Disaster is an efficient and devastating teacher, and the lessons property owners have learned from natural disasters in the past two decades are legion. The most important take-away is that failure to plan is a plan to fail. Responsible property owners have a responsibility for the health and safety of their tenants, and that’s why a thorough emergency preparedness plan has become an absolute necessity.

Prepare for location-specific disasters

Before you can adequately prepare for the unexpected, know what you might expect. Fire is the enemy of every property owner, so that’s a given. But, if your property is in a flood zone or Tornado Alley, you’ve got other potential problems to address. Seasonal weather disasters call for specific plans, timely communication with tenants, and well-trained staff who can launch into action at a moment’s notice to evacuate and secure your properties.

Mentally prepare your renters

Keep those lines of communication open, and send regular safety tips to your residents. Encourage them to keep up with weather warnings, and use social media and text alerts to get emergency messages to tenants. Make sure they know—in advance—where to go and what to do in case of an emergency. Send them a list of things to pack in a “go bag” to reduce the time it would take to evacuate their family when time is of the essence. Also, address where they can find information about when it’s safe to return home.

A little advance research can pay off big-time when disaster strikes. Having rock-solid plans in place can also help management establish that sense of community with residents that is so important for compliance. It also doesn't hurt to tell them, “We're all in this together.”