National Preparedness Month

The theme of this September's National Preparedness Month is "Don't Wait, Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today." NPM reminds us to prepare for emergencies that could affect us at work, at home, and on travel or vacation. This week's articles focus on how you can plan for and deal with disasters and other disruptions to your business.

Disaster recovery begins before a disaster is on the radar. (Item #1)     Emergency preparedness involves more than crossing your fingers. (Item #2)     It is vital that to consider the needs of all employees, including those with disabilities, in preparedness plans. (Item #3)    

The challenge is for public sector organizations, private sector businesses and nonprofit groups to plan ahead for operational and employee resilience. (Item #4)     Smaller companies often struggle, not knowing where to turn or having the budget to develop a robust business continuity plan. (Item #5)     This toolkit will help you prepare your business for the unexpected. (Item #6)    

As always, I look forward to hearing about your concerns with regard to business continuity. If there are any topics that you'd like to see covered, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp



1. Preparing Your Business for the Unthinkable

Even if a flood doesn't put your business under water, customers and supplies may not be able to get to you. Power outages, brown-outs or surges can affect your daily business operations. Many disasters, like wind storms, tornadoes and earthquakes, can strike quickly and with little or no warning.
http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog
/m4240206_PrepYourBusfortheUnthinkable.pdf


2. Emergency Preparedness Checklist for Small Businesses

Developing an emergency preparedness plan is one of the most important strategic decisions you will make as a small business owner. Consider how a natural, human-caused or public health emergency could affect your employees, customers and workplace. How would business operations continue? Preparing your small business doesn't have to be time consuming or expensive.
http://www.fedex.com/us/smallbusiness/FERC_smallbus_pdf_120809.pdf


3. Effective Emergency Preparedness Planning: Addressing the Needs of Employees with Disabilities

Emergency planning is just as critical for the workplace as it is for the home. Research and anecdotal evidence indicate that such planning, preparedness, response and recovery efforts often overlook the needs and perspectives of people with disabilities. Employers may be hesitant to recruit or retain people with disabilities due to concerns about securing their safety during an emergency. Often times this concern is misplaced. Simple planning ahead of time will ensure the safety of individuals with disabilities during emergencies.
https://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/effective.htm


4. Work Together to Get Prepared: The Human Factor

"People are our most important asset" is a common phrase, but business continuity planning traditionally looks at operations, infrastructure, information technology and security--focusing on critical business function and work process recovery. The impact on the workforce often is not adequately considered, thus downplaying the importance--and central role--of the human contribution to an organization's recovery. The human factor in commercial hurricane readiness is critical, especially since damage from a hurricane may be widespread.
https://disastersafety.org/ibhs/work-together-to-get-prepared-the-human-factor/


5. Plan, Prepare and Recover: How Businesses Can Manage Through Emergencies

Businesses face a number of emergencies that could disrupt their operations, ranging from natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods to outbreaks of illness, such as the flu. Yet the Journal of Accountancy reports that 62 percent of small U.S. businesses have not established a formal plan for responding to a natural disaster or another emergency. The danger of not planning ahead means that many businesses don't ever bounce back after a disaster.
https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2015/07/01/Plan-Prepare-and-Recover.aspx


6. The easy way to prepare your business for the unexpected

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) has developed a new streamlined business continuity program for small businesses that may not have the time or resources to create an extensive plan to recover from business interruptions. IBHS is a leading national expert on preparing for, and repairing, rebuilding, and recovering from catastrophes both large and small. IBHS' mission is to conduct objective, scientific research to identify and promote effective actions that strengthen homes, businesses, and communities against natural disasters and other causes of loss.
https://disastersafety.org/wp-content/uploads/OFB-EZ_Toolkit_IBHS.pdf


Quote of the Week:

"There's no harm in hoping for the best as long as you're prepared for the worst."

-- Stephen King, Different Seasons

Contact Us:

Attainium Corp
571.248.8200
www.attainium.net