Have you ever considered what you would take with you if your house or office suddenly caught fire? In our family, all vital documents are kept in a specific folder, and even my son knows—if there’s ever a fire, don’t worry about grabbing the Xbox or the cats (they’ll probably beat you out). The priority is to take the important folder.

Recently, I listened to a podcast about fire jumpers in American National Parks. It was striking to hear how life-or-death decisions must be made in mere seconds to protect the team. These stories remind us that when a crisis erupts, there’s no time to think or plan; we must react. The real preparation occurs long before disaster strikes. If your office burned down overnight, would you have a backup plan ready?

A few weeks back, a team member asked what would happen if something were to happen to me. This was a very real concern as someone we know was hit by a taxi and suddenly was gone. Who would the team contact? Do we have up-to-date next-of-kin information? Who communicates with our clients—and what should or shouldn’t be shared? Are our passwords and access credentials stored in a secure, accessible place?

Often, we draft polished paragraphs for our risk register as a compliance exercise, ticking boxes for crisis management, contingency, and communication plans. However, it’s essential to move beyond these written assurances and truly confront the reality of what actions are necessary in an emergency situation.

It’s never easy to imagine the worst-case scenarios before they happen, but grappling with those hard possibilities now can mean the difference between chaos and calm when disaster strikes. By taking the time to ask difficult questions, clarify responsibilities, and rehearse your plans with your team, you make reality less overwhelming than it might have otherwise been.

True crisis resilience is built before the emergency, in moments of calm and intention—so let’s turn today’s plans into tomorrow’s protection.