The Disaster Management Team in Organizations

The Disaster Management Team

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Introduction

Every organization may experience serious incidences that may hamper the continuity and daily operations of the company. The incidences could be floods, vandalism, theft, explosions and fires that could result to the firm’s computer system malfunction (Snedaker, 2007). The management of any company should ensure that recovery after occurrence of a disaster takes limited time, minimum cost and also causes minimal disruption (Rommel, 2008). For the efficient data recovery there is a necessity to establish a contingency and disaster recovery scheme.

The disaster management team will have a task of writing down procedures with the aim of providing strategies and clear set of guidelines of dealing with an incident or emergency (Snedaker, 2007). The team outlines specialist information that is aimed at limiting risks associated with injury both physically or financial loss while at the same time perfectly backup and restore vital company data.

The team is headed by the Principal. The principal has a mandate to ensure that he/ she takes overall control and heads the team. He/ she also establishes a disaster control center, direct, support and coordinate the disaster management team to ensure the staff finish their task in good time with limited physical injuries (Snedaker, 2007). The principal too has a role of incase of a disaster direct the parents and members of the families of the injured to the health facilities their family’ members have been referred to. He/ she coordinate with other firms that conduct services such as psychological counselling to keep the injured in a proper mental state.

The overall team is composed of three major divisions which are further divided into specific departments (Rommel, 2008). The major components is the crisis management team (team principal and director) which composes of the top most management followed by the communication team (healthy and safety manager, director of finance) and the crisis response team ( assistance principal of teaching and learning).

The director deputizes the principal in case he/ she is absent. Instigates the necessary actions that should be undertaken. The director too coordinates the activities of the team and presents the report to the principal (Snedaker, 2007). The health and safety manager and his team provide information to the disaster management team and other company staff members in the event of an emergency. Liaises with the emergency services in cases of an emergency to ensure the situation is put under control within the shortest time possible and he gives relevant information concerning the institution’s health and safety precautions and risks.

The facilities manager and his/ her staff ropes off and secures accident and incident areas to ensure unauthorized access is denied and recovery procedures are undertaken effectively. The team also supports the undertaking of emergency services (Rommel, 2008). Similarly, the office of directorate of finance liaises with the company’s insurance agencies in case of disasters. The team accounts for the costs incurred during the period of emergency (Snedaker, 2007). The team facilitates the running of the firm during the recovery period by ensuring that short term structures are put in place to accommodate the running of the firm after a disaster.

Fig 1. A diagrammatic illustration of the crisis management board

Lastly the assistant principal of teaching and learning coordinates his team facilitates a clear, controlled and proper communication system with the media in the event of a disaster (Snedaker, 2007). The team also assists in sourcing of structures throughout the company’s recovery period.

During an emergency, the emergency response team should timely provide a guideline for evacuation of the building. The management team has the mandate of setting up a control center with adequate equipment and staff to combat the situation in the shortest time. The essential equipment and information includes, hand held two-way radios to enhance communication, mobile phones, an properly outlined role of every member of the team, building plan that has a well elaborated exit points, routes and utilities such as fire hydrants, gas, water points etc. , printer and internet access to facilitate communication (Rommel, 2008).

Conclusion

The effectiveness of a disaster management team is the proper coordination and working relationship between all the arms of management. Selection of qualified, hardworking and dedicated individuals. The principal has to coordinate and ensure he gets frequent report from the director. On the other hand, the director coordinates all the arms of the management both during a crisis and the usual days (Rommel, 2008).

References

Phillips, B. (2009). Disaster recovery. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Rommel, F. (2008). Active Directory disaster recovery expert guidance on planning and implementing active directory disaster recovery plans. Birmingham, UK: Packt Pub..

Snedaker, S. (2007). Business continuity & disaster recovery for IT professionals. Burlington, MA: Syngress.

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