Organisation Name and Logo
TEMPLATE: This document is a guide only to frame a disaster plan for your organisation. Actual
details will vary considerably depending on the nature of services, and your role during
disasters.
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DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Responding to the impacts of natural or man-made disasters is one of the risks
every organisation must face.
Incidents that affect only our facility or services (such as fire, bomb threat, etc)
are covered in our Work Health & Safety –Emergencies Policy and
Procedures.
This Plan relates to disasters or crises that affect the whole, or a large part, of
our community, such as floods or storm surges, or disease epidemics.
Summarise how essential your services are to clients in the short term,
during and immediately following a disaster – how long can they
manage without your service? What role might you play with clients to
assist them to prepare or manage in a disaster?
This will vary a lot depending on the type of services you provide and the nature
of your relationship with your clients. This is a good place to define the limits of
your capacity in a disaster situation. Some example statements could include:
We do recognize that we are an important contact for our clients and, as such,
we may be able to assist them to access emergency help in the event of a
disaster. We do not have the resources to provide direct emergency assistance
during the impact phase or immediately after.
We are in a good position to help our clients prepare themselves for the event of
a disaster, and aim to do this as part of ongoing client support.
Our main concern is the welfare of our clients and safety of staff and the
restoration of our services as quickly as possible after a disaster.
Our Disaster Plan is designed around the following process:
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Date Approved:
Review Due:
Organisation Name
DISASTER PLAN
POSSIBLE EVENTS AND IMPACTS
Organisation Name is located in towns/cities/suburbs and currently
services clients living in geographic area.
Describe your location and those natural disasters which are most probable for
your location. (Your local Council website may have information to assist).
Considering the likely nature of disasters in your location, what might the
impacts be for your services and your premises?
Possible impacts might include: (this example is for floods/cyclones)
 Damage to the buildings and contents
 Inability for staff to safely access the office due to flooded roads and
other hazards; damage to staff members’ homes
 Inability to access clients’ homes due to hazards on roads; possible
damage to their homes
 Temporary loss of phone and internet services
 Damage to computers due to power fluctuations
 Clients and staff may choose to evacuate, or be ordered to evacuate
The other form of disaster which would impact on us is a pandemic. Likely
impacts would be:
 Staff being sick and unable to attend work
 Clients being sick and contagious and not safe to visit, or hospitalized
 Depending on the nature of the pandemic and advice provided at the
time, it may be necessary to suspend services to prevent crossinfection.
 Alternatively, again depending on advice, the service may continue, but
be required to take additional precautionary measures.
While this form of disaster would not impact on all aspects of our business,
such as buildings and facilities, face to face service suspension could continue
for an extended period.
This Plan covers the actions we will take to support clients and staff and
minimize the disruption to services in the event of a disaster. Each disaster has
potentially different impacts, so not all actions may apply.
For example, in the event of a pandemic, those actions around maintaining
contact with clients by phone, and getting information to them, may be the
main actions necessary.
OTHER KEY DOCUMENTS WHICH MAY FORM PART OF THIS PLAN:
1. GO PACK and evacuation Check List
2. Emergency Services and Contact List
3. Client Register with Emergency Contacts (if relevant)
4. Event Log
5. Client Information Sheet on preparing for Disasters (if relevant)
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Date Approved:
Review Due:
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ORGANISATION NAME DISASTER READINESS PLAN
Service
Aspects:
and effects of an incident
PREVENTION to reduce or eliminate the likelihood
Buildings & assets
Administration –
Records
Insurance
Contracts
Communication –
phones, internet,
List actions you take to protect
your buildings and assets.
Eg:
 Capital works to make the
premises less vulnerable
 Arrangements for vehicle
storage to protect them in
a disaster
 Alternative storage
arrangements to protect
equipment
List actions you take
to protect data, such
as:
All files are backed
up on an off-site
server.
In the event that phone
and internet services
are unavailable, or
limited, we will:
List arrangements in
place to allow us to
access this data if
the office computers
are not available or
accessible.
in order to contact staff
and clients.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Arrangements to
access essential
data, such as payroll
data, so pays can
still be processed.
List actions
We maintain an up to
date list of key
emergency contacts.
There are several
copies posted around
the Office, as well as
on electronic file and in
our GO PACK.
Staff
Arrangements to be able
to contact staff.
Training for staff about the
disaster plan, and staying
safe during disasters.
Expectations of staff in the
event of a disaster/service
closure. Eg:
Staff would generally not
be required to attend the
Office during service
closure, but would be
expected to be on-call
during business hours to
receive notification of
return to work.
Staff who evacuate their
homes or are affected by
the disaster are requested
to advise us and provide a
contact number.
.
Date Approved:
Review Due:
Clients
Steps you may take to help
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your clients prepare for
disasters (emergency contacts
and support networks, etc).
Systems you have in place to
allow you to maintain contact
with clients in emergencies.
Efforts to develop
arrangements with other
services, to support your/their
clients, share facilities, etc.
Arrangements you have/are
developing, to work with
emergency services to assist
clients ( if relevant)
ORGANISATION NAME DISASTER READINESS PLAN
Service
Aspects
Buildings & assets
PREPAREDNESS to ensure an effective
response and recovery
Steps you take if a
disaster is imminent
or warnings issued,
to protect or
minimise damage to
the property and
assets.
Eg: bringing in
outside/loose items,
removing
computers, storage,
etc..
Where is this
information
kept/displayed?.
Arrangements for
vehicles/authority to
determine actions.
If we are unable to
safely access our
office, services will
be temporarily
suspended.
Administration –Records
Insurance
Contracts
How you access essential
data and records if the
office is closed or unable to
access computers.
Any procedures or
authorities for this
.
Have a
“Go Pack” – that contains
key documents for our
service, spare keys for our
premises and vehicles and
a mobile phone.
Communication –
phones, internet,
Staff
Do you need to
advise clients? And
how you do this.
How you maintain
current contact details for
staff, as well as an
alternative contact
number.
Emergency contact
arrangements for staff to
service.
Could also include
ABC Radio, signs on
office door, etc.
Might include:
Disaster
Coordination
Centre social
media and ABC
Radio if phone not
an option.
Maintain a current
list of key
emergency
contacts and
services, which can
be provided to
clients in the event
that service is
closed for any
length of time.
Arrangements if staff
were stranded at the
office – eg: emergency
contact numbers,a torch
and battery operated
transistor radio to enable
them to receive any
information.
Provide staff training
about disasters and this
plan.
Include a copy of
insurance policy and
lease details in your
“Go Pack”
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Date Approved:
Review Due:
Clients
Any actions you take to prepare
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clients, such as emergency contact
numbers. If your clients are likely to
need assistance, how you gain
consent to pass on their details to
emergency services; procedures for
this.
How you inform clients of closure or
changes to service provision.
Any back-up arrangements to enable
continuation of services.
Does your organisation play a specific
role in disasters (eg: catering or
counselling at evacuation centres)?
What preparations do you make for
this when disaster is imminent? Eg:
gathering materials, determining
rosters, contacting suppliers, etc.
Any other checks you might do to
check clients are okay immediately
prior to a disaster.
ORGANISATION NAME DISASTER READINESS PLAN
Service
Aspects
Buildings & assets
Determining safety of
premises.
Documenting damage
or loss.
Securing premises.
RESPONSE an incidence response plan
to control and minimise impacts
Procedures for
contacting insurers
before any attempts at
repair or restoration are
attempted.
Effecting emergency
repairs (eg, tarping the
roof, removal of
dangerous trees).
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Administration –Records
Insurance
Contracts
Records back up and
access arrangements.
Necessary dealings with
contractors and suppliers
(eg: advice of closure).
Advising funding bodies of
service impacts –
closure/suspension; support
available to assist service
recovery.
Communication –
phones, internet,
Staff
Any back-up
Arrangements for staff to
communication/internet inform if possible, of their
arrangements.
circumstances, likely
unavailability for work and
Advising phone
assistance they may need.
company regarding
any disruptions to
services and obtaining Provision of training for staff
advice as to when
about the personal impacts of
repair is likely to occur. disaster to prepare them.
Arrangements for
debriefing/counselling/support.
Arrangements for staff who
need time off to attend to
family and personal needs.
Date Approved:
Review Due:
Clients
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Role you play in
maintaining regular
contact with clients and
providing information,
referring to services, and
how this is done.
Any special role you play
during a disaster and how
this is done.
Any emergency service
provision arrangements in
place.
ORGANISATION NAME DISASTER READINESS PLAN
Service
Aspects
Buildings & assets
RECOVERY plan to minimise disruption
and recovery time
Continuing the process
listed under RESPONSE
Arrangements for major
repairs. Ongoing
communication with
insurers/building owners,
etc.
Temporary relocation
arrangements if
necessary.
Administration –Records
Insurance
Contracts
Replacement/repairs of
equipment –
procedures/authority.
Updating/recovering data.
Ongoing liaison with the
funding body
Communication –
phones, internet,
As for RESPONSE
Staff
Clients
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Longer term arrangements if
staff are affected/unavailable
for work.
Any provisions/flexible
arrangements for affected
staff.
Processes to monitor staff
well-being, debriefing and
access to additional support if
needed.
Likely role of service in
community recovery and
managing possible impacts
on staff.
Likely role in
A. General community
recovery -will this
impact on regular
services and how this
is managed
B. Recovery for your own
clients.
How clients will be
contacted when services
resume.
Procedures to re-assess
client needs following a
disaster.
MONITORING & REVIEW
Essentially there are 2 components of this:
1. Full staff and Committee debriefing as soon as is practicable after a disaster event, usually once the service is up and fully running again, to
determine how well the Plan worked, and if any changes need to be made.
2. Regular Annual Review of the Plan to accommodate changing technology, local disaster arrangements or changes in the service itself.
DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLAN
Date Approved:
Review Due: