How to prepare an emergency management plan
Last Updated: 11 November 2019
What is an emergency management plan?
In Australia, natural disasters such as floods, fire and even earthquakes can strike without warning. During an emergency, your main aim is to ensure your business continues operating. By carefully researching and planning before an emergency happens, you’ll be ready to act quickly and effectively.
An emergency management plan includes 3 plans to help you before, during and after an emergency:
- The continuity plan – helps you prepare your business for an emergency by identifying risks, critical areas and how to best protect them.
- The emergency action plan – helps you and your staff know what to do in an emergency situation.
- The recovery plan – guides your business’s recovery after an emergency.
1. Download our emergency management plan template
Our emergency management and recovery plan template steps you through the process of creating a solid, well-structured plan tailored to your business. To help you complete the emergency management plan template we’ve also provided:
- step-by-step instructions on this page
- a downloadable guide to the template
Emergency planning template and guide
To create your emergency management plan download our:
2. Prepare your continuity plan
You should include the following sections in the continuity section of your emergency management plan.
Open all
button toggle all accordionsRisk management table
Critical business area analysis table
Scenario planning tables
Current insurance table
Property and infrastructure
Temporary office accommodation table
Business continuity strategies
Key personnel training table
Skill retention strategies
Data security and backup strategy table
3. Prepare your emergency action plan
You should include the following in the emergency action plan section of your emergency management plan.
Open all
button toggle all accordionsEmergency contacts table
Emergency procedures table
Evacuation drill schedule
Emergency kit
Emergency team roles and responsibilities table
4. Prepare your recovery plan
You should include the following in the recovery plan section of your emergency management plan. You’ll complete this section after an emergency happens.
Open all
button toggle all accordionsBusiness impact assessment table
Recovery contacts table
Insurance claims table
Market assessment table
Marketing strategy
5. Prepare your summary and supporting documentation
After you‘ve completed your continuity, action and recovery plans, you’ll need to prepare the:
- business summary– a one-page overview of your plan
- supporting documentation list – a list of all your attachments for referral. For example copies of emergency procedures, maps, resumes, or financial tables
6. Keep your emergency management plan up to date
If you practice your emergency action plan with your staff, you may find there are things missing or steps you need to change. This is your opportunity to make sure your emergency procedures are as efficient as possible.
It's also important to update your plan each time you have staffing changes, or when you move to a new business location.