| The importance of good communication during | | | | the management team. Take the time to select |
| any disaster cannot be underestimated. The quick | | | | and train the emergency management team for |
| assimilation of a broad spectrum of information | | | | your business. Calm minds and good |
| across any business is vital to effective | | | | communications are the basis of successful |
| decision-making. Information sharing amongst the | | | | response and mitigation. |
| emergency management team provides a | | | | The structure of your emergency management |
| common body of knowledge for directing the | | | | team may be very similar to your existing |
| emergency response team in the field. It also | | | | organizational chart. |
| facilitates effective communication with other | | | | The crisis manager or team leader's primary |
| employees, vendors, customers and regulatory | | | | responsibility is to maintain flow and efficient |
| agencies. | | | | consideration of information generated by |
| What characteristics are common among | | | | constantly changing events in the field. Successful |
| successful emergency management team | | | | decision-making in this "integrated" environment |
| members? They have at their foundation solid | | | | presents some unique challenges for organizations |
| expertise and technical knowledge in critical | | | | that are very compartmentalized. |
| business processes. Members are able to rapidly | | | | Emergency management teams place staff |
| process multiple facets of disasters and distill the | | | | members from all critical business processes, who |
| information for clear transmission to senior | | | | often don't normally work together, in a position |
| management and emergency response | | | | that requires very frank and direct |
| participants. They must also be confident in their | | | | communication. |
| abilities to marshall internal and external resources | | | | To work effectively this team must exercise and |
| required for immediate response and continuity of | | | | train together on a regular basis to build |
| operations. | | | | confidence and respect among the participants. |
| This ability to "think on your feet" is essential. | | | | This will create an environment that allows |
| Without leadership at this level minor disruptive | | | | members to keenly focus on matters at hand. |
| events can spiral out of control and overwhelm | | | | |