by Brianna Crandall — September 12, 2011—Eighty-eight percent of facilities professionals consider their workplaces better prepared for an emergency situation than in 2001 — with fewer than 2 percent saying they are less prepared — according to the results of a new International Facility Management Association (IFMA) emergency preparedness survey. Additionally, 91 percent report having emergency evacuation procedures in place, while 80 percent say their organization has a crisis communication and disaster recovery plan.
Conducted September 6-9, 2011, the survey features more than 400 facilities managers’ responses to questions about their organizations’ current level of emergency preparedness. The results offer a snapshot of where disaster preparedness stands nearly 10 years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Since 2001, survey respondents report that their organizations have taken the following measures: more formalized emergency preparedness planning (84 percent), enhanced communications with staff (81 percent), enhanced security measures (70 percent), and increased simulation drills to test their plans (52 percent). Others report increasing the number of personnel whose primary responsibility is business continuity planning, as well as planning more for natural disasters — such as hurricanes and earthquakes — in addition to man-made security threats.
“People are now more aware that both natural and man-made disasters happen frequently,” said a survey respondent, “and that emergency preparations are not ‘busy work’ or being done in vain.”
Some surveyed cite recent natural disasters as an opportunity to test the emergency preparedness plans they currently have in place. “With Hurricane Irene going through our site, we had very little preparation to do because we have an emergency preparedness plan in place and just had to implement it,” said one facilities manager. “It worked very well.”
The major obstacles respondents report in implementing emergency and disaster recovery plans are other priorities taking precedence (61 percent), lack of personnel (41 percent), and lack of funding (40 percent). Others note a sense of “complacency of end users, staff and guests,” a “lack of a sense of urgency,” and difficulty in getting everyone to “think emergency.”
“It is still difficult to engage the average employee on matters of preparedness and security under ‘normal’ operating conditions,” said a survey participant. “The further away we get from an emergency situation, the more resistance there is to preparation, drills and recruitment of volunteers for disaster preparation.”
In spite of these obstacles, those surveyed largely report making progress in emergency preparedness and business continuity planning since 2001, while also noting there is more work to be done. “Although we are better prepared for emergencies than ten years ago, there is still plenty of room for improvement,” said one survey respondent.
One response summarizes what many of those surveyed highlight as emergency preparedness best practices: “Find the best information available; get the support of top management; help your people implement the plan; keep on practicing the plan; and make adjustments as needed to keep it effective.”
With the 9/11 anniversary at hand and recent natural disasters in mind, facilities managers and other related security and building professionals can seize the opportunity to improve their own plans and to engage their workforce in stronger preparations for future emergencies. FMs can use the survey to benchmark the results with their own experiences and efforts as well as initiatives their organizations have taken. For the full results of IFMA’s emergency preparedness survey, e-mail communications@ifma.org.
The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is considered the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facilities managers, supporting more than 20,000 members in 78 countries. The association’s members, represented in 127 chapters and 16 councils worldwide, manage more than 37 billion square feet of property and annually purchase more than US$100 billion in products and services. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facilities managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, and produces the World Workplace FM conference and exposition.
To see what other organizations have said about 9/11, click on the links below:
