There are so many matters to which small business owners must attend that at times there is a tendency to rely on the “Ignorance is Bliss” adage. But there are some things for which we must be prepared at all times. We have a great resource for enumerating those items which must be readily available (e.g., like bank account numbers) as outlined in a previous post by Ray Katz. Now I would like us to think about disaster planning in the event of a fire or other natural occurrence in our own lives.
In my Tuesday morning breakfast I have every week with 98 other women, we give “Tips and Leads” to promote our business. We have a couple firefighters in our group. One of the tips was to us figure out our escape plan in the event of a fire. The firefighters were specific about figuring this out for our houses, but it is also important to figure out plans for our places of work.
In your office, have you identified a meeting place where everyone is to go to and stay, in order to account for everyone? At home it might be across the street at the mailbox. At work it might be at the end of the parking lot. For small businesses, the SBA website has a preparedness guide to use to make sure things are in place ahead of time. With a predetermined place it is much easier to account for everyone so we are not at risk of going back into the danger area to look for those who may be missing. In larger practices or within hospitals, the chain of communication should be laid out and practiced.
On November 9th, the first National Emergency Alert System will take place at 2 p.m EST. The Alert will last approximately three minutes. The test will include all TV and radio stations across the US, including cable and satellite stations. This is a great opportunity for all practice owners and managers to come up with a plan, even for office with staffs of one or two. Each area of the country has its own weather related hazards, but we are all susceptible to fire. Let’s talk about it and keep each other, and our patients, safe!
The following resources offer more information on the EAS and the Nov. 9, 2011, test:
· Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
