Many tools exist, so it is important to find those that fit your company’s needs. It’s best to utilize tools that are intuitive and leverage existing elements so they can be more readily adopted. For instance, you may be able to organize your planning documents with software that your business already uses, such as Word, SharePoint, and spreadsheet programs.
Before - Planning
- Emergency Communications
- Prepare My Business (SBA/Agility) checklist outlines the key pieces you will need for successful crisis communications
- Phone/Call Trees
- Call Tree Instructions for Notifications (UW) are one university’s guidelines for using a call tree or phone tree but can be modified for the workplace
- Mass Communications Procedures (UW) is a full communications/notification plan that includes examples for the call tree of a university, but can be modified for your business
- Creating a Plan and Emergency Response Procedures, Conducting Drills
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guide includes instructions on how to create emergency procedures (especially for fires), train employees, and create and run fire drills
- Evacuation Elements – Occupational Safety Hazards Administration (OSHA) is an e-tool for creating evacuation procedures, preparing exit routes, accounting for people, and other tasks
- Use OSHA’s EAP Expert System to create an EAP that will be saved as you go
- DRB Toolkit© (Disaster Resistant Business Toolkit) is a fully customizable software tool to help all sizes and types of businesses build a disaster plan, train employees, run exercises, and prepare operations. It provides tools, templates, and videos for beginners and experienced planners, created by a 501(c)3 non-profit of experts
- 10 Essentials for Business Recovery Planning (Symantec Inc) is covered in more detail on the “Get Ready” (FEMA) website but this page links to Symantec resources such as their podcasts:
- “Preparedness for Businesses of all Sizes” (SBA) offers preparedness tips for all businesses to consider
- “7 Steps to an Earthquake Resilient Business” is a good “getting started” guide to help you lay out the basics of your plan, regardless of the hazards you face
- “Disaster Can Cut Disaster Recovery Time, Expense” (SBA) highlights the reasons planning is a “great idea” and can help you in making your case
- Protect Property
- Property Protection Checklist (IBHS) highlights items to consider (depending on specific hazards) that may impact your building and close your operations. It can also help you determine a location should you need to relocate
- Protect your Property (FEMA) provides guidance on how to protect property for different hazards
- Winter Weather
- Winter Weather Preparedness Checklist (SBA) will help prepare your business for conditions before, during, and after winter weather
- Flooding
- Flood Preparedness Checklist (SBA) will help prepare your business for conditions before, during, and after a flood
- Pandemic Flu
- “Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers” provides information and communication resources to help businesses implement recommendations from the CDC to promote health in their workforce. You can also listen to a CDC podcast on this topic
- Shelter-in-Place
- Shelter-in-Place Plan for Businesses (National Institute for Chemical Studies) is not for your basic Business Continuity Plan, but provides additional information for those who have a risk to their businesses that may require them to stay put in response to chemical or other hazards
- The Red Cross provides simple response steps to take
- Hurricane
- Hurricane Preparedness Checklist (SBA) will help prepare your business for conditions before, during, and after a hurricane
- Protect your Data
- Protect your tax and financial documents (IRS) provides tips and resources
- Tools
- QuakeSmart (FEMA) is a tool that walks a business through ways to mitigate damage caused by items that might break or hurt someone. These range from simple to complex, but all can save you from disaster losses since even minor shaking can cause damage
- Find tools that work for developing and organizing your plan:
- Word & Excel documents
- Google Docs and Spreadsheets allow your business to create, share, and access documents online for planning, response, and recovery purposes (with other resources such as shared calendars; visit Google Apps for Business for other free business tools)
- Google Fusion Tables can provide businesses the ability to gather, visualize, and share data online with their staff and other organizations, thus facilitating crisis decision making
- SharePoint sites
- Vital Records Program
- National Archives guide with tips (while geared to government agencies, the information is also relevant to businesses)
- Evaluation of your Plans & Program
- Program Evaluation Checklist (Preparedness LLC) can help you determine where you are doing well, where gaps may exist, and areas that still need improvement
- Websites
- gov – Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is a general preparedness website for home, school, and work. It includes details about National Preparedness Month (September) with campaign materials to encourage everyone to get prepared
- Volunteer opportunities are available for employees in the Capitol Region. Encourage your employees to get involved today
- Association of Contingency Planners (ACP) and other local planning groups of businesses working on preparedness. Look for a local chapter
- Business Continuity Institute (BCI) is a certification organization with articles and information
- Disaster Recovery Institute International (DRII) is a certification organization with articles and information
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has many resources on health-related topics
- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has many resources on health- and safety-related topics as well as emergency planning tips that can help in plan building
- CDC’s Preparedness & Planning page has numerous links to websites and resources
- PS-Prep (FEMA) offers several options toward preparedness, whether it’s following best practice programs, aligning to a standard, or certifying to a standard
- References & Resources has links to all the laws, regulations, standards, codes, key organizations’ sites, research, hazards, and other info
- San Francisco Department of Emergency Management provides information to help businesses build disaster kits and get involved in disaster preparation
- Exercise/Drill Planning
- Emergency Planning Exercises for Your Organization (FEMA) provides links to Table Top exercises that you can use
- A Guide for the Conduct of Emergency Management Tabletop Activities – Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) provides downloadable resources on what to do and how to do it
- Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) is a national standard for designing, developing, conducting, and evaluating testing exercises using an HSEEP toolkit and manuals
- gov (FEMA) provides an overview, explanation, and resources for exercises and testing
- Guide to Test, Training, and Exercise Programs for IT Plans and Capabilities – National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is Special Publication 800-84, a guide that helps in the creation of exercises and tests and offers different ways of identifying deficiencies in IT plans, procedures, and training
- Training and Education
- CT Dept. of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) lists recommended training for those participating in state-run exercises
- Red Cross training for the workplace can vary from chapter to chapter, but typically includes classes on first aid and AED usage
- gov (FEMA) provides an overview, explanation, and resources for training, including who needs it and the types of training available
- Webinars (SBA) on a variety of topics for business preparedness and planning
- ICS (Incident Command System) Training Materials and Opportunities – FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) gives an overview of ICA and all the online courses available
- CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care – American Heart Association
- Emergency Management Institute Higher Education Program (EMI, DHS, FEMA) provides an overview of the program and courses offered
- Continuity of Operations Training (EMI) is designed for public sector employees, but also has some value to offer to businesses
During - Response
- Google Person Finder helps people connect with family and employees after a disaster
- Google Public Alerts allows you to go online to search for the latest emergency information during an emergency, and will disseminate relevant emergency alerts to you when and where you need them
- National Disaster Help Desk for Business (Help Desk) from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) provides assistance to businesses struck by disaster across the country. Dial 1-888-MY-BIZ-HELP or 1-888-692-4943 to get help navigating the disaster assistance realm. BCLC also posts helpful info on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and its blogs
- FEMA Text Messages is a service that allows you to use your cell phone’s text messaging capability to receive text message updates from FEMA (standard message and data rates apply).
- To sign up for monthly preparedness tips: text PREPARE to 43362 (4FEMA)
- To unsubscribe: text STOP to 43362 (4FEMA)
- Websites
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides updates on current disaster events
- gov/business (FEMA) has many business-focused tips and resources on what to do during different types of disasters
- FEMA Private Sector page lists mobile apps, resources, and other info
After - Recovery
- Follow your plan
- “Getting Back to Business – A Guide for Small Business” offers quick tips, including tips for dealing with insurance companies, after you have been hit by disaster
- Disaster Assistance
- Register your business with FEMA (this is the first step even if you are looking for assistance from the SBA). You can register online, over the phone, or in person. There is no obligation to take funds if you register. Do register before the deadline to keep your options open
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has money for housing and essential expenses, such as food and clothing, and for critical personal expenses, such as medication
- US Small Business Administration (SBA) has business loans for direct physical damage and for economic injury (indirect damage)
- The SBA’s Disaster Loans website offers more details on SBA loans
- View or download the SBA’s disaster business loan application
- US Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides disaster assistance information for farmers and ranchers
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)provides resources for businesses and individuals after a disaster
- Data Recovery
- Making the Case for a Robust, Cost-Effective Disaster Recovery Strategy highlights IT data recovery issues for departments and IT companies with some lessons learned from Katrina, courtesy of Symantec
- IT Disaster Recover (SBA) includes information and resources to consider in re-establishing your technology, some of which need to be considered before a disaster