In our modern world we take our ability to communicate seamlessly and instantly for granted. We communicate through more services and devices than ever before. Our options are vast: Facebook, Twitter, SMS text messaging, WhatsApp, email, traditional mail, cell phones, and even landline telephones. But what if those channels of communication, or the primary channels we rely upon, are disrupted by a natural or man-made disaster? Is your community association prepared for those circumstances? Do you have primary and secondary lines of communications established in your community association? If you are starting to feel concerned, that’s okay, because many community associations and small businesses are not prepared and do not have procedures in place for maintaining communications during a crisis. But the time to act is now. Implementing a Disaster Communication Plan can dramatically improve a community association’s response and handling of an emergency situation.…

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Life can change in a matter of moments. As my mother always says: “An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.” Benjamin Franklin may also have been known to utter the phrase once or twice, but still, I’ll give credit to my mom. Preparation is key whether you’re talking to your child about an upcoming exam, a deposition, or the operations of a community association. A community association’s board of trustees has a duty to protect the community by ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents, which includes a wide range of responsibilities, from maintaining the common areas, enforcing community rules and regulations, to protecting the association from damage, whether by natural or manmade forces, and ensuring disrupted services are promptly returned to operation. Taking steps once disaster strikes is too late. Community associations need to plan in advance and establish protocols for responding to disasters before, during, and after to mitigate against damage, lessen the impact on the community, and expeditiously return to full operations following a disaster or temporary disruption of services.…

Continue Reading What is a Disaster Preparedness Plan?