Building the human component into contingency plans.

In the 'who, what, when, where and how' approach to disaster and contingency planning, the 'who' component often receives less attention than it should. It is relatively easy to determine the appropriate amounts of feed and bedding to store for emergencies or how to stage a replacement generator for electricity, whereas planning for the people who will respond to the emergency is more difficult. Understanding the issues involving 'who' designs and implements the contingency plan for disaster response can help facility managers to build a more effective plan, ultimately ensuring faster recovery and long-term success.