Is Disaster Planning Necessary for Michigan Residents? (Part II of IV)
The Difference is in the Details
Once a planning committee has been created at your condominium association, their major task is to work through the various details of arranging a disaster relief plan for their community. There are three major details that every community association should consider. The first detail that must be well-thought-out is making a risk assessment. What are the major dangers your community may be at risk of experiencing? While it is true, there are not too many communities in Michigan which are located on a fault line, we have several communities which may very well be located in a flood area - Michigan has many lakes and a plethora of wetlands. The bottom line is to locate the obvious risk factors first no matter where you live.
There may be other risk factors which are not as noticeable as the nuclear power plant next door; fortunately, there is help for that too. In Michigan, one can gather information on assessing the not-so-noticeable risks by contacting www.michigan.gov/emd. From this point, one will be able to access the proper county or municipal emergency service agencies.
Many local county and municipal governments have established Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPC). These organizations are in place to assist residents in developing their own plans and preparations in disaster anticipation. Also, community associations should contact their local police and fire departments to seek assistance in creating risk assessments and evacuation plans if necessary. Once the risk assessment has been completed, associations should contact their insurance agent to determine if they have the proper insurance in place. This should also include an assessment of the necessity of terrorism insurance.