It depends. How receptive are you to the idea of bringing an outsider into your organization, and then revealing critical planning gaps and weaknesses to them? Do you think they are going to dig in and be a real partner in the planning process, or just step through the motions, charge you a small fortune, and move on to the next client? Or, do you truly value their time and subject matter expertise, trusting they will help deliver a Continuity of Operations (COOP) plan, Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), or Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) that is meaningful to your organization and the people it serves?
These are all good questions that get asked by organizations like yours every day. Why? Consultants, much like attorneys, oftentimes get a bad rap. Some people think they charge too much, produce too little, or never even really show up to the game at all. Besides, how can they possibly know more about your organization and its emergency planning needs than the people who work there, right?
Wrong. Depending on your organization, writing or updating emergency response plans can be tricky and complex. You may not have staff who are knowledgeable of COOP, EO