Plan. Respond. Recover: Helping Oklahoma Municipalities Prepare for Disaster

When disaster strikes a city or town, the decisions made in the first few hours can have a significant impact on the extent of the damage, the cost of recovery, and how quickly normal operations can resume.

That’s why preparation matters.

ServiceMaster Restore by RSI recently had the opportunity to join the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG) on its OMAG All Access podcast to discuss disaster preparedness, emergency response, and what Oklahoma municipalities can do before, during, and after a property loss.

In the episode, “Plan. Respond. Recover. Preparing Municipalities for Disaster,” OMAG Director of Risk Management William Shepherd sits down with Ryan Allen and Jay Baker of ServiceMaster to discuss lessons learned from years of responding to water damage, fires, tornadoes, flooding, mold, and other large property losses.

The First Hours After a Disaster Matter

Whether it's a broken water line flooding a municipal building, a fire damaging a public facility, or a tornado impacting multiple structures, responding quickly can help prevent an already difficult situation from becoming worse.

One of the key topics discussed during the podcast is the importance of contacting restoration professionals as soon as possible after a loss.

Water continues to migrate. Moisture can reach areas that aren't immediately visible. Smoke and soot can continue damaging surfaces and equipment. Delaying professional assessment and stabilization can lead to additional damage and potentially increase recovery costs.

Having a plan—and knowing who you're going to call before an emergency occurs—can make a major difference.

What Municipalities Can Do Before Disaster Strikes

Disaster planning shouldn't begin after the storm, fire, or flood.

Municipal leaders, facility managers, public works departments, and risk managers can take proactive steps to prepare their facilities and employees for an emergency.

During the podcast, we discuss several important considerations, including:

• Establishing a disaster response plan before an emergency occurs
• Identifying your restoration and emergency response partners in advance
• Knowing who has authority to make decisions following a loss
• Understanding what employees can safely do while waiting for help
• Maintaining accurate facility and emergency contact information
• Identifying critical areas, equipment, records, and infrastructure
• Understanding the potential consequences of delaying mitigation

Preparation allows your team to focus on responding to the emergency rather than trying to determine what to do next.

Choosing the Right Restoration Partner

Not every property loss is the same—and municipal losses can present unique challenges.

Cities and towns may have multiple facilities, critical infrastructure, public safety concerns, specialized equipment, and essential services that need to remain operational throughout the recovery process.

A restoration partner should have the resources, experience, equipment, and personnel necessary to respond quickly and scale as the situation develops.

At ServiceMaster Restore by RSI, our team provides disaster restoration services throughout Oklahoma, including:

Water Damage Restoration | Fire & Smoke Damage Restoration | Mold Remediation | Storm & Tornado Damage | Emergency Board-Up & Roof Tarping | Commercial Drying & Dehumidification | Contents Restoration | Reconstruction & Repairs

Our goal isn't simply to respond after something happens. We want to help organizations prepare before the emergency.

Listen to the OMAG All Access Podcast

We appreciate the Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group for inviting us to participate in this conversation and for providing resources that help Oklahoma municipalities better prepare for unexpected events.

If you're a city manager, risk manager, public works director, facility manager, emergency manager, or municipal leader, we encourage you to listen to the full episode.

🎧 Listen to “Plan. Respond. Recover. Preparing Municipalities for Disaster”

https://www.buzzsprout.com/991798/episodes/19627819

A little preparation today can make a significant difference when your community needs you most.

Need Help With Disaster Planning?

ServiceMaster Restore by RSI works with municipalities, schools, commercial facilities, healthcare organizations, and other organizations throughout Oklahoma to prepare for and respond to property emergencies.

If your organization doesn't already have a disaster restoration plan or an established emergency restoration partner, we'd be happy to start the conversation.

Plan ahead. Know who to call. Recover faster.

ServiceMaster Restore by RSI
Helping Oklahoma organizations prepare, respond, and recover.