COMMUNICATING DURING DISASTER AND ACTIVATION PLAN 1

Communicating During Disaster and Activation Plan

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Communicating During Disaster

Effective communication is key to the Gutenberg organization's disaster recovery plan.

Unexpected disasters might occur, disrupting regular business operations and providing tough

challenges for the corporation (Ceferino et al.,2020). It is crucial to notify internal and external

stakeholders promptly and accurately during these crucial times. The Gutenberg organization can

reduce uncertainty, limit potential harm, and guarantee a coordinated reaction to the current

tragedy by developing a comprehensive communication strategy.

This section overviews the crucial factors, procedures, and instruments required to

maintain effective communication channels before, during, and after a disaster. A disaster

recovery strategy benefits from effective communication in many ways. It makes it possible to

provide important information, makes it easier for reaction teams to coordinate and work

together, reassures workers and stakeholders, and aids in managing public opinion (Lestari et

al.,2020). The Gutenberg organization may increase its resilience and reputation by proactively

tackling communication difficulties.

Communicating with Employees

Effective staff communication is crucial to the Gutenberg organization's disaster recovery

plan during a tragedy. As the foundation of every business, employees must be kept informed,

reassured, and motivated to sustain stability and guarantee a well-coordinated crisis response.

Establishing Communication Channels: To swiftly reach employees, it is crucial to

establish dependable and accessible communication channels. Using a variety of communication

channels, such as emails, text messages, phone conversations, and instant messaging platforms,

is part of this.
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Emergency Contact Lists: Keep current emergency contact information for each

employee on these lists, including their preferred contact methods and alternate numbers.

Establish a team or centralized communication command center to inform the workforce

of important information (World Health Organization,2020). Access to up-to-date, reliable

information regarding the disaster should be available to this team.

Timely Updates: Inform staff members frequently on the disaster's progress, how it

affects daily operations, and any measures being taken. Be open and honest about the difficulties

encountered, the actions being taken to resolve them, and any prospective recovery times.

Provide information about the resources and help employees can access during and after

a disaster.

Training and readiness: Provide regular training to staff members on disaster readiness,

including emergency protocols, communication protocols, and roles and responsibilities that

apply.

Communicating with Clients

Effective client communication is essential to the Gutenberg company's disaster recovery

plan in the event of a tragedy. Maintaining open lines of communication during a crisis helps to

retain trust, manage expectations, and guarantee the continuity of commercial connections.

Clients are a crucial component of the success of the firm.

Prioritize proactive communication with customers to update them on how the disaster

may affect the organization's operations and services.

Contact information for clients: Keep a current and accurate database of contact

information for clients.

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Customized Communication: Address each client's unique requirements and preferences

in your communication. Consider the client's industry, reliance on the company's services, and

expectations during a crisis.

Status Updates: Inform clients frequently of the recovery operations' progress, the

expected dates for service restoration, and any interim workarounds or other measures that could

be in place.

Establish dedicated contact channels for clients to inquire about the organization's

services, submit requests for help, or report any problems.

Reaffirm Service Level Agreements (SLAs): If necessary, go over any modifications or

changes to SLAs made during the recovery phase and communicate them.

Maintaining solid customer relationships is a top priority in times of crisis in client

relationship management. When addressing clients' needs and requests, exhibit empathy,

understanding, and flexibility.

Consider the organization's external communication channels, such as websites, social

networking sites, or press releases, to give clients and stakeholders larger updates.

Communicating with vendors

The disaster recovery plan for the Gutenberg organization depends on effective vendor

communication. Maintaining clear and open lines of communication with vendors during a crisis

helps to ensure continuity of operations and reduce potential disruptions. Vendors play a crucial

role in the organization's supply chain.

Creating Vendor Communication Procedures: Prioritize creating precise and well-defined

communication procedures with vendors before an emergency.

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Proactive Communication: As soon as a disaster occurs or is suspected, start proactive

communication with vendors. Tell them about potential effects on the organization's operations

and supply chain interruptions.

Encourage suppliers to provide pertinent information regarding their preparedness and

any potential difficulties they may encounter due to the crisis.

Prioritization and Resource Allocation: Convey the organization's priorities and resource

allocation plans to suppliers.

Provide vendors with regular information on the organization's recovery efforts, expected

times for service resumption, and any modifications or alterations to orders or deliveries.

Alternative Solutions and Workarounds: Work with vendors to investigate alternate

solutions or workarounds that can lessen supply chain disruptions.

Contractual Considerations: Examine pertinent contracts with vendors and judge the

impact of any clauses addressing business continuity, catastrophe recovery, or force majeure.

Relationship Building: Develop enduring bonds of respect, mutual trust, and clear

communication with suppliers.

Communicating with other stakeholders

In order to effectively communicate with other groups or stakeholders during a crisis, the

Gutenberg organization must adapt its strategy following each group's unique demands and

specifications.

Establish communication channels with pertinent government organizations and

emergency responders, such as municipal governments, fire departments, or law enforcement

organizations.
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Media Outlets: Create a communication strategy to ensure the media receives accurate

and timely information. Designate a spokesperson or a media relations team to handle media

queries and issue remarks on your behalf.

Engage the community and local citizens to share crucial information about the crisis, the

organization's reaction, and potential community impacts.

Maintain consistent contact with industry associations, suppliers, and partners to enable a

coordinated response and reduce supply chain interruptions.

Investors and Shareholders: Inform shareholders and investors about the company's

response to the disaster, potential financial repercussions, and recovery strategies.

Regulatory Agencies and Compliance Organizations: Work with the appropriate

regulatory agencies and compliance organizations to ensure all rules and regulations are followed

during the disaster recovery process, including reporting requirements.

Activation Plan

The Gutenberg organization's disaster recovery plan must be activated when faced with a

crisis or emergency. The activation procedure entails starting the predetermined reaction steps,

mobilizing resources, and putting the required precautions in place to lessen the effects of the

disaster. The crucial procedures and factors for activating the disaster recovery plan are described

in this section (Al Harthi et al.,2020). Immediately after becoming aware of a disaster or

emergency, assess the situation to acquire pertinent data and ascertain the gravity and scope of

the crisis. Set up the relevant incident response team or assign accountable individuals for the

assessment procedure to inform future decisions and assess the potential impact on crucial assets,

systems, and operations.

DRP activation
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Initial Evaluation: Determine the scope and impact of the emergency or disaster scenario.

Using predetermined criteria, determine if the circumstances call for the DRP to be activated.

The DRP team, important people, and any outside parties participating in the response

and recovery operations should all be notified about the incident.

Activate the DRP Team: Assemble the DRP team or members of the designated response

team following the plan's instructions (Seeger & Sellnow, 2019). Please make certain that the

team members are knowledgeable about their tasks, roles, and escalation processes.

Determine Resource Requirements: Determine the resources needed for the recovery

process, including persons, tools, infrastructure, and supplies.

Communication: Set up and turn on the channels and protocols for communication listed

in the DRP. To facilitate efficient information sharing, ensure that the lines of communication are

open and functional.

Recoveries: Start the predetermined recoveries listed in the DRP. This could entail

restoring crucial infrastructure, data backups, and systems, as well as putting in place temporary

workarounds or different procedures.

Manage the issue following the incident response protocols of the DRP. Evaluate the

recovery measures' efficacy regularly, and adjust the strategy as necessary.

Documentation and Post-Recovery Review: Keep a record of every step you took during

the DRP activation, including the decisions you made, the difficulties you faced, and the lessons

you learned.
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Assessment of Current and Prevention of Further Damage

The Gutenberg organization must evaluate the present damage and immediately stop

more harm during a disaster or emergency. The following are the main actions to think about in

this phase:

Safety First: Put everyone's safety, including customers, workers, and anyone in the

impacted regions first. Ensure that everyone is safe by evacuating if required.

Damage Assessment: Carefully evaluate the scope and kind of harm the disaster has

caused.

Take quick action to stabilize the situation and stop future damage by implementing

stabilization measures.

Prioritization: List the crucial infrastructure, assets, or systems that need to be recovered

in order of importance.

Resource Allocation: Evaluate the resources needed for the efforts to assess harm and

prevent it. Provide the resources, including personnel, tools, and materials, required to address

the damage and stop it from worsening.

Documentation: Record each step of the damage assessment and the mitigation strategies.

Keep track of the conclusions, the steps followed, and any pertinent observations or insights.

Communication: Keep lines of communication open with internal stakeholders, including

workers, managers, and executives, in order to keep them updated on the damage assessment's

present status and the steps being done to stop more harm.

Measures for mitigating the effects of the harm and preventing such situations in the

future should be identified and put into action.

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Standby Facility Activation

Backup Data Center: The Backup Data Center replicates and saves crucial data and IT

infrastructure, acting as a standby facility. It has redundant servers, storage systems, and

networking tools to support the organization's data and system needs. The facility is physically

separated from the main data center to maintain data redundancy and reduce the risk of data loss.

A small office space, which acts as a standby facility, provides an alternative workspace

for workers after a crisis. It has the workstations, communications equipment, and infrastructure

required to support business activities. Employees must move to the backup location to activate

the small office space (Shaaban, Khan, Hamila, & Ghanim,2019). Network connectivity must

also be established, and critical software and data access must be guaranteed. It enables the

company to continue critical functions even if the primary office is inaccessible or uninhabitable.

References
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Al Harthi, M., Al Thobaity, A., Al Ahmari, W., & Almalki, M. (2020). Challenges for nurses in

disaster management: a scoping review. Risk management and healthcare policy, pp.

2627–2634. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/RMHP.S279513

Ceferino, L., Mitrani-Reiser, J., Kiremidjian, A., Deierlein, G., & Bambarén, C. (2020). Effective

plans for hospital system response to earthquake emergencies. Nature

communications, 11(1), 4325. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-18072-w

Lestari, P., Ritonga, R., Ruliana, P., & Br Barus, C. C. (2020). Disaster communication uses field

training exercise simulation as an important aspect of disaster risk reduction. Jurnal

Komunikasi: Malaysian Journal of Communication, 36(1), 166-186.

http://eprints.upnyk.ac.id/29912/

Seeger, M. W., & Sellnow, T. L. (2019). Communication in times of trouble. John Wiley & Sons.

https://books.google.com/books?

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aster+and+Activation+Plan&ots=oy6prKcPRs&sig=cRNKyUzDSGtWTsHUcoiZ3gET1

5M

Shaaban, K., Khan, M. A., Hamila, R., & Ghanim, M. (2019). A strategy for emergency vehicle

preemption and route selection. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 44, 8905-

8913. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13369-019-03913-8

World Health Organization. (2020). Risk communication and community engagement readiness

and response to coronavirus disease (COVID-19): interim guidance, 19 March 2020 (No.

WHO/2019-nCoV/RCCE/2020.2). World Health Organization.

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331513/WHO-2019-nCoV-RCCE-

2020.2-eng.pdf
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