This is the final installment of our discussion on what to include in a disaster plan. Let's now look at the final component of the plan - restoring the workplace and getting back to business with minimal disruption.

4 Key Questions

Once you've reacted to the disaster, the goal becomes to restore and resume business activity as soon as possible. To help accomplish this, your plan should address these four questions:

1. In the case of partial or total loss of the facility, where can you set up temporary space - is there an alternate company site that can be utilized?
2. How will you restore telephone service?
3. How will you replace or repair furniture and equipment?
4. How will you continue mail services?

Restoration Guidelines

The plan should include guidelines to help the Emergency Planning Team ensure that:

1. Back-up systems are put in place in a timely fashion when needed;
2. Systems are inspected, damage is assessed and determinations are made regarding what is required to put those systems back into service;
3. Appropriate agencies are notified (e.g., insurance, OSHA and other regulators, etc.);
4. Steps are taken to prevent further loss due to vandalism, theft and exposure to dangerous elements and accidents; and
5. Hazardous materials are removed from grounds in accordance with procedures.

Resource Management Annex

One of the most important pieces of your Contingency/Disaster Preparedness Plan is the Resource Management Annex, a link to many services you may need to aid in your restorative efforts. The Resource Management Annex should consist of vendors for various services, including:

The Annex should list vendor contact information and your account numbers. It's also a good idea to let vendors know that they're listed in your Resource Management Annex to help expedite your service call when needed.

Conclusion

The objectives of a Contingency/Disaster Preparedness Plan are to protect the health and safety of personnel, protect property and equipment, and minimize risk and liability. With proper planning and documentation and with thorough training of employees, you will be better equipped to achieve these objectives. I hope this series will help you achieve these goals.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

March 28, 1979

By Catherine Jones

Time magazine: April 9, 1979

It's only fitting that Tony Rankin should conclude his series on reacting to disasters on this, the 27th anniversary of the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history.

The Three Mile Island Disaster

The accident occurs at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station on the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. It starts at 4 AM with a relatively minor equipment malfunction. But things quickly spin out of control. Soon the entire building is radioactively contaminated.

Thus begins a five-day crisis that will throw the entire nation into a panic. Up until this time, meltdowns at civilian power plants were considered a kind of doomsday scenario. But now one is actually unfolding. A hydrogen bubble is forming within the pressure vessel. As the world watches, scientists and others close to the scene go on TV to talk about radioactive gas leaks and even the threat of explosion.

The tension becomes especially great when Pennsylvania Governor Richard L. Thornburgh recommends the evacuation of pregnant women and pre-school-age children within a 5-mile radius.

President Carter tours 3MI during the crisis.

Thousands flee. On April 1, President Carter visits the scene. The nation gasps as an American President, who happens to be a former nuclear engineer, dons radioactive protective gear and tours the plant to personally check the situation.

Pyschologically, it's the turning point of the crisis. The panic subsides. Soon the damage is contained and evacuees return home.

The Fallout

It is later determined that one-half of the reactor's core had melted in the early stages of the accident. A combination of insufficient measuring devices, design errors and information overload led to the mistakes in handling the meltdown - both inside the plant and with the public.

According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the accident - which resulted in no deaths or injuries to plant workers or residents of the nearby community - revolutionized safety training and emergency response planning at nuclear power plant operations. Among other things, the industry:

1. Now recognizes human performance as being a critical component of plant safety, and
2. Has enhanced its emergency preparedness.

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