Your Business

How quickly your company can get back to business after a disaster often depends on emergency planning done today. Though each situation is unique, any organization can be better prepared if it plans carefully, puts emergency procedures in place, and practices for emergencies of all kinds.

Business continuity planning must account for all hazards (both man-made and natural disasters). You should plan in advance to manage any emergency situation. Assess the situation and use common sense and available resources to take care of yourself, your co-workers, and your business's recovery.

Be Informed

Know what kinds of emergencies might affect your company. Find out which natural disasters are most common in the areas where you operate.

Continuity Planning

Carefully assess how your company functions, both internally and externally, to determine which staff, materials, procedures, and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the business operating. This planning sheet provided by Ready.gov can help you get started.

Your Staff

Your employees and co-workers are your business's most important and valuable asset. There are some procedures you can put in place before a disaster, but you should also learn about what people need to recover after a disaster. It is possible that your staff will need time to ensure the well-being of their family members, but getting back to work is important to the personal recovery of people who have experienced disasters.

Emergency Supplies

When preparing for emergency situations, it's best to think first about the basics of survival fresh water, food, clean air, and warmth. Encourage everyone to have a go-bag at work or in their vehicle customized to meet personal needs, such as essential medications.

Deciding to Stay or Go

Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the disaster, the first important decision after an incident occurs is whether to shelter in place or evacuate. Understand and plan for both possibilities in advance.

Fire Safety

Each year fires cause thousands of deaths and injuries and billions of dollars in damage. Fire is the most common of all business disasters.

Medical Emergencies

Workplace medical emergencies vary greatly depending on the disaster, type of job, and the work site. Heavy equipment operators face different safety risks than do office workers or food service personnel. Regardless of the type of work, there are steps that can give you the upper hand in responding to a medical emergency.

An extensive discussion of Business Preparedness is beyond the scope of this site. The Business Specific sites listed below provide a great deal of additional information on prepping your business for a disaster. Whether natural or man-made, at least one in four businesses affected by a disaster never reopen. Though emergencies are unpredictable, when you have a plan in place you can adapt, recover and stay in control.

It's never too late to protect your business until it is.