CAI-NJ Aug.2017

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way to avert risk. Draining swimming
pools and retention basins ahead of a
significant tropical weather event can
help avoid damage due to flooding.
Participating in Firewise programs that
help educate residents and provide
access to grant funding to pay for
the creation of fire breaks and land-
scaping to eliminate ground fuels to
reduce the likelihood of forest fires is
yet another way to reduce risk.
Finally, community associations must
develop an internal plan for opera-
tions during a large-scale emergency.
The Board should create a plan in
the event communication
is lost, Board members
are unable to meet and
money is required for
emergency needs. Back-
up communication meth-
ods, such as meeting at
a predetermined time and location if
telecommunications are lost or setting
pre-authorizations for various needs
are essential protocols to overcome
issues such as an extended power
loss or cellular communications dis-
ruption.
Through careful and conscientious
risk assessment and avoidance, a
community association can prepare
for an emergency, survive an event
and pick-up the pieces afterwards
while reducing the potential for loss.
Methodical planning and careful exe-
cution along with routine training of
all residents is critical to emergency
preparedness and can go a long
way to increasing resident safety and
reducing avoidable risk. n
EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS...
from page 16.