Every Business 

Should Have 

A Plan.

www.ready.gov

Preparing Makes

Good

Business Sense.

How quickly your company can get back to

business after a terrorist attack or tornado,

a fire or flood often depends on emergency 

planning done today. While the U.S. Department

of Homeland Security is working hard to 

prevent terrorist attacks, the regular occurrence

of natural disasters demonstrates the importance 

of being prepared for any emergency. While 

recognizing that each situation is unique, your 

organization can be better prepared if it plans 

carefully, puts emergency procedures in place, 

and practices for all kinds of emergencies.

This guide outlines common sense measures 

business owners and managers can take to 

start getting ready. A commitment to planning

today will help support employees, customers,

the community, the local economy and even the

country. It also protects your business investment 

and gives your company a better chance

for survival.

Every business should

have a plan. Get ready now. 

Plan to Stay in Business

Business continuity planning must account for both manmade and natural disasters. You should plan in advance 

to manage any emergency. Be prepared to assess the

situation, use common sense and available resources

to take care of yourself, your co-workers and your 

business’ recovery.

Continuity Planning: Risk assessment can be a 

sophisticated area of expertise that ranges from self-assessment to an extensive engineering study. Your organization’s 

risk needs will vary according to the specific industry, size, 

scope and location of your individual company. Start by 

reviewing your business process flow chart, if one exists, to 

identify operations critical to survival and recovery. Carefully 

assess your internal and external functions to determine

which staff, materials, procedures and equipment are 

absolutely necessary to keep the business operating. 

You should also establish procedures for succession of 

management.

Include co-workers from all levels in planning and as active 

members of the emergency management team. Make a 

list of your most important customers and proactively plan 

ways to serve them during and after a disaster. Also identify 

key suppliers, shippers, resources and other businesses 

you must interact with on a daily basis. A disaster that shuts 

down a key supplier can be devastating to your business. 

Plan what you will do if your building, plant or store is not 

accessible. Talk with your staff or co-workers and frequently 

review and practice what you intend to do during and after 

an emergency. Just as your business changes over time, 

so do your preparedness needs. Review and update your 

plans at least annually and inform your employees of 

the changes. 

Emergency Planning for Employees: Your employees and co-workers are your business’ most valuable

asset. Two-way communication is central before, during 

and after a disaster. Include emergency information in 

newsletters, on your company intranet, in periodic employee 

emails and /o r other communication tools. Designate an 

Ready Business was developed in 

consultation with the following organizations:

The 9/11 Public Discourse Project, ASIS International, 

Business Executives for National Security, The Business 

Roundtable, International Safety Equipment Association, 

International Security Management Association, National 

Association of Manufacturers, National Federation of 

Independent Business, Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration, Small Business Administration, Society for

Human Resource Management, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

These recommendations reflect the Emergency 

Preparedness and Business Continuity Standard (NFPA 

1600) developed by the National Fire Protection

Association and endorsed by the America National 

Standards Institute, the 9/11 Commission and the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security. 

This common sense framework is designed to launch 

a process of learning about business preparedness. 

For more information go to:

www.ready.gov

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Washington, DC 20472
out of town phone number where employees can leave an 

“I’m okay” message in a catastrophic disaster. If you have 

employees with disabilities or special needs, ask them what 

assistance, if any, they require. 

Emergency Supplies: When preparing for emergency 

situations, it’s best to think first about the basics of 

survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth. Encourage 

everyone to have a portable emergency supply kit customized to meet their personal needs, such as the inclusion of 

essential medications. Talk to your co-workers about what 

emergency supplies the company can feasibly provide, if 

any, and which ones individuals should consider keeping on 

hand. Recommended emergency supplies include: water, 

food, both a battery-powered radio and a NOAA weather 

radio with an alert function, extra batteries, a flashlight, 

first aid kit, whistle, wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, 

filter mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape in the event of 

airborne chemical hazards and moist towelettes, garbage 

bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation. 

Keep copies of important records such as site maps, 

building plans, insurance policies, employee contact and 

identification information, bank 

account records, supplier and 

shipping contact lists, computer 

backups, emergency or law enforcement contact information 

and other priority documents in 

a waterproof, fireproof portable 

container. Store a second set of 

records at an off-site location. 

Planning to Stay or Go: 

Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the 

disaster, the first important 

decision after an incident occurs 

is whether to shelter-in-place or 

evacuate. You should understand 

and plan for both possibilities 

in advance by developing clear, 

well-thought-out plans. 

In any emergency, local authorities may or may not immediately 

be able to provide information 

on what is happening and what you should do. However, you 

should monitor television or radio news reports for information or 

official instructions as they become available. 

Make an Evacuation Plan: Some disasters will require 

employees to leave the workplace quickly. The ability to evacuate 

workers, customers and visitors effectively can save lives. 

If your business operates out of more than one location, establish 

evacuation procedures for each individual building. If your company 

is in a high-rise building, an industrial park, or even a small strip 

mall, it is important to coordinate and practice with other tenants 

or businesses to avoid confusion and potential gridlock. 

Make a Shelter-in-Place Plan: There may be situations 

when it’s best to stay where you are to avoid any uncertainty 

outside. There are other circumstances, such as during a tornado 

or chemical incident, when specifically how and where you take 

shelter is a matter of survival. You should understand the 

differences and plan for all possibilities. 

Go to www.ready.gov for more specific information on these 

topics as well as when and how to “seal-the-room” for protection 

from chemical contamination and steps to take for fire safety and 

medical emergencies.

Talk to Your People

Providing for your co-workers’ well-being is recognized as one 

of the best ways to assure your company’s recovery. That means 

communicating regularly with employees before, during and after 

an incident. Use newsletters, intranets, staff meetings and other 

internal communications tools to communicate emergency plans 

and procedures. 

Practice the Plan with Co-workers: Frequently practice 

what you intend to do during a disaster. Conduct regularly 

scheduled education and training seminars to provide co-workers 

with information, identify needs and develop preparedness skills. 

Include disaster training in new employee orientation programs. 

Promote Family and Individual Preparedness: 

If individuals and families are prepared, your company and your coworkers are better positioned in an emergency situation. Encourage your employees and their families to: get an emergency supply 

kit, make a family emergency plan and be informed about different 

threats and their appropriate responses. Go to www.ready.gov

for more information or print out and distribute copies of 

“Preparing Makes Sense” brochures to your workers. 

Write a Crisis Communication Plan: Detail how your 

organization plans to communicate with employees, local authorities, customers and others during and after a disaster. Include 

relevant information for employees, top company executives, the 

general public and your customers as well as local, state and 

federal authorities. 

Support Employee Health After a Disaster: It is possible 

that your staff will need time to ensure the well-being of their 

family members, but getting back to work is important to the personal recovery of people who have experienced disasters. Workplace routines facilitate recovery by providing an opportunity to be 

active and to restore social contact. Re-establish routines, when 

possible. You may also want to consider offering professional 

counselors to help co-workers address their fears and anxieties. 

Protect Your Investment

In addition to emergency planning and communicating with employees, there are steps you can take to safeguard your company 

and secure your physical assets. 

Review Insurance Coverage: Inadequate insurance coverage can lead to major financial loss if your business is damaged, 

destroyed or simply interrupted for a period of time. Insurance 

policies vary, so check with your agent or provider about things 

such as physical losses, flood coverage and business interruption. 

Understand what your policy covers and what it does not. 

Prepare for Utility Disruptions: Businesses are often 

dependent on electricity, gas, telecommunications, sewer and 

other utilities. You should plan ahead for extended disruptions 

during and after a disaster. Speak with service providers about 

potential alternatives and identify back-up options such as 

portable generators to power the vital aspects of your business 

in an emergency. 

Secure Facilities, Buildings and Plants: While there is no 

way to predict what will happen or what your business’ circumstances will be, there are things you can do in advance to help 

protect your physical assets. Install fire extinguishers, smoke 

alarms and detectors in appropriate places. Secure ingress and 

egress and plan for mail safety. 

Plan what you will do if your building, plant or store is not usable. 

Secure valuable equipment. And 

make sure your building’s Heating, 

Ventilating and Air-conditioning 

(HVAC) system is working properly 

and is well-maintained. You should 

also determine if you can feasibly 

upgrade the building’s filtration 

system as a means of protection 

from biological and some other 

airborne threats. 

Improve Cyber Security:

Protecting your data and information 

technology systems may require 

specialized expertise, but even the 

smallest business can be better 

prepared. Use anti-virus software 

and keep it up-to-date. Don’t open 

email from unknown sources. Use 

hard-to-guess passwords. Protect 

your computer from Internet intruders by using firewalls. Back up 

your computer data and download 

security protection updates known 

as patches regularly. Subscribe 

to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security National Cyber Alert 

System, www.us-cert.gov, to 

receive free, timely alerts. 

An investment in planning today 

will not only help protect your 

business investment and your 

livelihood, but will also support your 

employees, customers and stakeholders, the community, the local 

economy and even the country. 

Get ready now.