Communicate During Emergencies – the Faster, the Better

Brian Scally
Vice President,
Hudson North Management

Communicate During Emergencies – the Faster, the Better

Setting the Scene

All boards experience emergency situations, such as Hurricane Sandy or possibly a sudden building-wide gas shutdown. During those times, communication is paramount, and fast communication is even better.

Following the Action

To deal with communications issues, we use One Call Now. Costing five dollars a resident per year, this service allows me to place robocalls to shareholders and residents and will also send an email and/or a text. It provides me with a report of the total number of calls made, broken down into received and attempted calls. I get this data almost instantaneously, which helps me to see if people aren’t getting the communication. In those cases, I may need to send out extra notices to be sure that everyone is getting the proper information.

I used One Call Now during Hurricane Sandy – before, during, and after the storm. I was able to contact the residents and evacuate the property as the storm was hitting. Shortly thereafter, I used the system to advise the shareholders on the progress of removing the water, repairing the damage, and when they could return to their units.

Doing It Right

If people know what’s happening, and what’s going to happen, they’re comfortable and satisfied. Bottom line: quick and efficient communication is essential.