5 Things Your Camera Can Do in a Disaster

Today, a meteor with the weight of approximately 10 tons and 49 feet wide streaked through the Russian sky at a rate of 33,000 MPH. While it has not resulted in any known deaths, the meteor caused about 1200 injuries, shattered windows, and created scenes of general chaos on roadways and workplaces.

What makes this particular event unique is not that it happened at all, but that it was recorded at almost every conceivable ground angle by CCTV, car dash, and cell phone cameras.

In fact, according to a report by Al Jazeera in 2012, around a million dash cams adorn cars all over Russia. Cell phones are ubiquitous, and CCTV is on almost every building (for reasons of security). 

Can a camera be a valuable disaster tool for a small business? 

The answer is a resounding "YES!"

During a disaster, cameras can be a lifesaver (literally), and can be an invaluable resource if it is properly utilized. Here are a few ways they can not only help you respond to a disaster, but to actually Reverse Disaster, and become a stronger company afterward.

1. Insurance Claims 

This one is easy. Cameras show the insurance claims adjusters quite a bit about the damage as well as a before and after contrast. But the key is: prepare by going through the office with a camera so that the insurance company can get the full effect and scope of damage. Furthermore, accurate accounting of events and damage in your facility greatly enhances your chances of a fair resolution of your insurance claims.

2. Hazard Identification

 When you do your first walkthroughs post-disaster, take a camera with you to show the state of the office. It will help you identify hazards present in the office, including possible post-disaster theft and vandalism.

3. Improving Disaster Plans

Many companies I work with post-disaster have no idea of how to rate the logistics of the response. I ask them to measure the response times of certain activities, and the response of certain vendors, and many times they tell me they have no idea!

Recordings provide an unbiased visual record of your company's response to the disaster which provides disaster managers like me a clear idea of how to improve your plan for next time.

4. Marketing

Show the world how well you did! You can use the videos in a couple of ways:

1. As a before and after-type video of the devastation "before" and the improvements you have made after;

2. Promoting the strength of your company by demonstrating the response steps the company did during the disaster.

Then upload them to YouTube or on your social networks or those of the local chamber of commerce, or even send it to a news agency!

Remember: recordings are a two-edged sword, and one that requires you to train your staff in their use, and what is acceptable/not acceptable coverage.

Your company should have a social networking policy about videos, and you should be prepared to go over that with your staff so that they are not caught off-guard.

5. Employee Recognition

We always hear about secret video cameras recording employees performing unprofessionally (or in a way that nauseates us), but they can also reveal behaviors worthy of recognition. During the disaster, an employee may have done something that especially upheld the company's values, such as working extra with a client, or identifying a safety hazard missed by other responders.

Use the footage as a chance to praise your employees! Go up to each of them and tell them how much you appreciate their extra work. Inform senior management, and write a short statement that explains what the employee did. During disasters, senior leadership is always involved and interested, so use that to your advantage.

Conclusion

Thousands of meteors bombard our atmosphere, but thankfully very few ever come close to striking the ground or are large enough to threaten the existence of life on this planet. The opportunity that we had to record this magnificent event in Russia should get us small business owners to think about how to properly use a camera to Reverse Disaster.