Is Your Business Prepared for The Big One?

It was about a year ago that Kathryn Schulz brought Cascadia to the world’s attention. For those who haven’t read, the Cascadia quake that could happen at any moment is the Big One that we’ve all been warned about. It turns out that it isn’t a myth. It’s a real thing and it could happen any day now. Are you ready?

Disaster preparedness is not only the purview of private citizens. It is in every business owner’s best interest to make sure that their companies are prepared. Here are some tips on how you can ensure that your company is prepared for the worst.

Spatial Needs

Unlike personal preppers, who often set up entire basements or sheds with their prepping materials, you don’t have to set aside a large amount of office space for your disaster preparedness materials. You likely have a good sized storage closet within your offices or building that you can use for this. If you share office space or lease space in a larger structure with several other businesses, it’s a good idea to float the idea of joining forces to create a building-wide supply space.

Food Storage

Yes, that’s right: your company should have food resources on hand in case a disaster hits. Why? Because you need to be prepared for an event that sequesters you and your employees for possibly days at a time. You don’t want to have to rely on whatever snacks people have in their desks, right?

To store this food, you will obviously need some shelving; you don’t want to leave your food supplies sitting on the floor. You will also need airtight containers in which to store your supplies, to keep them extra safe. Set up a commercial fridge for perishables. Yes, it’s true that if there is a major disaster, you’ll likely lose power. Even so, a fridge built for commercial use, will be able to keep your perishables from going bad for a while. These structures are also good for storing fragile items, to keep them safe.

First Aid Supplies

Having a basic first aid kit on site is always a good idea, whether or not you’re preparing for a disaster. If something terrible happens, though, you don’t want to be limited to the few supplies that kit contains (assuming people haven’t been pilfering from it for papercuts, etc). Stock up on bandages, gauze, buy a basic surgical kit, sterile wipes, and anti-bacterial hand sanitizer. You can find some pretty good lists about what to keep on hand.

It’s also good to stock up on some basic over the counter meds. Ibuprofen, for example, is good for pain relief, fever reduction, reducing inflammation, etc. Benadryl creams and analgesics are important to have on hand for allergic reactions. A couple of basic over the counter inhalers and some epi-pens are also a good idea. If you have any diabetics on hand, having glucosamine tablets to help regulate blood sugar is important.

CPR

Even if you don’t really believe that a disaster will happen, having yourself and your staff all get certified in CPR (and keeping those certifications current) is good business practice. Make sure everyone knows advanced first aid techniques and CPR practices for adults, kids, and infants.

Escape Route

Yes, you want your offices to be as secure as possible. You’ve installed alarm systems and fob-based entry locks. Unfortunately, when the power fails, so do these devices and this is often how people get trapped during emergencies. Have at least one door with an emergency override programmed into it so that if the system fails you can still use that portal to get out of your building. You should also have equipment on hand to help people who might get trapped in their cars.

Secure the Furniture

No, you don’t have to bolt everything down. That would be ridiculous! That said, equipment like large printers, filing cabinets, etc pose a real risk for tipping if an earthquake occurs. Make sure these items as well as your artwork, light fixtures, etc are safe.

Check your windows

Shattering windows pose a real risk to everyone inside of and outside of your office space. If you have the budget to replace them with shatter proof or reinforced glass, do it. Even if a disaster doesn’t hit, it will raise the value of your offices if you ever need to sell or lease the space.

When you think of an emergency or disaster, you likely picture yourself fleeing your office and getting home as quickly as possible. Do you know what to do if that becomes impossible (at least for a while)? Preparing yourself will help you stay calm and able to lead your team should the worst happen.

About the author

Amanda Green is a site contributor that often writes on personal finance, marketing and business. In her free time she enjoys reading and playing volleyball with family and friends. Her work may also be found on http://www.paidtwice.com

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