Crisis Management Policies Prepare Cos.

<B>Crisis Management Policies Prepare Cos.</B>

A recent corporate aircraft accident in Nashville, Tenn., that took the life of the company's CEO, treasurer and two senior vice presidents raises two significant concerns for corporate travel. First, there is substantial risk when too many corporate executives, managers and/or key personnel are on the same corporate aircraft or even on the same commercial flight. Second, it also raises the requirement for a corporation to have a written and tested business continuity plan or crisis management plan to manage unfortunate accidents or crisis situations.

The personal loss of life always is tragic and unimaginable; at the same time, the impact on a corporation could be crippling if it is not properly prepared.

According to the National Business Aviation Association, 52 people died in corporate executive-related airline crashes in 1999 and 2000. Though corporate air travel and commercial flying continue to be very safe and necessary forms of business travel, no corporation can afford not to be prepared to deal with the tragic possibility of a private or commercial accident involving its employees.

Corporations have both a fiduciary and moral responsibility to protect employees and the corporation's ability to effectively continue business operations. As such, corporations should consider the following:

1) Every corporation should develop and test a business continuity or crisis management plan to effectively manage a tragic/significant accident, fire, severe weather, workplace violence incident, strike or strike of a critical supplier, sabotage, threats, etc., and maintain business operations. One key element in a crisis management plan includes a well-maintained emergency contact list of key corporate personnel and competent resources (crisis counselors, public relations personnel, security and other technical experts, etc.). Also, consider how an employee's family would be notified and cared for.

2) Corporations should have a clearly defined written policy on how many key personnel can travel on the same corporate or commercial aircraft. The "convenience" factor and cost savings must be balanced with good business sense. The policy should be reasonable and must be enforced by executive management, not a secretary, a low-level manager or the pilots. This can be difficult even on commercial flights, when employees are attending events and/or meetings at the same destination.

3) The policy should require that the executives or their staff notify the pilots or flight department in advance of any additions or changes in the manifest or cargo. The pilots must consider the passenger count and amount of luggage when planning the flight for fuel load, weight distributions, weather conditions and safe capacity for that particular aircraft. All these factors are critical to the safety of those onboard the aircraft. Executives should not encourage pilots to ignore these safety issues. By managing this issue in the policy and by practical application, it can avoid a lot of potential embarrassment for the crew and/or the executives.

4) The significant impact of an accident or crisis on a corporation cannot be underestimated. The arrogance of, "it can't happen to me," or "bad things only happen to other companies," is not an acceptable business practice. Executives are accountable to the employees and shareholders, morally and legally for the overall welfare of the company.

5) Maintain an accurate manifest of all personnel aboard the aircraft and have emergency contact information for each passenger.

6) Conduct a safety briefing for all passengers. Consider additional safety training for personnel, including executives, who are regular passengers on corporate aircraft. This can help save their lives, other passengers and crew. Executive security personnel who travel with the executives must be trained on corporate aircraft emergency equipment and procedures. Make wearing a seatbelt at all times a standard policy.

7) Have several methods of contacting the pilots and/or crew in an emergency. On more than one occasion, Event & Meeting Security Services representatives and client staff have been unable to contact pilots/crew on the ground when an executive needed to depart early or there was an emergency.

<I>Richard P. Werth, CPP, is president of Event & Meeting Security Services, an international security consulting firm that specializes in the management of security, health, staff communication systems and emergency planning for events, meetings and travel.