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Don't Wait Until a Disaster Happens to Protect Your Employees

Adam Groff

August 18, 2015

Natural disasters happen all the time and, as a small business owner, you need to be prepared for anything.

Whether you live in a hurricane prone region, an earthquake zone, or tornado alley, it's important to protect you and your employees by having a disaster preparedness plan in place.

Here are a few ways to prepare your small business for disaster….

Disasters by Region

There are a number of natural disasters that are common in different parts of the country. Some are specific to the time of year and others could happen at any time.

That's why it's so important to familiarize yourself and your employees with the possible natural disasters in your region.

Among them:

• The Southeast - Hurricanes and floods are the biggest natural disaster threats in the Southeast. The Western most states in the Southeast such as Arkansas and Mississippi also experience tornadoes.

• The Northeast - The Northeast region experiences hurricanes, flooding, and blizzards depending on the time of year.

• The Midwest - Tornadoes are the main threat for the Midwest region and are especially dangerous due to their unpredictability.

• Southwest - The eastern half of the Southwest region can experience both hurricanes and tornadoes.

• The West - Along the coast, earthquakes are the most common natural disaster in the West. When this region experiences a drought, the chances of wildfires also escalate.

Now that you have a better idea of the natural disasters that are likely, here are a few emergency preparedness pointers to keep in mind:

Earthquakes

As the following article looks at, if your small business is located in an earthquake zone, there are a number of tips to prepare your properties for a sudden earthquake. Earthquakes can strike at any time, which is why it's critical to have a go-to emergency preparedness plan.

For starters, make sure you have designated safe places throughout your office where employees can seek shelter during an earthquake.

This could be a doorway, under a sturdy desk, or an interior hallway that's far from windows and falling objects such as overhead lights, tall furniture, and shelving.

You should also have your employees practice earthquake scenarios so they know exactly what to do during an earthquake.

Likewise, you'll want to make sure your employees know what to do after an earthquake takes place, such as using the stairs to exit your office as opposed to the elevator.

Tornadoes

Much like earthquakes, tornadoes can strike at a moment's notice.

To prepare your employees, make sure you have a designated safe place in your office. A basement would be ideal; however, first floor bathrooms and interior hallways are also sufficient.

To have the best possible chances of seeking shelter before a tornado strikes, make sure your office is near a tornado siren.

If this isn't possible, you can install a storm alert radio and also download NOAA storm alert software on your office computers.

Hurricanes

Threat levels for hurricanes are much lower than earthquakes and tornadoes. This is because hurricanes are predictable well before they make landfall.

The best way to protect your employees from a hurricane and the flooding that occurs as a result is to heed warnings and follow all mandatory evacuations.

To protect your small business during a hurricane evacuation, install shutters on all windows and move all office hardware to a higher location. Relocating computers, furniture, and inventory to a second floor location is ideal.

When it comes to protecting your small business and its employees, keep the emergency preparedness tips above in mind.

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