘giggle’. But, when actually happen, they fill you with a sentiment of horror. A brainstorming session with staff and colleagues is definitely a very valuable tool for designing a suitable contingency plan.
The inability to deal effectively with a crisis can be damaging
Preparation is highly important for the aviation and travel industries. This is due to their profile as well as the scale of incidents usually associated with extraordinary developments. The dynamics involved in day-to-day operations associated with aviation and travel are tremendously powerful. More importantly, aviation and travel activities involve functions and processes that once affected by a crisis, they can ‘blow-up’ adversely. Consequently, the worst enemy of any business is an unpleasant reputation and/or bad publicity. As aviation and travel are constantly on the news, inability to deal effectively with a crisis can be damaging. Therefore, it makes sense to plan accordingly against major incidents.
Having said this, if your business or organizational role entails safety accountability, it is imperative to understand the importance of actual preparation. A good response when an emergency occurs can generate sizable stakeholder and customer confidence. Contrary to this, deal with an emergency ineptly and you will sense the rage of others. The bad consequences from managing inadequately an emergency spread quickly through all areas of the business. This is relevant to any size of organization and department not just for large groups or multinationals.
Emergency procedures are essential
By doing proper subject research you can enrich your knowledge with helpful facts. It is likely that you will also realise that even basic preparation could be very useful when the unpredictable happens. Equally, my advice is to have an active emergency plan in place and you will find yourself to be a step ahead from others within your industry. It is worth noting that commonly – in most regions – local regulations advocate the implementation of emergency procedures for public spaces and workplaces. For example, in the United Kingdom (HSE Guidance), emergency procedures are an integral part of the licensing process for most businesses, trades and services.
Finally, taking into account that conditions and circumstances evolve dynamically, it is crucial that we review emergency plans regularly. Remember to update information, layouts and drawings as well as any significant operational changes. But it is necessary not to forget to inform everyone concerned about the variations to the plan. Otherwise, during an adversity there will be a lot of confusion and mix-ups.