Communications

Ongoing communications is critical for the survival of a business in the event of a disaster. A number of solutions allow personnel to reach one another in the event of a major failure that effects the office phone system or email server. An easily accessible contact list is critical when you need to reach key employees or support services. Some examples of solutions that will help employees to communicate in an emergency are:

• BC/DR Website - Adding Emergency Instructions to the company website provides an easily accessible central location for emergency procedure instructions, contact information, directions, etc. This section of the website should be password protected so only authorized people can access this information. Password protected PDF files can also be added with additional information.
• Wallet Card - Printing all critical phone numbers on both sides of a business card. This is easy to carry in a wallet or purse.
• Phone Chain - Creating a phone chain. This lets people know who to call in the event of an emergency.
• Phone Systems - Call forwarding main office numbers to an answering service or alternate location. If lines to the main office are down, be sure you can manage forwarding these numbers at the central phone office.
• Email - This is a major part of every business. Users should be able to access the office email server using a web browser. In the event that the main email server is down, emai should be forwarded to a backup email server or service. The best solution depends on your companies current system and your budget.
• Alternate Fax numbers should be included in contact information lists.