Operations: Plan Ahead for Emergency Preparedness

If these last few years have taught us anything, it’s that you can’t be too prepared. From terrorist attacks to hurricanes and tsunamis, the unexpected could be just around the corner. Ready.gov, the Web site for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, offers the following tips on how to make sure your business is prepared to deal with and recover from emergencies beyond your control.

1. Figure out which staff, materials and equipment are required to keep your business operating. Have you reviewed and updated your business process flow chart recently?

2. Make sure you know which suppliers, shippers and other resources you need to interact with every day. If one key supplier is shut down by a disaster, do you have a backup? Make a list of contacts for vital business contractors, and keep it in an emergency supply kit as well as at an off-site location.

3. Create a plan for what to do in the event your office or warehouses are inaccessible. Can your business be run from an alternate location?

4. Plan for payroll continuity.

5. Involve a cross-section of employees from all managerial levels and departments in your emergency plans, but ensure that those involved have expertise necessary to daily business operations.

6. Review contingency plans on a regular basis. Conducting a review at least annually ensures you can make changes to your emergency plans as your business changes. Inform new employees of the plan and where they fit within it.

For more information on how to prepare your business for an emergency, visit www.ready.gov/business.