Facility Managers Urged to Rethink Emergency Planning

Commercial real estate veteran warns that many emergency plans are outdated and impractical for real-world crises.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 12:00am

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In today's world, where workplace violence, cyberattacks, and other critical events can strike without warning, a minimal approach to emergency planning is no longer enough, according to Todd Greenwald, a commercial real estate veteran with over 30 years of experience. Greenwald argues that facility leaders must rethink how they approach emergencies, moving beyond reactive preparedness to a comprehensive strategy known as critical event management (CEM).

Why it matters

Many existing emergency plans are narrow in scope and fail to address the broader operational impacts of disruption. A fire, for example, can affect a building's automation system, access control, alarms, and tenant operations, not just the physical structure. Greenwald says a comprehensive approach to critical event management begins with understanding how specific threats affect the entire facility.

The details

Greenwald defines a critical event as any incident that disrupts building operations or poses a threat to life safety. The first step is identifying potential threats, from workplace violence and infrastructure failures to severe weather or social unrest. Facility managers must then evaluate how those events might escalate and what their consequences would be. Communication is also crucial, with Greenwald recommending transparency and redundancy when developing communication plans. Technology can also play a growing role, with cloud-based systems and advanced property technology platforms providing real-time intelligence and supporting emergency responses.

  • In 2001, Greenwald was managing a federally leased property in Milwaukee and had to coordinate closely with the GSA and Federal Protective Services to develop an effective response strategy after 9/11.
  • Greenwald has overseen a wide range of critical incidents since then, including a mass shooting, cyberattacks, fires, floods, and more.

The players

Todd Greenwald

A commercial real estate veteran with over 30 years of experience who recently authored the book "Critical Event Management: A Business Guide for Commercial Properties".

GSA

The U.S. General Services Administration, a federal agency that Greenwald coordinated with when managing a property in Milwaukee after 9/11.

Federal Protective Services

A federal law enforcement agency that Greenwald coordinated with when managing a property in Milwaukee after 9/11.

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What they’re saying

“Everybody thinks they're ready and everybody thinks that their plan is good. I can emphatically say that they are not ready and their plan is not as good as they think.”

— Todd Greenwald, Commercial Real Estate Veteran

“I think almost everybody's emergency action plan—the red binder that's sitting on the shelf somewhere—is outdated. It's probably not practical, and it's rarely used.”

— Todd Greenwald, Commercial Real Estate Veteran

“Communication is almost forgotten about. The intent is there, but there's rarely anything executed.”

— Todd Greenwald, Commercial Real Estate Veteran

What’s next

Greenwald recommends that organizations prioritize transparency and redundancy when developing communication plans, and regularly test their emergency plans through internal scenario exercises and larger drills involving tenants.

The takeaway

This article highlights the need for facility managers to take a more strategic and comprehensive approach to emergency planning, moving beyond reactive preparedness to a critical event management (CEM) framework that considers the broader operational impacts of disruptions and leverages technology, communication, and stakeholder collaboration to ensure effective response and recovery.