4 tips to prepare your firm for any emergency situation

It’s easy to say “That would never happen to us.” 

Fact: 40% of businesses struck by a disaster never reopen.

Of those that do reopen, 25% close within two years, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Bottom line: You can’t afford not to prepare for an emergency situation. And COVID-19 certainly fits the bill.

Here are four action steps that can help your organization survive a disaster:

1. Build a plan

Analyze potential risks to form an effective disaster response plan appropriate for your site.

Make sure the plan has clearly defined processes and procedures for every area of the facility.

It’s important for everyone to know what to do and when to do it.

2. Establish partners

Be proactive in forming a network in the area.

Consider asking for input from the local police force, fire department, and utility and emergency-planning offices. Make sure your facility has their numbers in case of a disaster.

3. Practice the plan

Having a plan is great, but if employees don’t know what it’s about, the plan is useless.

Hold periodic emergency-preparedness drills and act out parts of the plan.

That way, if a disaster ever strikes, everyone will know what to do and feel comfortable doing so.

The drills will also work out any kinks or flaws in the process.

4. Leverage resources

Many organizations have free resources available to help with emergency planning.

For example, the American Red Cross offers a free, self-guided course on its website that gauges your preparedness.