High-impact weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes and snowstorms often cause significant problems at institutional and commercial facilities. But in some areas of the country, when these events occur, they sometimes catch facilities executives by surprise.
Executives need to remember that when significant changes are made to buildings, escape routes and site plans or databases need updating as well, or those facilities are set up for trouble.
“Drills for disaster response by residence or immediate response teams also may be neglected or performed by long delays which may result in slow or inappropriate response,” says Hiva Nasiri, vice president, applied science at Thornton Tomasetti. “In case the facility has backup generation, periodically testing the backup generator is also another item which may be neglected. In case the facility has a microgrid which can operate in island mode, the microgrid functionality must be tested frequently (at least twice a year) with coordination with local electric utility to make sure it functions as expected and detect and resolve any issue.”
John Petzold, managing director, forensics and national practice leader – insurance claims and recovery at BDO, adds that a frequent misstep he sees in risk preparation is relying too heavily on historical weather patterns, without accounting for the increasing volatility and severity of climate-related events. Many facility managers also tend to focus exclusively on physical infrastructure while neglecting vital transportation routes, supply chains, energy sources, water and waste challenges, communication protocols, and digital systems.
“Another significant oversight is inadequate documentation, which often becomes a critical barrier when filing insurance claims or undergoing regulatory review,” Petzold says. “Additionally, emergency response plans sometimes fail to define clear roles and responsibilities, resulting in confusion during a crisis. Lastly, delaying post-event assessments is a common but costly error, as these evaluations are essential for strengthening future preparedness and substantiating insurance claims.”
From the standpoint of a forensic accountant who specializes in preparing insurance claims on behalf of policyholders, Petzold says one of the most effective strategies executives can implement is to closely align emergency preparedness with recovery planning, whether through commercial insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and/or any other state or local grant programs.
“Documentation is often the linchpin in successful financial recovery. Detailed, pre-loss records –such as asset valuations, maintenance logs, and operational data –can significantly influence both the speed and completeness of a financial recovery,” Petzold says. “Organizations that take the time to integrate their risk assessments with claims-readiness not only recover faster but also maximize their recovery, while minimizing their exposure. Conversely, treating emergency planning and insurance recovery as separate efforts often results in greater vulnerability and weaker financial outcomes.”
Equally important is fostering collaboration with a broad range of stakeholders throughout the preparedness and recovery process. As Petzold points out, proactively engaging with emergency management agencies, local government, and FEMA ensures alignment on response protocols, access to critical resources, and a clearer understanding of available support during and after an incident.
“By embedding collaboration and stakeholder engagement into emergency preparedness and recovery planning, facility managers can build a more robust, agile, and resilient organization,” he says.
Maura Keller is a freelance writer based in Plymouth, Minnesota.
