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How to Prepare

How to Prepare your Business for an Emergency

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. It is important to re-establish routines, when possible.

• Two-way communication is central before, during and after a disaster.
• Include emergency preparedness information in newsletters, on company intranet, periodic employee emails and other internal communications tools.
• Consider setting up a telephone calling tree, a password-protected page on the company website, an email alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.
• Designate an out-of-town phone number where employees can leave an "I'm Okay" message in a catastrophic disaster.
• Provide all co-workers with wallet cards detailing instructions on how to get company information in an emergency situation. Include telephone numbers or Internet passwords for easy reference.
• Maintain open communications where co-workers are free to bring questions and concerns to company leadership.
• Ensure you have established staff members who are responsible for communicating regularly to employees.
• Talk to co-workers with disabilities. If you have employees with disabilities ask about what assistance is needed. People with disabilities typically know what assistance they will need in an emergency.
• Identify co-workers in your organization with special needs.
• Engage people with disabilities in emergency planning. Ask about communications difficulties, physical limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures. Identify people willing to help co-workers with disabilities and be sure they are able to handle the job. This is particularly important if someone needs to be lifted or carried.
• Plan how you will alert people who cannot hear an alarm or instructions.
• Frequently review and practice what you intend to do during and after an emergency with drills and exercises.

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, use common sense and available resources to take care of yourself, your co-workers and your business's recovery.