Preparedness Research Findings

 Is Your Business Prepared?

• 15-40 percent of businesses fail following a natural or manmade disaster.¹
• 94 percent of small business owners believe a disaster could seriously disrupt their business within the next two years.²
• 51 percent of Americans have experienced at least one emergency situation where they lost utilities for at least three days, had to evacuate and could not return home, could not communicate with family members or had to provide first aid to others.³

 Are Your Employees Ready?

• Only 2 in 10 Americans feel prepared for a catastrophic event.⁴
• Close to 60 percent of Americans are wholly unprepared for a disaster of any kind.⁴
• 54 percent of Americans don’t prepare because they believe a disaster will not affect them.⁵
• Only 1 in 10 American households has taken the appropriate preparedness steps: a family emergency plan, an emergency supply kit and training in First Aid and CPR/AED.⁴
• 82 percent of Americans agree “If someone could make it easy for me to be prepared, I’d do it”.⁴

Emergencies Are Inevitable.  

When you start to develop your disaster plan, consider three subjects: human resources, physical resources and business continuity. Think about how a disaster could affect your employees, customers and workplace.  Think about how you could continue doing business if the area around your facility is closed or streets are impassible.  Think about what you would need to serve your customers even if your facility is closed.  Here are some suggestions you may want to consider:

Develop a Plan

• Keep phone lists of your key employees and customers with you and provide copies to key staff members.
• If you have a voicemail system at your office, designate one remote number on which you can record messages for employees.  Provide the number to all employees.
• Arrange for programmable call forwarding for your main business line(s). Then, if you can’t get to the office, you can call in and reprogram the phones to ring elsewhere.
• If you may not be able to get to your business quickly after an emergency, leave keys and alarm code(s) with a trusted employee or friend who is closer.
• Install emergency lights that turn on when the power goes out. They are inexpensive and widely available at building supply retailers.
• Back up computer data frequently throughout the business day.  Keep a backup tape off site.
• Use UL-listed surge protectors and battery backup systems. They will add protection for sensitive equipment and help prevent a computer crash if the power goes out.
• Purchase a NOAA Weather Radio with a tone alert feature.  Keep it on and when the warning signal sounds, listen for information about possible severe weather and protective actions to take.
• Stock a minimum supply of the goods, materials and equipment you would need for business continuity.
• Consult with your insurance agent about special precautions to take for disasters that may directly impact your business.  Remember, most policies do not cover earthquake and flood damage. Protect valuable property and equipment with special riders. Discuss business continuity insurance with your agent.

Flashlights with extra batteries
First aid kit
Tools
Food and water for employees and customers to use during a period of unexpected confinement at your business.

Reduce Potential Damage

Prevent or reduce disaster damage in your facility by taking precautions, such as:

• Bolting tall bookcases or display cases to wall studs.
• Protecting breakable objects by securing them to a stand or shelf using hook and loop fasteners.
• Moving large objects that could fall and break or injure someone to lower shelves.
• Installing latches to keep drawers and cabinets from flying open and dumping their contents.
• Using closed screw eyes and wire to securely attach framed pictures and mirrors to walls.
• Using plumber’s tape or strap iron to wrap around a hot water heater to secure it to wall studs.

You should also consider having a professional install:

• Flexible connectors to appliances and equipment fueled by natural gas.
• Shutters that you can close to protect windows from damage caused by debris blown by a hurricane, tornado or severe storm.
• Automatic fire sprinklers.

Protect Your Employees, Customers and Business

Designate one employee from each work shift to be the safety coordinator. This person will make all decisions relating to employee and customer safety and to the safety of the business itself. Safety coordinators should know how to contact the owner or operator at all times.

Everyone in your facility should know how to prepare for a disaster and what to do if a disaster occurs.

You may also want to get a copy of the Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry from http://redcrossla.org/preparedness/files/2009/02/emergency-management-guide-for-business-and-industry.pdf

1. Commit to membership in the Ready Rating Program.
2. Conduct an initial analysis of disaster vulnerability.
3. Develop an emergency response plan.
4. Implement your emergency response plan.
5. Do your part annually to ensure that the overall community is ready.

Step 1. Commit to membership in the Ready Rating Program.
Commit to increasing your organization’s emergency readiness each year. Key actions include:

• CEO or sponsoring executive signs the Ready Rating Membership Agreement
• Appoint a Ready Rating Coordinator to serve as liaison with the American Red Cross
• Complete the Ready Rating 123 Assessment online

Step 2. Conduct a hazard vulnerability assessment.
Gather information about possible emergencies that could impact your business’ capability to respond to and recover from a disaster or emergency. Key actions include:

• Understand the types of disasters most likely to impact your business
• Assess your organization’s capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster
• Identify external emergency response resources that will provide assistance during a disaster

Step 3. Develop an emergency response plan.
Create a plan describing the steps your organization will take to protect your business and employees before, during and after an emergency. Key actions include:

• Establish an emergency planning committee that is representative of your organization
• Develop a written plan describing how your business will respond during a disaster
• Develop a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) describing how your business will operate during and after an emergency

Step 4. Implement your emergency response plan.
Make emergency preparedness part of your corporate culture. Key actions include:

• Train employees in emergency preparedness and the appropriate procedures to follow at work
• Acquire and maintain needed safety equipment and emergency preparedness supplies
• Encourage emergency preparedness among employees at work and at home
• Conduct and assess regular drills and exercises to determine the readiness of your employees and facility to respond to an emergency

Step 5. Help your community get prepared.
Now that your company and employees are prepared, commit to helping the overall community prepare for a disaster or other emergencies. Your organization can:

• Host blood drives
• Appoint employees to be trained as Red Cross disaster education instructors
• Appoint employees to be trained as Red Cross national disaster volunteers
• Contribute supplies and/or services to emergency response efforts
• Invest in Red Cross services and programs
• Provide scholarships for Red Cross Health and Safety training courses and products
• Adopt a local school or district and support their disaster and emergency

Membership Renewal

Ready Rating membership is based on a calendar year and must be renewed each year. Approximately three months before the end of the year, you will receive your renewal packet. Renewal is easy – just return the membership agreement and complete the online assessment. As long as you have made progress and your score has increased, you will receive your new seal shortly after the first of the year. Or if your business/organization has a score of 60, you are simply required to maintain that score.

Red Cross Ready Rating Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Ready Rating Program?
Why is the Ready Rating Program needed?
How does the Ready Rating Program work?
How do Ready Rating program members benefit?