Fortunately, small credit unions can significantly enhance their preparedness capabilities without investing a great deal of resources.
September is recognized as National Preparedness Month. So, we asked emergency management specialists in NCUA's Office of Continuity and Security Management to provide some tips to assist small credit unions with emergency planning. Following is an excerpt from the advice they offered.
|
Satellite image of Hurricane Katrina. (Photograph from the National Weather Service, http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/?n=event_katrina2005) |
Member needs are likely to be different than normal during an emergency. For example, following Hurricane Katrina, many people were relocated and lost their personal possessions in the process. They urgently needed access to cash. Due to the costs of relocation and replacement of lost items, most needed to withdraw much larger amounts of cash than normal. Disasters may also lead to temporary or long-term unemployment, which can affect an individual's ability to make loan payments. In planning to address member needs, assess the potential affect on, and needs of, the member population for the various types of disasters (hurricane, flood, wildfire) likely for your location.
|