September is National Preparedness Month: Be Sure Your Business is Ready for Life’s “What Ifs”

08/10/11

Last month, we discussed some of the natural and manmade disasters that can befall your business – and what you can do to survive a catastrophic event. Your learned how to keep your business functioning in the days following a major disaster, largely through emergency communications, priority operations, and proper data backup and recovery.

September is National Preparedness Month, so we’d like to explore the topic of emergency planning a little further. On the website, ready.gov, businesses are reminded, “Preparing makes good business sense. Get ready now.” This article will focus on some of those steps you can take right now, including providing emergency training for employees, refining your fire safety plan and conducting workplace drills.

It Starts with Thorough Employee Training

By educating your employees on essential emergency procedures, you’re giving them the tools to overcome obstacles and stay calm. Otherwise, people tend to panic, freeze and forget what they’re supposed to do.
Emergency preparedness may include everything from implementing an employee evacuation plan to designating a medical response crew. Here are some helpful tips from the ready.gov website:

• Involve co-workers from all levels in emergency planning
• Conduct regularly scheduled education and training seminars to provide key information, identify needs and develop preparedness skills
• Include preparedness training in new employee orientation programs
• Use newsletters, intranets, staff meetings and other internal communications tools to share emergency plans and procedures
• Look into developing a telephone call tree, password-protected page on the company website, email alert or call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency
• Keep a record of employee emergency contact information with other important documents in your emergency kit and at an off-site location

What if a Fire Broke Out in Your Building?
It’s no surprise that major weather disasters, like hurricanes, tornadoes and floods, have multiplied in recent years. Yet, fire remains the most common disaster among businesses, causing thousands of deaths and injuries and billions of dollars in damage each year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that you:

• Have your office, plant or facility inspected for fire safety and compliance with fire codes and regulations
• Install smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and exit signs in appropriate locations
• Locate (and make available to first responders) building and site maps that clearly mark critical utility and emergency routes
• Consider an automatic sprinkler system, fire hoses, and fire-resistant doors and walls
• Conduct routine fire drills, where you practice evacuation as a group (see below)

Put Your Procedures to the Test
Once your emergency plan is in place, practice it and then practice it again. Test your plan with dry-runs and document performance along the way. Look for ways to improve and update your plan wherever necessary.
Short of walk-through drills, you can hold tabletop exercises with management and members of the emergency response team. Gather in a conference room or meeting area to discuss individual responsibilities and how everyone should react to various scenarios.

Remember: With complete employee awareness and cooperation, you can minimize disruptions and help keep your business standing after a crisis.