Business Disaster Plan

• Employees: Be prepared to provide employees with information on when, if and how to report to work following an emergency.
  • Set up a telephone call tree, password-protected page on the company Web site, an e-mail alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.
  • Be clear on how their jobs may be affected.
• Management: Provide top company executives with all relevant information needed for the protection of employees, customers, vendors and nearby facilities.
• Public: It may be important to update the general public with calm assurance that all resources are being used to protect workers and the community. Being able to communicate that plans are in place for recovery may be especially important.
• Customers: Update your customers on whether and when products will be received and services rendered.
• Government: Tell officials what your company is prepared to do to help in the recovery effort. Also communicate with local, state and federal authorities what emergency assistance is needed for you to continue essential business activity.
• Other Businesses/Immediate Neighbors: You should be prepared to give competing and neighboring companies a prompt briefing on the nature of the emergency so they may be able to assess their own threat levels.

For a sample business emergency plan visit:

 ReadyBusiness.gov
 Institute for Business and Home Safety
 Disaster Contractors Network

One of the best methods of assuring your company's recovery after an disaster is to provide for your co-workers' well-being. Communicate regularly with employees before, during and after an incident.

Involve co-workers from all levels in emergency planning.

1. Use newsletters, intranets, staff meetings and other internal communications tools to communicate emergency plans and procedures.
2. Set up procedures to warn employees.
   • Plan how you will communicate with people who are hearing-impaired or have other disabilities or who do not speak English. 
3. Designate an out-of-town phone number where employees can leave an "I'm Okay" message in a catastrophic disaster.
4. Encourage employees to have alternate means and routes for getting to and from work, in case their normal mode of transportation is interrupted.
5. Keep a record of employee emergency contact information with other important documents in your emergency kit and at an off-site location.
6. If you rent, lease or share space with other businesses, it is important to communicate, share and coordinate evacuation procedures and other emergency plans.

Emergency Preparation Checklist

• Have an emergency plan.
• Make sure your employees know the plan and their role.
• Store valuable information in fire/waterproof containers, off-site and away from the storm’s path.
• Have multiple sets of data/information backups.
• Evaluate your insurance coverage. Keep your policy in a location off-site. Will your coverage allow you to fully recover?
• Assign specific responsibilities to specific employees to get operations running for a quick recovery.
• Have an agreement in place with an emergency restoration company.
• Stockpile spare parts and alternative power supplies.
• Locate alternate work sites and moving companies.
• Verify that key suppliers and service providers have an emergency plan.
• Insure that there are written procedures in place, lists of customers, vendors, inventory, calendars and schedules; and that this information and location is shared with other employees who will be needed to get the business back in operation.
• Unplug equipment during major storms.
• Encourage employees to have a workplace survival kit, including enough water, food and medications for a period of one week.
• Ensure that all documents are backed up on removable media disks and stored in a watertight enclosure and away from the storm’s effects.