Approaches to Crisis Management Plan

A Crisis simply means an event that is, or potentially is, destructive. It can be natural or human initiated, and it requires action or decision. It may be confined to a location, a populace, a business, or impact far ranging interconnected operations. It is typically sudden, often unsuspected and can be a short-term disruption or a full blown existential event.
In today’s world risk is ever present in many forms and while the past is a predictor there is no guarantee that the future does not hold the unexpected. The recent worldwide Pandemic is one example of what is known as a Black Swan, something that few could have predicted but in retrospect many should have. To avoid Black Swan events, we need to think “outside of the box.” We need to think critically by challenging all assumptions.
The 1st Watch experts have studied Risk and Crisis Events for decades. Many of our experts are veterans of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group, as well as other intelligence and military organizations. They have invested careers developing procedures for anticipating, avoiding, mitigating, and recovering from Crisis. They are the creators of the Red Cell approach, a critical thinking process of debate that focuses on asking “what if?” followed by “then what?”
While most institutions do not have the resources to expend on developing plans for “what if?” we can provide that service. 1st Watch will conduct an in-depth analysis of our clients’ operations, discovering and focusing on vulnerabilities that, in many cases, the client has not considered.
1st Watch can create a complete or holistic Crisis Response approach which includes a Concept of Operations (COOP) Plan recognizing that there is never a guarantee that all Crisis can be thwarted. A well-considered COOP allows the client to maintain some level of function or business when a primary facility has been impacted by an event. A location subjected to an Active Assailant event will become a crime scene and, possibly, a location inhospitable to the client’s workforce. Schools that were venues to horrific targeted attacks are generally closed and razed.

1st Watch personnel have developed “See Something, Say Something” programs geared to encourage awareness among employees. A workforce should have a confidential system for reporting co-worker or student concerning behavior. Today, Society is confronted by growing violence without boundaries and is inclined more than ever to take preemptive steps to identify and address “red flags” before they transition to tragedy. In addressing School Safety, an expert recently opined that “if you want to know which students are most likely to turn violent, ask the students themselves.”
1st Watch personnel also have extensive experience in the fields of insurance and law in addition to emergency training and response. While no one can guarantee that every conceivable Risk can be avoided, the impact of a Critical event can be greatly reduced through the acquisition of proper insurance coverage that offers workforce counseling, and other forms of victim assistance, in addition to forms of business interruption compensation.
From the standpoint of liability, a Crisis Event will result in litigation. Recent court rulings have shown that failure on the part of employers or administrators to take reasonable steps to avoid or ameliorate injury or death from Crisis events, events that now have clear precedent in our world, is more than simple negligence, rather it is an aggravating circumstance which drastically increases culpability on the part of those in charge.
While many governmental agencies now offer low-cost security advice and training, these agencies and their personnel are largely protected from liability and have no obligation to participate in litigation arising out of a Crisis event. The assistance offered is typically “one size fits all” and can’t be tailored to the uniqueness of individual locations and operations. Simply put, the customer receives what the customer pays for.

1st Watch will review the client’s current Crisis Plans and Risk Posture and provide recommendations for corrective measures that are realistic. We know the tools that today’s security industry offers, and we know technology that is effective, durable, and appropriate for the Client’s needs.
Proper plans are critical but plans that are not tested and updated are without value. They simply foster a false sense of security.
Planning should be holistic, requiring the input and consideration of all likely parties. Staff and first responders must be a part of the plan and part of the training.
Training is critical, possibly the most critical aspect of any Crisis Management Plan. It is a fact that individuals who have not considered how a violent episode unfolds and have not considered how they should react in the environment they find themselves in will often freeze until cognitive senses come to terms with reality. Those moments of delay can impact the likelihood of survival.
In summation, we live in a world where risk or danger is ever evolving and expanding. We cannot rely on someone else to intervene and protect us. Everyone needs to take responsibility for being prepared, having a plan. No one is better qualified than 1st Watch Secure to guide that process and ensure that it is pertinent to today and tomorrow’s world.