Apartment companies should prepare for a number of possible catastrophes. Some of these events may not seem that imminent, but experts say the risks are higher than one might think. Multi-housing operators' tasks are that much more imperative since they are responsible for potentially huge numbers of human lives.

Natural disasters, flu pandemics and acts of terrorism top the list of disasters that apartment companies should absolutely plan for, advises Jeanne Delgado, National Multi Housing Council's (NMHC) vice president of operations and risk management policy. According to Delgado, apartment companies need to protect residents, employees and properties in the event of natural catastrophes. Flu pandemics present unique challenges such as long-term employee absence. And acts of terrorism can take place in, or close to, the apartment community and warrant the need for continuing planning and vigilance.

Obviously, where an apartment community is located would affect how plans for the various catastrophes are prioritized. For example, apartment communities in Florida should be well-equipped for hurricanes, while in California they would be prepared first for earthquakes. In this regard, there are a number of things owners can do to rank all the possible disasters and decide which ones to spend more resources on. According to Victor Anderes, vice president of emergency response planning at Global Security Associates, Garden City, N.Y., a security consulting firm, companies should first conduct a vulnerability report that lists disasters that can impact them.

Whatever the specific disaster the apartment owner and manager decides to create contingencies for, at the minimum, all companies should have a general emergency response plan, which is "absolutely crucial," said Anderes. "All communities should have a plan to respond to emergency conditions regardless of the type of disaster," agreed Delgado. The business continuity plan is just one consideration. According to Anderes, emergency response plans should be focused primarily on saving human lives. "When a disaster occurs, you need a plan that is ready to go, that tells you what is the first thing you need to do," he said.

The emergency response plan is a written document involving thinking through the various possible scenarios. And, importantly, the written plan should be formulated into a checklist that is very clear about the actions that need to be taken, said Anderes. "Human beings react differently when dealing with a crisis. You can't determine how each individual will react to a plan. Someone should be able to just follow the checklist." Copies of this checklist should be accessible both on and off site.

It should address the "three Cs:" Command, Control and Communicate. One person needs to be selected to take a leadership role in acting as the central point of coordination, command and liaison with the authorities, Anderes noted. And a key part of the plan is communication: in order to save lives, the situation needs to be communicated to the residents who may need to evacuate the building. "When you are developing an emergency plan, the key issue is that the building owner or manager is not the only one who is aware of the situation," he said. In the absence of an intercom system throughout the apartment community, the manager may, for example, maintain emergency phone numbers for the individual apartments, or name volunteer "door knockers" on each floor in a high rise to provide a means to communicate with residents.

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