Natural disasters don’t care about supply chain issues, but your group purchasing organization (GPO) does. Being prepared and working with your GPO can help you avoid delays and ensure you have what you need when you need it.
Inclement weather and other natural disasters are better braved with a plan and preparation rather than spur-of-the-moment actions. The members of your communities are counting on you to ensure their safety when tragedy strikes.
You might be asking yourself; how do I prepare for something I can't predict or control? As a group purchasing organization (GPO), we have a knowledgeable team that can help you make a plan and purchase the necessary solutions to take a proactive approach to emergency response planning while also saving time and money.
Follow along as we outline how to prepare for emergencies within your community.
Multifamily housing communities not only have risks associated with daily operations, but they also have larger potential emergency situations to prepare for. Both can be looked at in similar ways but may be approached differently. Performing an emergency response risk assessment outside of your typical property risk assessment will help zero in on potentially larger catastrophic emergency situations. Some of these are:
It is also important to have a well-rounded understanding of your insurance company’s expectations and coverage when it comes to natural disasters and emergency response situations. GPO supplier partner Ironclaim has public adjusters that can give you the peace of mind that an experienced team is fighting to maximize your settlement based on damage sustained. Their team reviews the terms and conditions of your full policy, builds a claim with accurate rebuild costs, and holds the carriers to market-rate pricing to restore your property.
There are specific natural threats that your community could face that are more prominent based on your region or county. For example, if your property is in Miami, Florida, preparing for hurricanes, flooding, and heavy winds could reveal potential opportunities for risk elimination. Those in the northern part of the country may have blizzards and snowstorms to worry about in the winter months. Keeping these ideas in mind, a higher focus on potential damage and liability involved with the specific risk condition can help your team gear up for potentially larger disasters. By utilizing a GPO, you have access to a dedicated regional director that understands your buying needs and can help you make the right decisions.
With the amount of stress we are putting on preparing for disasters, we want to provide you with a free resource to get you started. Our team of purchasing experts has compiled a list of items you need to stockpile and services you need to have lined up to ensure your staff and residents are safe.
A timely recovery for your properties relies on how prepared you were for the disaster ahead of time. Resources may be limited during and after the disaster, so you need to secure all items beforehand.
Be sure to review the plan with your entire team and make sure everyone has access to this information. This is one of the most important steps to follow when prepping for a disaster. If everyone isn't on the same page, that is when overall safety is at risk. Each of your staff members should have a role and know their role ahead of time so when they need to take action, the process is seamless.
Emergencies are unpredictable, which is why preparation is your best defense. Whether you have had a chance to prepare or not, look to your GPO for help. Your GPO gives you immediate access to contracts that you can start using quickly and in case of emergency, -and you can create a proactive plan to purchase things ahead of time.
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