Communities all over the world know the importance of having the tools that would keep them and their citizens safe. National Prepareathon Day (4/30/2024) (since it’s first launch in 2014) offers tools to prepare businesses, families, and schools in the event of a disaster. This includes supply chain and media coordination, communication, etc. but is not limited to these areas of preparation.
Businesses should be sure they harness every effort to have a preparedness plan in place that support safety for their people and data, as well as have a contingency plan in case of reallocation to continue to operate in the face of a disaster.
Here is a list of 5 things businesses need to consider in a disaster preparedness plan:
1.     Risk Assessment: Businesses should conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential hazards and vulnerabilities that could impact their operations. This includes natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods, as well as man-made threats like cyberattacks, power outages, and supply chain disruptions.
2.     Emergency Response Plan: Develop an emergency response plan that outlines procedures for responding to different types of disasters. This should include evacuation procedures, communication protocols, emergency contacts, and roles and responsibilities for employees during an emergency.
3.     Business Continuity Planning: Implement a business continuity plan to ensure that critical business functions can continue operating during and after a disaster. This may involve backup systems, remote work capabilities, alternative suppliers, and redundant infrastructure to minimize downtime and financial losses.
4.     Employee Training and Awareness: Provide regular training and awareness programs to educate employees about disaster preparedness and response procedures. This includes familiarizing them with evacuation routes, emergency contacts, first aid procedures, and how to use emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers.
5.     Regular Testing and Review: Test and review the disaster preparedness plan regularly to ensure its effectiveness and identify any areas for improvement. Conduct drills, tabletop exercises, and simulations to simulate different disaster scenarios and evaluate the response of employees and systems. Update the plan as needed based on lessons learned from testing and real-life incidents.
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According to FEMA there was a strong association between having awareness of how to prepare for disasters and taking action to prepare (Results from the 2023 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness (fema.gov))
There are preparedness plans outlined on FEMA’s web site at www.community.fema.gov
Follow this Link to the 10 Disaster Preparedness Actions to Help Your Organization Remain Open