What steps can you take to ensure your crisis management plan is effective during a tornado?

1 Assess your risks

The first step in developing a crisis management plan is to assess your risks and vulnerabilities to tornadoes. You need to identify the potential hazards, impacts, and consequences of a tornado on your area, such as wind damage, flying debris, power outages, injuries, fatalities, and displacement. You also need to evaluate the resources and capabilities you have to cope with and mitigate the risks, such as shelters, warning systems, equipment, personnel, and communication channels. A risk assessment will help you prioritize your actions and allocate your resources accordingly.

2 Establish your goals and objectives

The second step in developing a crisis management plan is to establish your goals and objectives for each phase of the crisis: before, during, and after the tornado. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, and should align with your mission and vision. Your objectives should be the specific tasks and activities that will help you achieve your goals. For example, your goal for the before phase could be to increase the awareness and readiness of your stakeholders, and your objectives could be to conduct training, drills, and exercises, and to disseminate information and instructions.

3 Assign roles and responsibilities

The third step in developing a crisis management plan is to assign roles and responsibilities to your team members and stakeholders. You need to define who will do what, when, where, how, and why during the crisis, and how they will coordinate and communicate with each other. You also need to establish a clear chain of command and authority, and a backup plan in case of absenteeism or disruption. You should also identify and engage with external partners and agencies that can provide support and assistance during the crisis, such as local authorities, emergency services, media, and NGOs.

4 Develop your procedures and protocols

The fourth step in developing a crisis management plan is to develop your procedures and protocols for each phase of the crisis. You need to document the specific steps and actions that you and your team will follow to achieve your objectives and goals. You also need to establish the criteria and triggers for activating and deactivating your plan, and the escalation and de-escalation procedures for different levels of severity and urgency. You should also include contingency plans and scenarios for possible variations and complications during the crisis, such as multiple tornadoes, changing weather conditions, or additional hazards.

6 Communicate and educate your plan

The sixth and final step in developing a crisis management plan is to communicate and educate your plan to your team members and stakeholders. You need to ensure that everyone involved in the plan understands their roles and responsibilities, and the procedures and protocols they need to follow. You also need to inform and educate your target audience, such as customers, employees, suppliers, or residents, about the plan and how they can prepare for, respond to, and recover from a tornado. You should use various methods and channels to communicate and educate your plan, such as newsletters, websites, social media, posters, flyers, or meetings.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?