Insight: Is your organization ready for an emergency?

On Oct. 22, 2009, residents of Puerto Rico’s metro area were woken up just past midnight by the loud noise and eventual seismic movement from the Caribbean Petroleum Corp. (Capeco) explosion. Fire ravaged the facility full of jet and regular fuel, while whole communities, a military base and nearby industries had to evacuate and halt operations for several days.

Almost a decade later, the devastating blows of hurricanes Maria and Fiona, the 2020 earthquakes in the island’s southwest, and the persistent instability of our power grid have caused people and businesses to live through crisis after crisis. Our island knows disaster.

But knowing disaster is not the same as being prepared for it. Emergency preparedness should not be optional. Every business, organization and the government must have a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan for climate change and environmental and natural disasters.

Climate change is accelerating the pace and intensity of natural disasters, and the risks are becoming more complex, leading to potential emergencies. Sea levels are rising, and coastal communities are seeing saltwater intrusion into their freshwater supplies. 

Storms are stronger, flooding is more frequent due to heavier rains that our stormwater systems are not prepared for, and extreme heat like in recent days is a growing threat to both people (especially workers in the field) and infrastructure.

Unfortunately, many organizations are still unprepared and treat emergency planning as a once-a-year box to check. A robust emergency preparedness plan should not be a binder on a shelf or an annual seminar. It must be a dynamic, strategic and actionable readiness framework to be implemented at a moment’s notice.

Here are some examples of the elements your organization’s plan should have:

1. A clear chain of command
In an emergency, confusion can cost lives. Everyone in the organization must know who is responsible for what. Establishing a chain of command is essential. Decision-making must be centralized.

2. Regular staff training
Emergency protocols are only effective if people know how to use them. Regular training, and even simulations of scenarios like an explosion, flood or earthquake, are essential in every organization. Training should be recurrent and tailored to each facility’s specific risks.

3. Essential equipment and resources
Are your buildings equipped with backup generators? Flood barriers? Fire extinguishers? Often, businesses uncover vulnerabilities only after disaster strikes — and when it is unfortunately too late.

In Puerto Rico, the risks are not hypothetical. From hurricanes and floods to environmental emergencies like chemical spills or power grid failures, the threat landscape is real and growing. Hurricane Maria was a stark reminder: many businesses lost everything not because of direct storm damage, but because backup power systems failed — or were never in place. And it’s not just about having the equipment. It must be maintained and tested frequently.

4. Crisis communications plan
We live emergencies in real time due to social media. When disaster strikes, misinformation spreads quickly. Companies need a crisis communication strategy that includes prepared messages for various scenarios, a designated spokesperson, and a clear plan for communicating with internal and external publics. Social media, email alerts and notification systems should be integrated into this plan, but not relied on solely.

5. Continuity of operations
After the immediate crisis, how does the business continue to function? A Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) outlines how essential functions will keep running during and after a disaster. This includes remote work capabilities, alternative suppliers, data backups and pre-identified recovery sites.

6. Planning for climate impacts
Climate change is not a hypothetical future; its effects are already being felt. Sea level rise brings saltwater into freshwater aquifers, threatening drinking water and agriculture. Increasing temperatures are also placing severe stress on our already fragile energy grid. Frequent “energy relays” or power outages are worsened by aging infrastructure and extreme heat. These heat waves not only increase electricity demand for cooling but also reduce the efficiency of fossil-fuel-based power generation and damage transmission systems.

Emergency planning in Puerto Rico must fully integrate climate projections into land use, infrastructure design and public health strategies:

• Relocating critical infrastructure (hospitals, energy substations and water treatment plants) away from flood-prone and coastal zones
• Investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as microgrids powered by solar energy, rainwater supplies and green roofs
• Developing community-based adaptation plans, ensuring that vulnerable populations are involved in and protected by climate resilience strategies
• Restoring natural buffers, such as mangroves and wetlands, which mitigate flooding and storm surge

7. Shared responsibility
Emergency preparedness must be part of all organizations’ strategic and financial plans. It is not something to scrimp on but rather to be budgeted for as a top priority. Studies by the National Institute of Building Sciences found that every $1 invested in disaster mitigation and readiness saves an average of $6 in disaster response and recovery costs. Nobody likes to lose money, and preparedness can minimize business interruptions and the loss of economic activity.

Resilience must be a priority in every organization in Puerto Rico. Preparedness is not just about surviving the next storm. It is about ensuring your organization is equipped to lead, respond and recover.