quick clicks
Stick to the Plan
ACA’s Disaster Plan Template can help collection agencies draft a personalized disaster plan
Disaster planning is an important part of a business’s internal risk management.
Unfortunately, many collection agencies
don’t know where to start with their
disaster plan or get overwhelmed and
quit early in the process without
completing the plan, which can leave
them vulnerable to emergencies and
natural disasters.
To help association members draft
their plan, ACA International offers a
Disaster Plan Template, a Microsoft
Word document created to help
agencies write a disaster plan. This
document, which is available on ACA
Online at www.acainternational.org/
disasterplanning, can be downloaded to
your system and used to create a
disaster plan for your organization.
Quick Clicks is a recurring Collector feature profiling a different area of ACA Online.
This month’s Quick Clicks examines ACA’s Disaster Plan Template.
The template provides a basic outline
that covers the various sections of a
disaster plan and is easily modified to fit
your needs. It addresses:
1. Facility
2. Technology
3. Documentation and Records
4. Crisis Communication Plan
5. Staffing
The plan outlines the preparatory
phase, the emergency phase and the
recovery phase for each of the above
areas.
Phase one, the preparatory phase,
addresses identification,
prioritizing, data saving and
testing. Phase two, the
emergency phase, addresses
the “who does what, when,
where and how.” The final
phase, the recovery phase,
deals with the
reconstruction of the
primary site after the
disaster with essential
facilities, technology,
documentation and staff.
The template’s Crisis
Communication Plan
section can help agencies
pinpoint the personnel and
other resources necessary to
communicate quickly and
effectively during and after a
crisis, while at the same time
maintaining the agency’s
creditability and
trustworthiness. It provides
a place for agencies to
BlankTemplateDisasterPlan.doc
Last Update: 9/16/2002
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<Company Name> Disaster Plan
This disaster plan has been designed to address the following areas of <Company
Name>.
1. Facility
2. Technology
3. Documentation and Records
4. Crisis Communication Plan
5. Staffing
This plan will outline the preparatory phase, the emergency phase and the recovery phase
for each of the above areas. Phase one, the preparatory phase, will address identification,
prioritizing, data saving and testing. Phase t wo, the emergency phase addresses the “who
does what, when, where and how”. The final phase, the recovery phase, deals with the
reconstruction of the primary site after the disaster with essential facilities, technology,
documentation and staff.
This plan is to be reviewed at least annually and any necessary changes made at that time.
Copies of the plan will be kept by the each member of the management team and one
copy placed in the safety deposit box at <Company’s Name> designated bank.
PHASE ONE – Preparatory Phase
1. Facility: Describe your facility. Include the total square footage, the parking lot, if
there is a loading dock and/or any other characteristics unique to your facility.
a. Insurance: Describe the insurance currently held on your facility, usually under
your Business Package coverage. Be sure to include the name of the insurance
carrier, the policy number(s), how often the policy is reviewed, including the limits.
Building Limit of Insurance $$$$$$.$$
Building Valuation: Replacement Cost
Business Personal Property Limit of Insurance $$$$$.$$
Business Personal Property Valuation: Replacement Cost
Be sure to attach a copy of the most recent insurance binder or Declaration Page.
b. Security System: Describe the type of security system in your facility. This
should include what type of access is available to the building, how access is limited,
what, if any type of monitoring system is place for fire, water damage, smoke, etc.
Be sure to include the name of the company being used to either maintain or monitor
the security system.
c. Emergency Team: List the names of the individuals who are part of the
Emergency Team.
designate specific crisis managers,
communication coordinators and
spokespeople, and describes the
primary duties of each position.
The template also provides sample
voice messages to leave for clients and
consumers after a disaster has occurred,
a script for receptionists for
conversations with callers, plus a
sample press release and statement
about the incident.
Additionally, it covers guidelines for
media briefings, which suggest, in part,
that the spokesperson stay in control of
the meeting, highlight the main points
of the script and only answer questions
from reporters who raise their hand.
The template also includes sample
messages for clients in the event of a
disaster, an unexpected death or
negative media coverage of any kind.
ACA also offers a past version of the
association’s actual disaster plan, which
can be downloaded to your system as a
PDF document. It is provided as an
example of the type of content included
in a disaster plan.
To access these disaster preparedness
resources, visit http://www.
acainternational.org/disasterplanning. cm
