by Brianna Crandall — August 20, 2012—The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International is bringing cutting-edge preparedness planning to property owners and managers with the release of its new publication, Emergency Preparedness Guidebook: The Property Professional’s Resource for Developing Emergency Plans for Natural and Human-Based Threats.
The guidebook helps property and facilities professionals prepare for emergency situations that could jeopardize the occupants, contents and physical structure of a property. Recognizing the complexity of developing and implementing a sound and comprehensive emergency strategy, the publication provides users with a step-by-step guide through the four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
Several types of emergencies are covered: accidents such as fires, public health emergencies and elevator outages; earth and weather events such as floods, earthquakes and hurricanes; and criminal and terror acts such as terrorism and workplace violence. The guidebook also features an in-depth chapter on building an effective communications plan, and checklists throughout to help users organize every step of their preparedness plan.
The Emergency Preparedness Guidebook also addresses the importance of a thorough emergency strategy in attracting and retaining building tenants. Not only can disaster planning help building management protect assets and minimize liability, but it has the ability to inspire confidence in current and prospective tenants, which is crucial to property capital.
The new Emergency Preparedness Guidebook is an update to BOMA’s 2002 Emergency Preparedness Guidebook and is presented in an e-book format. According to BOMA, it is the industry’s most up-to-date guide to help property professionals prepare for and respond to a broad range of potential threats.
