1. Communicate early and often with tenants and occupants. Set up an email list or newsletter, and in the case of an approaching weather event, update them daily (or more often) as the weather nears, and if possible, during the event itself. The rumor mill getting out of hand is one of the worst things that can happen during a big event. By making sure tenants and occupants have accurate and useful information, facility and property managers are taking a huge step to prepare for a big security event.
2. Contact local law enforcement and invite them to tour the building. Get them familiar with the layout and show them spaces that might make for good command posts if something happens, and the building needs to be commandeered as a control center.
3. Make sure your risk assessment and scenario planning are up to date and accurate. Make sure all occupants and management are familiar with evacuation and shelter-in-place plans. Also, experts suggest having alternate evacuation plans, as well – if, for instance, the traditional muster spot is occupied with media tents, or something similar.
4. Have plans in place for business continuity if the worst comes to fruition. Hire a disaster recovery firm. Make it a goal to evacuate all non-essential personnel, but if that’s not possible, make sure to have plenty of food, toiletries, and sleeping arrangements in the building, in the event that it’s not safe or possible for occupants to leave the building for an extended period of time. Check back-up generators and air intakes to make sure they’re secure and operational.
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