How Homeowners’ Associations Can Prepare for Natural Disasters

Although emergencies like hurricanes, floods, tornados, and snow storms are always a worst-case scenario, homeowners’ associations can prepare for natural disasters to respond effectively and efficiently and provide support to residents.

Establish an Emergency Preparedness Plan Baseline

First, review current emergency preparedness procedures that take place before, during, and after a natural disaster. Focus on what supplies should be included in emergency kits for residents, along with who to contact in the aftermath–things like:

1. Emergency contact information
2. Responsibilities of the Board, management, and residents
3. A list of services that may be unavailable during or after a natural disaster

Next, include checklists designed to set expectations and properly drive resident communication in the event of an emergency:

1. Tasks that residents need to complete before evacuating
2. Actions that the community’s incident commander will be addressing
3. Ways the community will work with local, state, and federal partners
4. Communication how-tos before, during, and after the disaster
5. What to expect after the storm–surveying the grounds and arranging clean-up
6. How inspections of dwellings will be handled after the emergency

Compile all of the resources above into a Community Emergency Preparedness Plan.

Review and Implement Your Emergency Preparedness Plan

Once you’ve compiled the information above into a Community Emergency Preparedness Plan, it’s essential that you have it reviewed by experts like the local police chief, fire chief, or emergency management officials. After you’ve finalized the plan, you’ll need to present it to the association’s Board for approval and adoption.

Next, set timelines and create responsibility charts to provide community residents with details about the plan and how communication will be handled:

1. Create a list of local and national relief organizations, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and their contact information
2. Detail the process of seeking aid and debris removal assistance from local, state, and federal agencies 
3. Decide what community residents or Board members will be on call to assist in the response before, during, and after the disaster
4. Identify any ham radio operators who live within the neighborhood in case cell towers are rendered inoperable
5. Conduct emergency preparedness drills on a regular basis in order to help residents with disaster protocol

Is your homeowners’ association prepared to handle things like hurricanes, floods, tornados, and snow storms? If your HOA Board needs help with natural disaster preparedness or any other association issues, contact Prism Realty Management. Give us a call at 512-676-5842 — we’d be happy to talk to you about who we are, the services we offer, and our process.