By Patsy Van Ouwerkerk, Mitchell, Stankovic & Associates

My husband and I are fortunate to be bi-coastal, which means we have homes on both the East and West coasts. As I write this blog, we’re headed to North Carolina for a few weeks, and it’s the start of the hurricane season, which runs this year from June 1 to Nov 30. It seems the season gets longer each year and requires more planning and preparation than I can remember from when I grew up in North Carolina.  

Communications is a critical point of any socially responsible disaster recovery plan. Our insurance company just sent us an email reminding us to plan for an “above normal” hurricane season in 2018. AccuWeather forecasters predict between 12 and 15 tropical storms this season, already named, of which six to eight will become hurricanes, and three to five of those will develop into major hurricanes – certainly not something to look forward to.  

For suggestions on how credit unions can support their communities during times of disaster beyond the rote, read Sue Mitchell’s article, “Social Disaster Recovery Is Critical to Credit Unions’ Mission,” published in Credit Union Times.

The first recommendation from our insurance company was to ensure we had adequate insurance coverage, especially flood insurance.  The email went on to discuss the importance of other basics, such as having an evacuation and communications plan, having an emergency supply kit and taking time to understand your potential risks. In our case, the fact that we have a home on the Cape Fear River is a risk factor. 

This year’s email was different. It included a new suggestion – to employ social media as part of our communications plan. Mobile networks can become overwhelmed during an emergency making it difficult to make and receive phone calls. Using social media like Facebook also can be an effective way to update family and friends during emergencies and let them know you’re safe. And we felt safer receiving that communication from the insurance company that it was looking out for us and also reassuring us we’d done everything we could to prepare.

Last October while in North Carolina, we received a call from our California house sitter. The Santa Rosa fires were raging in the hills around our home, and while our home was never in imminent danger, she wanted to know what she should take with her if she had to evacuate. That’s not a call I was prepared for 3,500 miles away. We had been monitoring the national news for updates about the fires, but I also called several reliable sources and was able to reassure her (and us) that our home would be okay. So many people lost everything. Credit unions, like Redwood, headquartered in Santa Rosa, immediately responded and came to the aid of their members and employees with more than offers of financial assistance, but also educational resources for members, temporary day care for employees and communications plans arranged through a long-term partnership with a local paper. 

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Hurricanes and flooding in Southeastern North Carolina and fires in Northern California where we live are disasters that are top of mind for us, personally. Others prepare for tornados or earthquakes. With the right planning you can be prepared for all kinds of disasters. Whether you’re developing a plan for your home or your credit union, taking action in advance of an emergency is key. You never think a disaster will happen to you – until it does.

Implementing a tested disaster recovery plan and a game plan for the immediate aftermath, from re-establishing operations to protecting important documents to a multifaceted communications plan that includes employees, the community and the press.  List all pertinent contact information in multiple locations, digitally and in hard copy. Post messages on social media and your website to explain in the event of an outage, whether your credit union is closed, or service is interrupted. Establish a dedicated phone number for employees to call for updates. Members and employees alike require some calm in the disaster raging around them. Credit unions can serve that purpose and boost consumers’ trust in them even further.

Periodically update disaster plans and test them. The review can save lives. I’ll never forget while I was the CEO of Columbia Community Credit Union in Vancouver, Wash., the management team met to review and update the disaster recovery plan, which included hostile takeover situations. A week later it happened. Thankfully the takeover was resolved without injury, but for hours we dealt with the press and law enforcement and communicated updates to employees and assessed their needs. I know discussing various scenarios the week before resulted in more effective handling of the situation.  

While in North Carolina, we’ll certainly think more about this year’s hurricane season and implement the insurance company’s suggestions. We also plan to talk with my brothers about what’s needed if we do have an above normal hurricane season, and we’re not in North Carolina to deal with it. Our California house sitter now knows where important documents are kept. We’re better prepared. We should be able to rely on our credit unions as we do our families during times of disaster, even if it’s only a place to charge cell phones and laptops for the critical communications we must get out to let friends and family know we’re safe. You can’t prepare or communicate too much when dealing with disasters, whether you’re helping your family, working with insurance companies to protect your home, or your credit union serving as a safety net for its members. It is only because of this preparation, I’ll be able to enjoy my visit; provide the same comfort for your members.