The New Jersey State Bar Association gratefully acknowledges the work of the co-chairs to the NJSBA Task Force on Disaster Planning for their efforts in developing this manual.

1. Form a disaster team, consisting of those individuals who will be taking charge in the event of a disaster. Designate one person to be in command in the event of a disaster and designate an alternate. Determine what each person on the disaster team will be responsible for - i.e., section of a building, department, contacting staff, contacting clients, recovering documents, etc.

2. Evaluate potential hazards and minimize risk. Evaluate the potential hazards for which you are at risk, such as fire, terrorism, inclement weather, energy/power interruption, or other natural disasters, such as hurricane, flood or earthquake. Take steps to minimize damage associated with such disasters, such as purchasing fire and water proof filing cabinets, ensuring there are alternative power sources or at least flashlights or other battery-powered necessities available, etc. Also examine your office space, building and grounds and address any foundation cracks, electrical hazards, roof leaks, plumbing problems, etc. Finally, conduct a fire safety evaluation, make sure all sprinkler and alarm systems are working properly and all important documents are in fireproof cabinets. Conduct these evaluations at least annually.

3. Identify potential consequences of a disaster and work to address them. In addition to personal injury and safety issues, you need to plan for business interruption/economic issues as a result of any disaster. Think about how long you can sustain your practice in light of each potential disaster, what are the consequences of a potential loss of client base, how difficult would it be to move your office, temporarily or permanently. If possible, you should make arrangements for alternative work space in advance of actually needing it (see #4 below). Make sure enough funding is accessible to sustain your business for a particular period of time, including enough petty cash in case banks are temporarily inaccessible.

4. Establish potential alternate work locations. Think about where an alternate work location should be established - in another county or region of the state. Establish a plan to let employees know where the alternate work location is and how and when they are expected to report there. Determine in advance if the designated alternate work locations can be made permanent if necessary. If the alternate location is only temporary, determine in advance what the limitations are - how long can you stay, what is the cost, etc.

5. Review all of your insurance policies. Make sure "acts of God" are covered and the amount of insurance coverage is adequate to meet your needs in the event of a worst case scenario.

6. Create an inventory list of all office supplies and other valuables. Photograph, videotape or computer scan as necessary. Store copies of all lists, photos, videos, etc. off-site.

7. Protect your data. Establish a back-up routine to back-up all computer files on a regular basis. Determine what should be backed up and how long it should be maintained. Store the back-up files off-site and establish a procedure for obtaining them in case of an emergency.

8. Prepare staff contact lists in case of emergency, including cell phone numbers and pager numbers. Distribute to appropriate staff.

9. Develop evacuation routes. Distribute to all staff and post in appropriate places around your building.

10. Prepare an emergency equipment list, including locations of equipment and attaching floor plans, as well as emergency kits. The list should include the location of such things as utility cut-off switches and fire extinguishers. Each emergency kit should include supplies like flashlights, batteries, battery-operated radios, tool kits, portable fans, rubber boots, gloves, etc. The kits should be checked periodically to ensure everything is working properly.

11. Prepare a formal Disaster Plan Document (a sample is attached), detailing all of the information needed in case of a disaster. Keep adequate copies of the plan on -site, as well as at least one copy off-site.

12. Advise all staff of disaster preparedness plans.

13. Schedule routine meetings of the disaster team to monitor and update disaster planning activities as necessary.

Name	Office Phone Number	Home Phone Number	Cell Phone Number	Pager	Area of Responsibility
Person in Command
Alternate in Command

(2) Evacuation Plan

Attach a copy of plan and a list of all staff to be accounted for.

Person in charge of evacuation

Warning System

Assembly Site

Alternate Site

(3) Known Persons in Need of Special Assistance

Name of Person	Location	Type of Assistance Required	Person Responsible for Providing Assistance

(4) Alternative Work Location

(5) List of Critical Functions (in order of importance)

Function	Timeframe for Restoration	Alternatives Until Restored	Responsible Person

(6) Crucial Contacts

Vendor	Service Provided	Contact Person and Info

(7) Access to Restricted Areas

Area	Person with Access/Location of Access Info	Contact Info

(8) Critical Documents

Document	Location	Location of Copies	Issuing Organization/Contact
Incorporation Papers
Contracts
Partnership Agreements
Stocks/Bonds
Insurance Policies
Bank Account Info
Accounting Records
Computer Back-Ups
Equipment Inventory
Deeds
Leases
Wills
Client Lists
Client Records

(9) Insurance Information

Policy Type	Policy Number	Agent	Contact Info

(10) Contacting Staff

Location of Telephone Tree

Emergency Website

Person Responsible for Updating

(11) Services Needed in Emergency

Service	Contact Info
In-House Security
Fire
Police
Poison Control
Ambulance
Insurance Company
Computer Recovery Service
Document Recovery Service
Electrician
Plumber
Carpenter
Exterminator
Fumigation Service
Locksmith
Utility Companies   Electric   Gas   Telephone   Water
Website Coordinator
Other

(12) Media Relations

Designated Spokesperson

(13) Local Individual Support Resources

NJ Lawyers Assistance Program                800-246-5527

Red Cross

County Office of Emergency Management

United Way

County Mental Health Crisis Hotline

County Referral Services

Other local services likely to offer assistance

(14) Other