Module 1.4

Plan, organize and document critical resources so that your garden is able to meet the requirements for disaster preparedness.

The downloadable Excel worksheet below outlines some of the resources that will be critical for your garden to assemble and share with key members of your disaster preparedness team. The questions on the worksheet are intended to get you thinking about the type of information you’ll need to gather, where/how this information is shared, and who needs to be involved. As you encounter gaps, be sure to prioritize and assign those tasks to the appropriate people.

Assembling Your Resources (Excel file)

As you assemble these resources, think about keeping them in a well-organized, centralized location where all of the relevant stakeholders can access them. It’s best practice to maintain and update both electronic and hard copies. Use logical, easy-to-read date notations to keep track of versions and updates. (For example, PlantCollectionsPolicy_rev2019-10-30.)

This worksheet is also intended to emphasize the idea that being prepared for a disaster is an ongoing process. Even if you’ve answered “yes” to several of these questions, think about how often these resources are reviewed and who is responsible for updating them over time. Regular communication about your readiness plan and the need to include and communicate to all of the relevant stakeholders. If, as you’re answering the questions on the worksheet, you realize you’ve not included a person or department in your planning efforts, be sure to reach out and involve them as soon as possible.

Finally, ensuring a clearly delineated chain of command is important, but it is also essential to cross-train and make sure that more than one person on your staff is able to take responsibility for different tasks.