If a disaster like a fire, flood, hurricane, tornado or a terrorist attack
occurred, would you, your family and your business be prepared?
September is the sixth annual National Preparedness Month. The U.S.
Government and its many private industry and non-profit organization partners
are suggesting that all of us become better prepared for emergencies of all
kinds.
“National Preparedness Month is about building a culture of personal
preparedness and shared responsibility across our country,” said Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano. “This month, we ask all
Americans to visit www.ready.gov
to learn what they can do to help their families, businesses and communities
stay safe during an emergency—whether it be hurricanes like Katrina, the fires
we are fighting in California or pandemic influenza.”
“Every American is a critical member of our nation’s emergency response
team,” said Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig
Fugate. “By taking a few simple steps now, each of us can make sure we are
better prepared for the next emergency or disaster.”
During my more than 37 years of service in the U.S. Navy and the Defense
Department, I learned the value of planning for disasters. I began my service as
a 17-year-old seaman on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam War. The carrier
had plans in place for a coordinated response to every type of disaster, from
enemy attacks to shipboard fires and accidents.
I learned that training drills must be an intricate part of your emergency
plans. I learned that planning and training saves lives.
Later in my service, when I was the administrative officer of a Defense
Department command in Philadelphia, I developed and coordinated the command’s
emergency plans, such as continuity of operations (COOP), emergency evacuation
and Shelter-in-Place plans. I also conducted periodic drills for our military
and civilian employees.
As a business owner, you too should have emergency plans in place. You should
have a plan to relocate the business in the event of a disaster and you should
have both an emergency evacuation plans and a Shelter-In-Place plan.
Depending on the situation, you may want your employees and customers to
quickly evacuate your place of business or you may want them to seek shelter
indoors.
You should also have emergency supplies on hand, such as an
emergency supply kit for each employee and extras kits on hand for customers and
visitors.
Ready.gov offers recommended lists of emergency supply items one
should have and the web site also outlines commonsense measures business owners
and managers can take to plan and prepare for disasters. The web site also
offers the small business owner practical steps and easy-to-use templates to
help one plan for the company's future.
These recommendations reflect the Emergency Preparedness and
Business Continuity Standard (NFPA 1600) developed by the National Fire
Protection Association and endorsed by the American National Standards Institute
and the DHS. It also provides useful links to resources providing more detailed
business continuity and disaster preparedness information.
Ready.gov notes that how quickly a company can return to
business after a terrorist attack, a tornado, a fire, or a flood often depends
on emergency planning that is done today. While DHS states they are working hard
to prevent terrorist attacks, the lessons of the 1993 World Trade Center
bombing, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks demonstrate the importance of being prepared.
Ready.gov also notes that when one considers the number of
declared major disasters nearly doubled in the 1990's compared to the previous
decade, preparedness becomes an even more critical issue. Though each situation
is unique, any organization can be better prepared if it plans carefully, puts
emergency procedures in place, and practices for emergencies of all kinds.
Ready.gov states that putting a plan in motion will improve the
likelihood that you and your company will survive and recover.
For more information on the Ready Campaign and National
Preparedness Month, visit
www.ready.gov or
www.listo.gov—or call 1-800-BE-READY or 1-888-SE-LISTO for more emergency
preparedness information.
Paul Davis is a writer who covers crime & security for newspapers, magazines and the Internet. He can be reached at
pauldavisoncrime@aol.com
