24/7 Emergency ServiceHow to Prepare Your Business to Face Emergencies | SERVPRO® of Santa Clarita Valley
9/9/2019 (Permalink)
As a business owner, there are a multitude of things that you must take into consideration, but one of the most important is emergency preparedness.
While having a plan in place does not ensure that a disaster will not occur, it does give you and your business a head start where safety is concerned. And it will, at the least, make sure that your employees know what to do if a disaster or emergency situation should occur.
How about making time soon to develop an emergency preparedness plan for your business if you have not already done so. In fact, make this a top priority; you have everything to gain by being proactive in this matter.
There are numerous emergencies your business should have a preparedness plan in place for, including:
- Fire
- Severe weather, including thunderstorms and winter storms
- Other natural hazards like floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes
- Human-caused hazards, including accidents or acts of violence
- Technology-related issues like power outages and equipment failure
Whether it’s an emergency caused by man or nature, if there is no emergency plan set out for your employees and your business, the situation could get even more stressful quickly.
You should make sure that safety training and familiarization of emergency preparedness plans are included in the company onboarding process, team-building activities and continuing education opportunities. By helping employees familiarize themselves with proper safety protocol and emergency procedures, you’re not only giving them the tools to protect themselves, but you are also setting them up to help protect guests/visitors and the business itself.
Setting up an emergency plan for your business should start with an evaluation of how different emergency scenarios may occur—even include those that you think have no chance of happening. After all, it’s better to prepare for all the worst-case scenarios and not be caught off guard.
The internet offers plenty of online resources to help guide you through this process, including Ready.gov, the American Red Cross, FEMA and the CDC.
Consider conducting a business impact analysis (BIA), which will offer insights into the potential effects a disaster could have on your business. This would include lost or delayed sales and income, increased expenses from repairs, and delayed implementation of business plans. Don’t forget to make sure a crisis communications plan is in place, too.
Don’t stop there once you have come up with an emergency preparedness plan. Be sure to hold drills and reviews to practice with employees. Reviewing and rehearsing various scenarios can help ensure the process remains fresh in their minds and can help employees feel more empowered.
Disaster can strike when you least expect it, but by being prepared and having a plan in place, your business will be better suited to handle whatever Mother Nature has in store. If the worst should happen and your business is damaged, know that SERVPRO® of Santa Clarita Valley is here to help make it “Like it never even happened.”