Emergency Management Makes Planning Easier.

• Author: DMYTRENKO, APRIL

Earthquakes, floods, fire, hurricanes, civil disasters, hazardous material accidents, etc. -- with ever increasing frequency the news media makes the world aware of the aftereffects of these disasters and emergencies. For businesses, the consequences can be devastating. Even a minor disruption in operations can be significant and, depending on the event, some businesses are unable to recover.

Disasters and emergencies are not selective -- they can happen anytime, anywhere. Businesses are beginning to realize this, and the proactive ones also realize that a contingency plan can safeguard life, property, and the future of their operation. Developing and implementing an emergency management program, however, is not a simple task and demands upper management's commitment to invest time and resources.

Protecting an organization's information assets is a critical aspect of any emergency management plan. Just think about all the vital records and information that are essential to the continued functioning of an organization during and after an emergency. Information management professionals have an obligation to spearhead efforts to protect these assets.

The important task of establishing an emergency management plan is now a little simpler with the book Emergency Management for Records and Information Programs, published by ARMA International. This book focuses on disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery for records and information. Authors Virginia A. Jones, CRM, and Kris E. Keyes, have done a terrific job!

Emergency Management for Records and Information Programs is a guide through the essential phases of emergency management. The book's five sections present a comprehensive plan for records and information. Following is an overview of these sections with chapter highlights.

Section I: Basic Concepts

Basic concepts and practices of emergency management related to records and information must be clearly understood before developing an emergency management plan. One such basic is that upper management support is critical. This section offers very good insights on working toward obtaining such support including performing cost-benefit analyses, conducting business impact assessments, and developing written proposals and oral presentations to management.

Section II: Prevention

The first phase in emergency management is prevention, which includes those activities that reduce the risk. This section focuses on three key aspects: vital...