Businesses need a disaster plan ready ahead of time to protect their employees, their services, and the future of the business.

• Analyze the risks associated with your business and its location. Identify ways to reduce risk and minimize potential hazards.
• Be sure to address the goals and objectives of your preparedness plan. It may be helpful to appoint a program coordinator.
• Include funds for emergency exercises, training, and supplies in your annual budget. It may also be helpful to annually review these expenses in order to improve their effectiveness.
• Testing your emergency plan is vital to its success. Doing test runs will reveal weaknesses in your plan and help employees to fully understand their duties in the situation.
• Address issues such as resource management, crisis communications, and employee support. Developing a plan to manage these areas will help to prevent panic and increase efficiency in an emergency.

For more information, visit the following websites:

• ready.gov
• Emergency Preparedness In School