EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM
PROCEDURES OUTLINE
FOR
HURRICANE PREPARATION
As the Emergency Response Team (FirstService Residential Directors) are to
refer to the outline below when the immediate Houston/Galveston area has been
placed in the “cone path” of a Tropical storm or Hurricane until notified
otherwise. In addition to this outline please refer to the Disaster Preparedness
Handbook for more detailed information.
STAGE 1 (Started five days prior to expected landfall)
1. Divisional Director update all of their employee contact
information.
2. Provide clear instruction to your teams regarding:
a. Notify vendors presently used by their teams to expect a call
to secure common areas and amenities if storm stays on
path to our area. Determine/Confirm rates for emergency
services with vendors.
b. Call in service request to rsvp boarding up of those
properties that have requested FirstService Residential to do
so. Boarding up should start no later than 36 hours prior to
expected land fall and should be completed no less than 12
hours prior to expected landfall.
c. Advise team members to obtain supplies for their homes,
etc. Discuss who is staying and who might be leaving.
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d. Divisional Director hold a team meeting daily AM/PM to
update information and confirm progress is being made.
Explain clearly each team member’s responsibility/role.
e. Monitor storm predictions. The following link has been found
to be fairly accurate:
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking
STAGE 2 (3 days prior to expected landfall)
1. Emergency Response Team will start meetings held AM on the
third day of expected landfall. Meeting is held to review progress
and discuss any preparation issues that have developed.
2. Instruct teams to contact vendors to start securing all amenities
and common areas. Includes board up request, removing pool
furniture from pools, umbrellas secured, etc. (Use forms-attached
as your check list for each property.)
3. Confirm all employee contact information is updated and has
been placed on the Client Directory.
4.
Update Board members and obtain their contact information from
those members who will be leaving the area. Advise we would
prefer to postpone board meetings until area is not in the effected
“cone path.” Each board will be different continue working to
meet the expectation of your boards as necessary.
5. Make sure all Managers have visited their properties and have
confirmed all requests to secure common area property and
amenities have started and/or have been completed.
6. Continue Team meetings AM/PMSTAGE 3 (24 hours prior to landfall)
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1.
Emergency Response Team meeting AM to review progress and
advise status. Obtain approval to release employees that want to
evacuate.
2.
Make sure FirstService Residential offices, cubicles and work
areas are secured and all loose papers are put up. This includes
all satellite offices and all On-site offices.
3.
IT has completed back up procedures for computers.
4.
Manual work order forms are available and/or boxed and ready
to transport to a new location if necessary.
5.
Assign team members to inspect properties and/or monitor the
condition of properties to make damage assessments and
communicate with the boards regarding clean up.
6.
Review again expectations with teams such as
a. When to call in and who to check with
b. Keep cell phones charged.
c. Keep vehicle gas tanks filled.
STAGE 4 (After the storm has cleared and it is safe to return to your
FirstService Residential office.)
CLEANUP
As soon as possible after a disaster, community managers are to tour their
communities to assess possible needs, communicate with the office and
order needed work. Notify A.J. Gallagher of all potential claims. Contact
boards to advise them of the status and what FirstService Residential is
doing for their community.
RESTORATION
In coordination with the board and A.J. Gallagher, select the appropriate
contractor or contractors to restore the damaged property.
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CRITIQUE
When the situation has calmed it is important to review with your
teammates, contractors, boards and committee members, and A.J.
Gallagher to identify any areas needing improvement and determine the
best way to make appropriate changes in order to be better prepared in the
future.
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