Business Disaster Plan

Preparedness Planning for Your Business

Businesses and their staff face a variety of hazards:

  • Natural hazards like floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes.
  • Health hazards such as widespread and serious illnesses like the flu.
  • Human-caused hazards including accidents and acts of violence.
  • Technology-related hazards like power outages and equipment failure.

There is much that a business leader can do to prepare his or her organization for the most likely hazards. The Ready Business program helps business leaders make a preparedness plan to get ready for these hazards.
Ready Business Toolkits
The Ready Business Toolkit series includes hazard-specific versions for earthquake, hurricane, inland flooding, power outage, and severe wind/tornado. Toolkits offer business leaders a step-by-step guide to build preparedness within an organization. Each toolkit contains the following sections:

  • Identify Your Risk
  • Develop A Plan
  • Take Action
  • Be Recognized and Inspire Others

Business Emergency Preparedness Social Media Toolkit
The Business Emergency Preparedness Social Media Toolkit has safety and preparedness messages you can share on your social media channels.

Earthquake “QuakeSmart” Toolkit
Unlike other natural disasters, earthquakes occur without warning and cannot be predicted. According to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Information Center, every state in the U.S. has experienced an earthquake of one kind or another with Florida and North Dakota as the two states with the fewest earthquakes.
Since most states are at some risk for earthquakes, it is important that you understand your risk, develop preparedness and mitigation plans, and take action.

Hurricane Toolkit
According to NOAA’s Hurricane Research DIvision (6/19/2019), 40% of all Hurricanes hit Florida and 88% of Major Hurricanes have hit either Florida or Texas.  Any coastal parts of the US, including  Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and territories in the Pacific may be directly affected by heavy rains, strong winds, wind-driven rain, inland floods, tornadoes, and coastal storm surges resulting from tropical storms and hurricanes. The Ready Business Hurricane Toolkit helps leaders take action to protect employees, protect customers, and help ensure business continuity as well.

Inland Flooding Toolkit
Most of the United States is at some risk for flooding, so it is important that organizations, businesses, and community groups understand the potential impacts.

Power Outage Toolkit
While a Power Outage may not seem as dangerous as a tornado or earthquake, they can still cause damage to homes, businesses and communities. Power Outages cost the U.S. economy $20 billion and $55 billion annually and continue to increase each year (CRS, 2012).

Severe Wind/Tornado Toolkit
It is not just in Tornado Alley. Most of the United States is at some risk for severe wind and tornadoes

Ready Business Workshop “How-To” Guide. 
This “How-To” guide explains how to plan for and deliver effective Ready Business workshops.

Ready Business Videos
​The Ready Business Program provides leaders with the tools to plan, take action, and become a Ready Business. The program addresses several key parts of getting ready, including Staff, Surroundings, Physical space, Building Construction, Systems, and Service. These videos briefly explain each concept.
Staff/Employee Management

Physical Surroundings

Physical Space

Building Construction

Systems

Community Service