How to Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan

Disasters can strike at any time and anywhere. No rhyme or reason exists as to why natural disasters occur and sometimes no warning or not enough warning is sounded so that you could have followed a proper preparation and evacuation plan. In the aftermath of a disaster, you need to know what the most critical steps in the road to recovery are required and a disaster recovery plan is a tool that help guide you through what needs to be done.

Things You'll Need

• Map of building, facility or area
• Copy of evacuation plan
• List of all people responsible for operations, including contact information
• Contact information for first responders

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Instructions

• 1

  Gather all documents regarding current operations of your business, building or area. Make sure to have copies of your evacuation and emergency preparedness plans up to date. Make any necessary changes to these plans to make sure that they reflect the most current information on your operations and your surroundings.

• 2

  Make a list of the most important processes and needs for your business or area. A business would require phones, Internet and utilities to start operations after a disaster so those items would be listed with additional items. An area, such as a city or town, would require some of the same essentials but have additional requirements, such as running water and operational roads and highways.

• 3

  List all essential people who would be contacted in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Arrange a predetermined meeting spot and an alternate location so the team of essential people can meet soon after the disaster to start planning how to get things up and running again.

• 4

  Create your formal disaster recovery plan, which lists who is in charge of contacting everyone after a disaster, the point of contact's relevant information, the predetermined meeting location in the event your primary site is non-operational and the immediate steps that will be taken to get things back to normal. Outline in as much detail as possible who is in charge of what and make sure to appoint backups in case the primary contacts are unavailable due to the disaster.

• 5

  Distribute copies of all preparedness plans to everyone in your organization or area so that everyone is aware of how to react in the event of a disaster. Make sure all parties also have a copy of the steps outlined in the disaster recovery plan.

• 6

  Seek input from everyone regarding your plan and take requests and suggestions. Make changes and updates to your plan as needed.