Are Your Officers Prepared for a Disaster?
Individual Preparedness as a Part of
Departmental Strategic Planning. PART 2
Submitted By: Captain Jeff Smith, Lawrenceville PD
This is the second part of a two-part series on disaster planning for first responders. The article addresses the idea
of preparedness, how preparedness applies to law enforcement officers, and how officers’ personal preparedness
can impact the department’s response to a disaster. The first part discussed the general idea of preparedness and
the importance of first responders being prepared for disasters. In this part we will explore recommended steps for
personal preparedness and what steps departments may take to increase preparedness among their officers and
build resiliency within the department.
An important component to building preparedness among employees is to provide training and education to them.
The Georgia Emergency Management Agency provides good information on their readiness website
( http://ready.ga.gov/ ). In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a website and program
specifically directed to first responders, the Ready Responder program ( https://www.ready.gov/responder ).
Other agencies such as the American Red Cross (https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-
emergencies.html ) also have information that would be helpful in preparing for disaster. As a leader, passing on this
information to your employees should be important. You cannot make them prepare themselves, but you can
equip your employees with the knowledge, and you can emphasize the need for such. Set a culture of
preparedness in your organization.
From the available information, you can see that preparedness involves having plans and training, practicing plans,
and having “kits” of supplies and items to assist in the aftermath of a disaster. Some of the items employees
should consider when putting together a kit are shown in the inset. In the first part of this article, the idea of cost as
an impediment was discussed. From the list shown in the inset, you can see that there is not an excessive cost
involved; however, some of the items may cost more than some officers or employees want to spend.
In addition to training and providing information, departments can become actively involved in preparedness of
their employees. By using grant funds, seized assets, or a creative drive within the community, some of the items
may be procured by the department and issued. Perishable items such as food and water may not be part of a
department program, but other general kit items could be issued as part of an overall kit to enhance preparedness
on employees.
A department can also become actively engaged in other preparedness planning that will benefit employees. For
example, does the department have a safe place where family members of employees may shelter? Can an officer
bring family members to a safe place at the department while they work in a disaster? If an officer knows his or her
family members are safe, the officer can better do the job without having a concern for the safety of family in the
back of their mind.
Preparedness is not only an individual consideration. It should be an organizational issue. How many departments
have a robust business continuity plan? Does your city or county have a continuity of operations plan that include
the law enforcement component? What happens if something happens to your headquarters? Are you prepared to
continue operating and providing services? Does your department house a communications or dispatch center? If
there is a catastrophic failure, what plans are in place to continue to serve the public? What if the repeater tower
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