When every second counts: Streamlining emergency responses with digital approvals

There’s no doubt the initial hours and days following a disaster like a bushfire, cyclone or flood can be critical in mitigating the devastating impact. Time is of the essence — the window of opportunity to protect lives, contain damage, and provide essential aid is often narrow; and any delays in getting support crews, supplies, or voluntary organisations out to help on the ground can be a matter of life or death.

As the frequency and severity of these disasters grows, so too does the need for fast, fail-safe emergency response and disaster recovery plans.

Government leaders know all of this, and Australian states and territories have robust emergency management plans in place. These plans can include everything from the early warning systems that alert citizens to impending dangers, to detailed coordination between government departments like emergency services, health agencies, and those that manage critical infrastructure.

Volunteer organisations, which also play a crucial role in disaster response, would have similar plans in place. These organisations are often deeply embedded in local communities, and possess invaluable knowledge and a ready team of willing helpers. Indeed, their agility and community connections can make all the difference in emergency response and recovery efforts.

Yet despite all these plans, there’s one thing that can slow down responses from both government agencies and volunteer organisations. And that’s getting sign-off from the right people to enact the plan.

Digital approvals help everyone act faster

Behind the scenes in every emergency response situation, a long and messy paper trail is inevitable. Every individual who is mobilised to volunteer or work in a disaster zone will need to sign something to say they are willing to go. Every supplier that is providing food, blankets, or other forms of relief will need a record of their contributions. Government agencies that are providing monetary or other forms of assistance to those affected by the disaster will need to approve applicants. And so on.

All these different types of approval — if managed manually — can take precious time away from actually providing relief. Instead, if government agencies and volunteer organisations have secure, mobile-friendly digital processes set up and ready to go before disaster strikes, then approvals can happen almost instantaneously. 

With this in mind, those involved in emergency response and recovery should think about how they can get prepared in advance. They should be exploring solutions like Docusign to see how easily they can fit in with existing systems and processes, and how they can automate key steps in approvals processes — such as pre-populating forms to make it easier for people to fill them in, or using templates to expedite the preparation and delivery of agreements.

While digitising your approval processes may feel like a very small part of a huge effort to assist those affected by disasters, every little thing helps you and the teams you’re coordinating to do the best job you can in helping communities get back on their feet.

To learn more about how Docusign can help government agencies act fast, visit Docusign for Government or get in touch.