SPI360 Consulting Inc.

Disaster Preparedness & Response Guide

Comprehensive sector-by-sector guidance for pre-disaster planning, immediate post-disaster actions, mid-term recovery, and long-term resilience building — aligned with international standards including Sphere, FEMA ICS, and WHO frameworks.

7
Sectors Covered
5
Disaster Types
100+
Action Items
4
Response Phases

Select Phase

Preparedness activities and risk mitigation measures to implement before a disaster strikes

Activation Trigger: ⏱ Ongoing — review annually, update after every hurricane season. Activate enhanced measures upon Hurricane Watch issuance.

Select Sector

Disaster Type

Select a disaster type for specific actions and considerations

Hurricane Countdown Timeline

Critical actions at each stage before hurricane landfall

1
72h72 Hours Before Landfall
  • Monitor weather updates every 2 hours
  • Review and activate emergency plans
  • Begin securing outdoor items and equipment
  • Verify emergency supply inventories
  • EOC moves to Enhanced Watch status
  • Notify all staff of potential activation
2
48h48 Hours — Hurricane Watch Issued
  • EOC ACTIVATED to full operations upon Hurricane Watch
  • Begin pre-positioning emergency supplies to staging areas
  • Activate Business Continuity Plans
  • Hospitals begin discharge of stable patients for surge capacity
  • Fuel all generators and emergency vehicles
  • Open public shelters and begin voluntary evacuations
  • Ports begin securing cargo and equipment
3
24h24 Hours — Hurricane Warning Issued
  • Mandatory evacuations if ordered
  • Complete all physical protection measures (shutters, sandbags)
  • All non-essential government facilities closed and secured
  • Hospitals in lockdown mode — emergency staff only
  • Final fuel and supply distribution
  • Ports closed to incoming traffic — all vessels secured
  • Telecom companies activate backup systems and secure towers
4
6h6 Hours — Final Preparations
  • All personnel in shelter or assigned positions
  • Final check of backup power systems
  • Cease all outdoor operations
  • Confirm all evacuation routes clear
  • Emergency communications check with all stations

Private Residences

Homeowners, renters, and residential communities

Cross-Sector Dependencies
Depends on Gov-Essential for evacuation orders & shelterDepends on Telecom for emergency alertsDepends on Commercial for emergency supplies
Ask an Expert: SPI360 can help your community develop comprehensive household preparedness programs.

Commercial Properties & Businesses

Retail, offices, industrial, and SMEs

Cross-Sector Dependencies
Depends on Telecom for business communicationsDepends on Ports/Airports for supply chainDepends on Gov-Essential for infrastructure restoration
Ask an Expert: SPI360 specializes in Business Continuity Planning and supply chain resilience for Caribbean businesses.

Health Sector

Hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and medical facilities

Cross-Sector Dependencies
Depends on Telecom for emergency communications & telemedicineDepends on Gov-Essential for power restoration & road clearingDepends on Ports/Airports for medical supply imports
Ask an Expert: SPI360 has direct WHO EMT logistics experience — we can help your health facility prepare for mass casualty events.

Government — Essential Facilities

EOCs, police/fire stations, disaster management, military installations

Cross-Sector Dependencies
Depends on Telecom for inter-agency communicationsDepends on Ports/Airports for relief supply receptionCoordinates ALL other sectors during response

Incident Management System Structure

Incident Management System organizational structure
Ask an Expert: SPI360 provides FEMA ICS-aligned EOC setup, disaster management training, and emergency logistics advisory.

Government — Non-Essential Facilities

Line ministries, administrative offices, schools, community centers, cultural buildings

Cross-Sector Dependencies
Depends on Gov-Essential for security & damage assessmentMay be repurposed as emergency shelters or staging areasDepends on Commercial for repair contractors
Ask an Expert: SPI360 can assess your facilities for disaster vulnerability and develop tailored protection plans.

Telecommunications & Utilities

Power grid, water systems, telecom towers, internet, mobile networks

Cross-Sector Dependencies
ALL sectors depend on Telecom/UtilitiesDepends on Gov-Essential for road access to repair sitesDepends on Ports/Airports for replacement equipment imports
Ask an Expert: SPI360 helps utility companies develop disaster resilience plans and coordinate with emergency management.

Ports & Airport Operations

Seaports, airports, cargo terminals — critical for island logistics and relief supply reception

Cross-Sector Dependencies
ALL sectors depend on Ports for imports/reliefDepends on Gov-Essential for customs & securityDepends on Telecom for navigation & air traffic control
Ask an Expert: SPI360 has extensive Caribbean port logistics experience — we can optimize your relief supply reception plans.

Reference Documents Library

International frameworks and field guides for disaster management professionals

FEMA Incident Management Handbook (2017)

FEMA · 4.3 MB

WHO Emergency Response Framework, 2nd Ed. (2017)

WHO · 808 KB

Sphere Handbook (2018)

Sphere Association · Online

IASC Emergency Response Preparedness Guidelines (2023)

IASC · Online

CDEMA Comprehensive Disaster Management Strategy

CDEMA · Online

UNDRR Sendai Framework Monitor

UNDRR · Online

Logistics Cluster Operational Guidance

WFP Logistics Cluster · Online

Emergency Resource Links

NOAA National Hurricane CenterCDEMA (Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management)FEMA Ready.govWHO Health EmergenciesPAHO Emergencies PortalUN OCHA ReliefWebLogistics ClusterCaribbean Hurricane Network