Strategic
Safety
Effective disaster plans must go above and beyond the
emergency itself, and include every detail that results in peace
of mind for residents, families, and staff
By Anya Martin
FAST FORWARD
› Long before disaster
strikes, community
walk-throughs can help
restoration specialists
identify strategies to reduce
potential damage and
minimize disruption to
residents.
on A sAturdAy morning in JAnuAry, the executive direc- tors of four brooKdALe senior Living communities in south texAs ALmost simuLtAneousLy begAn cALLing
rAeLee degen, the compAny’s regionAL director of operAtions cov-ering pArts of south texAs And new mexico. After three days of temperatures that hovered around 28 degrees Fahrenheit, the fire sprinkler pipes in all
› Annual meetings with
claims adjusters can help
executive directors and other
key leadership staff keep
current on the procedures
that must happen quickly
during an emergency.
four communities had burst. Staff members rushed to place buckets to catch the
water but it soon flooded hallways, and sheetrock ceilings in the corridors caved in
as the pressure built up.
› Real-life scenarios
from several senior living
communities offer replicable
best practices and strategies
for everything from wildfires
to blizzards.
It could have been a moment for panic, but thanks to a comprehensive disaster
plan, no residents or staff were injured, Degen says. “We had all of our disaster plans
in place and we knew them,” she adds. “We monitor them on a regular basis and we
discuss what to do and when.”
Still, at Sterling House of Temple, about 130 miles north of San Antonio, damage
was so extensive that it required evacuation of all 34 residents to other area senior
living communities for 30 days. At that community, the executive director called a
physician and local police for any needed support, and the fire department set up a
heated tent in the parking lot to ensure no one would be exposed to the elements dur-
