How to Prepare Your Business for an Emergency

By Brian Simon

When speculating on the likelihood of a future emergency scenario, it is not a matter of if something will happen, but when. As a business owner, you will need to be prepared for that eventuality, whether it’s an earthquake, fire, blackout, or terrorist event. How quickly you can respond (and, hopefully, get back to work) after disaster strikes will prove crucial not just to the fortunes of your business, but also to the economy as a whole.

While most major corporations have emergency plans in place and even conduct periodic drills, the same cannot be said as a rule of small businesses. “Most small businesses have no plans and lack adequate supplies,” said Mina Arnao, President of More Prepared, an El Segundo-based firm that sells emergency kits to businesses of all sizes as well as to individuals. As officials from several South Bay area fire departments have warned in regards to major disasters, you can pretty much figure to be on your own for a minimum of three days (and perhaps as long as a week) before any outside help arrives. Proper planning now can make all the difference in the world when an emergency does occur.

Finances may limit how extensive your plan can be, but it is vital to at least have a plan. Here are some basic tips for getting prepared:

Get Drafted: Whatever your plan, draft it out and provide copies for your employees. Make it required reading. Update the plan every six months to a year either via newsletter, e-mail or other communication network.

Insure Enough: Check your current insurance policies to see if you are adequately covered for earthquake, fire or other disasters and to what extent. Though expensive, business interruption insurance may be appropriate to consider. If you are a tenant in a large building, find out what has been covered by the owner. Keep an ongoing inventory of computers, equipment, merchandise or other insurable items.

Know Your Place: You may be in a small building or one with 20-plus stories. Regardless, it is vital to learn what kinds of emergencies your particular business and office space are most likely to encounter. Have a map of the building layout and exit points. Be aware of any structural issues that could impact your ability to leave, prevent access, create a barricade, or be at risk of collapse. Also be aware of any hazardous or toxic materials, heavy equipment, furniture or breakable items that might present danger. Test your electrical, heating, and ventilation systems. Upgrade if necessary. And finally, if you can no longer use your building, set up a contingency location, if possible, to continue running the business elsewhere.


Know Thy Neighbor: Talk to your office neighbors to learn what sort of plan they have and to coordinate an organized response team building-wide that limits the potential for chaos.

Keep the Lines Open: Establish means of communicating with employees, customers and vendors offsite via a special phone number, e-mail or other avenue. Maintain a comprehensive list of fire and emergency personnel, medical providers (know in advance if any employees have health issues that might come into play during an emergency), and employee family members that can be accessed. Talk to utility providers to determine potential back-up power in the event of a blackout.

Have a Back-Up Plan: Vital company records might be destroyed in a fire or other event, so keep copies offsite. Also, be sure to have contingency plans in place to keep accounting and payroll moving in case operations are shut down at your site. Designate someone who can effectively run the business should you or another owner/upper management person die or become incapacitated.

Put Out Fires: If you can budget for it and if not already installed in the building, invest in items such as a fire extinguisher, fire hoses, smoke detectors, and fire resistant doors. Make sure everything is up to code.

Get on the Train: Many city fire departments provide free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for individuals and employees. This teaches people, among other things, to provide basic first aid, put out fires and conduct search and rescue operations. You may also provide additional CPR training for some employees. In larger buildings, floor captains with crisis management skills can be assigned to handle groups of people during emergencies.

Have Supplies on Demand: As mentioned earlier, expect a minimum of three days before help arrives, possibly as much as a week. More Prepared (www.moreprepared.com) sells office survival kits for up to 100 adults, each with a three-day emergency supply for each person. Businesses can also purchase individual items in bulk to save money and to store the supplies in strategic spots throughout their office or facility. Make sure you can access the kits easily.

A list of the most important supplies you should have, budget pending:

Water: If it can be stored, a gallon a day per person for both drinking and sanitation is best.
Also include water purification tablets to sanitize undrinkable water.
Food: Non-perishable, such as the 2,400 calorie food bars provided in the More Prepared kits, and/or canned foods. Be sure to keep a manual can opener on the premises.
Ready meals, such as beef stew in a pouch that may be heated are also popular.
(Note: Water and food should ideally have extended (five-year) shelf lives.
· Medications: Employees who must take prescriptions or insulin in the case of diabetics should keep a week’s supply on-hand.
· Thermal blankets to retain body heat.
· AM/FM Solar radio and flashlights that can be operated by hand crank.
· Standard battery-operated flashlights and radios. Note: Some radios now have attached cell phone chargers.
· Two-way radios for communication with employees and/or floor captains on-site.
· Plenty of batteries.
· Portable generators.
· First Aid kits, OSHA-approved.
· Automatic defibrillator to jumpstart someone’s heart.
· Whistles for rescue attention.
· Toilet bags, chemicals and pail toilets with snap-on seats with lids.
· Light sticks that emit both bright green and high intensity yellow lights.
· Vinyl gloves to protect against infection as well as heavy duty work gloves.
· Masks to prevent dust and germ inhalation.
· Moist towelettes for personal sanitation.
· Garbage bags.
· Duct tape to seal the room in the event of biochemical release.
· Potassium iodate tablets to protect the thyroid in the event of radiation exposure.
· Tools such as wrenches that can be used to shut off gas lines.

And finally…

Practice, Practice, Practice: Evacuation drills and other emergency exercises should take place at least once a year if not more often, especially in larger buildings.