We’ve heard it again and again: The avian flu outbreak among birds in Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world has a small but potentially disastrous chance of creating a deadly pandemic in humans. If the H5N1 virus mutates in a way that allows for efficient and sustained transmission from human to human, the effects could be overwhelming. Are you ready?

Freeman has done its homework. The Dallas-based producer of expositions, conventions, corporate events, and exhibits has written a planning guide to help protect its business interests in the face of a pandemic flu, and the company is sharing its work with the industry, making the pandemic preparedness document available through the International Association of Expositions and Events.

The comprehensive report, which can be customized for any organization, discusses the makeup and responsibilities of Freeman’s executive- and branch-level response teams. It includes a copy of the World Health Organization’s “Pandemic Phase Chart,” with corresponding response levels from Freeman, and charts out responsibilities for various company departments before and during a crisis.

The paper also includes background information on the possibility of a pandemic flu and how responding to one would be different than a “typical” disaster, such as a terrorist event or earthquake.