September is National Preparedness Month – “You can’t predict… You can prepare”

Whether you are a small or large business or a not-for-profit, emergency planning is key to your organization. We provide ten questions for you to think about as you prepare or review your business emergency response plan.

Do you have a copy of the plan, or know where you can easily gain access to a copy?

Have you reviewed those portions of the plan that may impact you?

Have you had a meeting with local first responders to familiarize them with your facility?

Should an event occur, is there a system in place to capture “lessons learned”?

Do you have a formal evacuation plan?

Are roles and responsibilities of personnel during an emergency clearly defined?

Is there a designated spokesperson to address external inquiries, including media, public officials, etc.?

Are there protocols in place for internal and external security of paper and computer files?

Is there a company protocol for backing up files?

Does your facility have back up/emergency available?

This is a partial list designed by Emergency Preparedness Partnerships, the utility industry’s top source for disaster preparedness and disaster recovery, consulting training and planning. EPP is a board member of the Jersey Shore Partnership. Go to emergencypreparednesspartnerships.com to request the entire emergency response plan checklist.