Homeland

Security

www.ready.gov 

Working With Small Businesses 

to Prepare for Emergencies 

Ready Business 

Mentoring Guide 

USER EDITION 

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Ready Business, an extension of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready campaign, helps owners and 

managers of small to medium-sized businesses prepare their employees, operations and assets in the event of an 

emergency. Launched September 2004, Ready Business is funded by Homeland Security’s Office of Infrastructure 

Protection. This Ready Business Mentoring Guide was made possible with support from the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA). For more information on individual and business preparedness visit www.ready.gov. 

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Contents 

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 
 

How to Use This Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 
 

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 
 

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 
 

Continuity of Operations Planning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 
 

Emergency Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 
 

Be Informed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 
 

Emergency Planning Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 
 

Evacuation Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 
 

Shelter-in-Place Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 
 

Emergency Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 
 

Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 
 

Cyber Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 
 

Promote Preparedness and Support Employee Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 
 

Annual Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 
 

Protect Your Investment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 
 

Resource Listing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 
 

Appendix — Sample Emergency Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 
 

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4/25/06 6:03:19 PM 
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READY BUSINESS 

MENTORING GUIDE — USER EDITION 

Working With Small Businesses to Prepare for Emergencies 

Introduction 

Scenes of disaster replay on televisions 

across the country with numbing regularity: A 

hurricane blasts through Florida... fire sweeps 

through a small-town manufacturing plant... 

floods destroy a local business district... a 

winter storm causes widespread power failure 

in the Northeast. 

Every year emergencies take their toll on 

business and industry in terms of lives 

and dollars. But something can be done. 

Businesses of all sizes can limit injury and 

damage and return more quickly to normal 

operations if they plan ahead. Preparedness 

works. 

The Ready Business Mentoring Guide: User Edition is designed to help small business owners and 

managers take action to reduce the impact of natural or man-made disasters. The Ready Business 

content reflects the Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Standard (NFPA 1600) 

developed by the National Fire Protection Association and endorsed by the American National 

Standards Institute, the 9/11 Commission and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Thank you for your part in preparing the business community for disasters and emergencies. Your 

participation in this important effort will contribute to the safety of your friends and colleagues, as 

well as protect the local business community. 

Why Develop an Emergency Plan? 

Business owners invest a tremendous amount of time, money and resources to make their ventures 

successful, so it would seem natural for owners to take steps to protect those investments. 

While the importance of emergency planning may seem self-evident, the urgency of the task is 

often blunted by the immediate demands of the workplace. Also, owners and managers may have 

only a nominal idea of the risks their business faces, or possess only a limited understanding of 

steps they can take to reduce the potential impacts of disasters. 

Last but not least, the business person is prone to the all-too-human tendency to believe that “it 

won’t happen to me.” In the meantime, businesses will continue to suffer setbacks that often could 

have been reduced or prevented altogether had someone taken the time to plan. 

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5 
We all recognize that disaster can strike anywhere, at any time. 

Consider the following: 

O An estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster, according to 

the Institute for Business and Home Safety. 

The number of declared major disasters more than doubled in the 1990s. 

A business can be hurt indirectly when disaster strikes customers or another business, such 

as a supplier or distributor. 

OSHA requires that most businesses with 10 or more employees have a written emergency 

plan. 

The realities of a post-9/11 world and an increasing dependency on computer technology call 

for additional protection of business operations. 

The 9/11 Commission emphasized the critical importance of preparedness in protectecting 

business assets and safeguarding employees’ lives. 

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“Private sector preparedness is not a luxury; it is a cost of doing business in the post 9/11 

world. It is ignored at a tremendous potential cost in lives, money, and national security.” 

— 9/11 Commission Final Report, Chapter 12 

It Pays to be Prepared 

Sometimes, when convincing people of the need for emergency preparedness, too much emphasis 

is placed on dramatic, worst-case scenarios — as if these were the only possible disasters that might 

occur. 

At the same time, the more positive aspects of everyday preparedness are overlooked. Consider these 

practical benefits that can strengthen a business regardless of where it is located or what level of risk it 

may face: 

O Preparedness enhances a company's ability to recover from financial losses, loss of market 

share, damages to equipment or products, and business interruption. 

Preparedness facilitates compliance with regulatory safety requirements of federal, state and 

local agencies. 

Preparedness helps companies fulfill their responsibility to protect employees, the community 

and the environment. 

Preparedness bolsters a company's security and enhances its credibility with employees, 

customers, suppliers and the community. 

Preparedness steps taken by business owners and operators may help reduce insurance 

costs. 

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O

How to Use This Guide 

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7 

The Ready Business Mentoring Guide: User Edition 

is designed to serve as a companion to the Ready 

Business Mentoring Guide. The User Edition contains 

all supplemental materials — worksheets, checklists, 

testimonials and information pages — that are found in 

the Ready Business Mentoring Guide. Both are based 

upon the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready 

Business Web site (www.ready.gov). 

Although the User Edition is designed as a workbook 

to be used as part of a formal, interpersonal business 

mentoring session, the User Edition may also serve as a 

self-study guide, using the information contained in the 

Ready Business Web site as a reference. 

You will find a Sample Emergency Plan included in 

the appendix to this guide. As you work to complete 

the Sample Emergency Plan, use the worksheets and 

supplemental materials provided to assist you in this 

process. 

Helpful “talking points” ( ) will summarize the main message for each topic. 

“Yes or No?” questions drawn from the “Every Business Should Have a Plan” brochure, a 

DHS publication available on the Ready Business Web site, will direct you to key elements 

of the plan. The brochure may be downloaded from Ready Business at www.ready.gov 

Where applicable, worksheets will follow each topic. Use the worksheets to help you take 

the all-important step of applying pencil to paper to create your plan. 

Supplemental hand-outs and a list of resources will provide direction for future activity. Add 

your own materials to the resources cited at the end of this mentoring guide, if applicable. 

The guide concludes with a final section, “Protect Your Investment,” which offers additional 

steps for you to take in support and furtherance of your emergency plan. 
Getting Started 

Objectives 

OObtain a basic overview of the steps necessary to prepare your business for emergencies. 

Begin developing a plan, using the Sample Emergency Plan provided in the appendix of 

this guide. 

Consider suggested activities, planning resources and informational materials that will help 

you take future action. 

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Talking Points 

How quickly you can get back to business after a terrorist attack or tornado, a fire or flood, 

depends on emergency planning done today. 

Although each situation is unique, any organization can be better prepared if it plans 

carefully, puts emergency procedures in place, and reviews and practices for all kinds of 

emergencies. 

Business preparedness can be complex, depending on the particular industry, size and 


scope of operations. But putting a plan in motion will improve the likelihood that your 


company will survive and recover.
 

Companies that already have their emergency plans in place can continue to help create 

a safer, stronger community and business environment by encouraging their employees to 

prepare at home and by mentoring other businesses in their supply chain. 

It is estimated that more than 85 percent of the nation’s critical infrastructure is owned and 

operated by the private sector. 

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9 

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GETTING STARTED 

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Worksheet: What are the Costs? 

Use this list as a quick gauge of your current level of preparedness. As you run down the 

list, ask how many commonsense precautions your business has already implemented. 

Remember that some recommendations can be followed at little or no cost. Other steps 

may require an investment. 

Many of these same items will be included in your emergency plan. 

Free 

Meet with your insurance provider to review current coverage. 

Create procedures to quickly evacuate and shelter-in-place. Practice the plans. 

Talk to your people about the company’s disaster plans. Two-way communication is central 

before, during and after a disaster. 

Create an emergency contact list including employee emergency contact information. 

Create a list of critical business contractors and others whom you will use in an emergency. 

Know what kinds of emergencies might affect your company both internally and externally. 

Decide in advance what you will do if your building is unusable. 

Create a list of inventory and equipment, including computer hardware, software and 

peripherals, for insurance purposes. 

Talk to utility service providers about potential alternatives and identify back-up options. 

Promote family and individual preparedness among your co-workers. Include emergency 

preparedness information during staff meetings, in newsletters, on company intranet, in 

periodic employee e-mails and through other internal communications tools. 

Less than $500 

Buy a fire extinguisher and smoke alarm. 

Decide which emergency supplies the company can feasibly provide, if any, and talk 

to your co-workers about what supplies individuals might want to consider keeping in a 

personal and portable supply kit. 

Set up a telephone call tree, password-protected page on the company Web site, e-mail 

alert or call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency. 

Provide first aid and CPR training to key co-workers. 

Use and keep up-to-date computer anti-virus software and firewalls. 

Attach equipment and cabinets to walls or other stable equipment. Place heavy or 

breakable objects on low shelves. 

Elevate valuable inventory and electric machinery off the floor in case of flooding. 

If applicable, make sure your building’s HVAC system is working properly and is wellmaintained. 

Backup your records and critical data. Keep a copy off-site. 

continued on next page 
GETTING STARTED Worksheet continued 

More than $500 

Consider additional insurance such as business interruption, flood or earthquake. 

Purchase, install and pre-wire a generator to the building’s essential electrical circuits. 

Provide for other utility alternatives and back-up options. 

Install automatic sprinkler systems, fire hoses and fire-resistant doors and walls. 

Make sure your building meets standards and codes. Consider using a professional 

engineer to evaluate the wind, fire or seismic resistance of your building. 

Consider using a security professional to evaluate and/or create your disaster preparedness 

and business continuity plan. 

Upgrade your building’s HVAC system to secure outdoor air intakes and increase filter 

effi ciency. 

Send safety and key emergency response employees to trainings or conferences. 

Provide a large group of employees with first aid and CPR training. 

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Take Away 

“Every Business Should Have a Plan” brochure is available for 

download from the Ready Business Web site. 

O This brochure outlines the information contained on the 

Ready Business Web site. 

O Ready Business presents a three-step plan for business 

emergency planners: “Plan to Stay in Business,” Talk to 

Your People” and “Protect Your Investment.” 

O The brochure may be downloaded from Ready Business at 

www.ready.gov 

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Sample Business Continuity 

and Disaster Preparedness Plan 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Sample Emergency Plan 

Available for download at www.ready.gov 

O Try to keep the plan as simple as possible so that it can be remembered and followed in 

an emergency. 

O The goal is to fill in as much of the plan as possible. It is okay to “pencil in” answers. What 

is important is to start thinking about preparedness and move forward in the process of 

developing a plan. 

Q Parts of the plan will likely be easy to fill in on the spot, since the information 

requested is data that would be “top of mind” for a business owner. 

Example: Designating a primary crisis manager and a back-up manager. 

Q Other parts may be partially answered, requiring follow-up in order to complete. 

Example: Compiling a list of suppliers and back-up contractors. 

Q Others may require more deliberate planning that would take place over a period 

of time. 

Example: Developing and implementing a shelter-in-place plan. 

O The Sample Emergency Plan is a template. It provides a basic framework that may require 

tailoring and customizing to fit your business’s specific needs. 

Q Your company’s actual plan may require that entries made today be expanded 

afterwards. 

Example: Your company’s communication plan, once it is developed, may 

require more than the two lines provided in the Sample Emergency Plan. 

O Approach the Sample Emergency Plan step-by-step. Each boldface item in the plan 

relates to a topic that is addressed in greater detail on the Ready Business Web site. 

Example: While the Sample Emergency Plan provides three lines for 

cyber security planning, cyber security is more fully discussed on the Web 

site, and includes links to other cyber-security sites. 

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11 
Page 1 Page 2 

Plan to Stay 

in Business 

Our Critical 

Operations 

Page 3 Page 6 

Suppliers and 

Contractors 

Records Backup 

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Sample Emergency Plan Page 1 — Plan to Stay in Business 

Page 2 — Our Critical Operations 

Page 3 — Suppliers and Contractors 

Page 6 — Records Backup 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Continuity of Operations Planning
 

Information Sheet: Prepare for Utility Disruptions
 
CONTINUITY OF 

OPERATIONS 

PLANNING 

Continuity of operations planning (sometimes referred to as “COOP”) involves looking at 	

your business from inside and out to determine the people, resources and procedures that 

are absolutely essential to keep your operation running. 

You should explore “what-if” scenarios, such as what to do if your place of business is 

not accessible, if a major supplier is shut down, if emergency financial decisions must be 

made, or if another person in the line of succession must assume management of the 

company. At the same time, taking a broad, commonsense approach will help manage 

emergencies that cannot be anticipated. 

Four parts of the Sample Emergency Plan ask for information that corresponds to the 

Ready Business Web site’s discussion of business continuity. 

Additional information is available in the “Protect Your Investment” section at the end of the 

guide in support and furtherance of your emergency plan. 

Yes or No? 

YN 

 T T 	 Have you identified the employee procedures that are absolutely necessary to keep 

operating? 

 T T 	 Do you have back-up plans for those operations? 

 T T 	 Do you know what you will do if your building is not accessible? 

 T T 	 Have you arranged for another firm to serve your customers or clients if you cannot? 

 T T 	 Do you know what to do if your suppliers are affected by a disaster? 

 T T 	 Do you back up your data in case computers or storage facilities are destroyed? 

Go to the Sample Emergency Plan and fill in the following sections. Use the worksheet and 

information sheet to improve your understanding of continuity of operations planning. 

O Plan to Stay in Business — page 1
 

Our Critical Operations — page 2
 

Suppliers and Contractors — page 3
 

Records Backup — page 6
 

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Continuity of operations planning — or COOP — involves looking at your business from 

inside and out to determine what is absolutely essential to keep your operation running. 

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13 
Worksheet: Continuity of Operations Planning 

O Carefully assess how your company functions, both internally and externally, to determine 

which staff, materials, procedures and equipment are absolutely necessary to keep the 

business operating. 

Q Review your business process flow chart if one exists. 

Q Identify operations critical to survival and recovery. 

Q Include emergency payroll, expedited financial decision making and accounting 

systems to track and document costs in the event of a disaster. 

Q Establish procedures for succession of management. Include at least one person 

who is not at the company headquarters, if applicable. 

Identify your suppliers, shippers, resources and other businesses you interact with on a 

daily basis. 

Q Develop professional relationships with more than one company in case your 

primary contractor cannot service your needs. A disaster that shuts down a key 

contractor can be devastating to your business. 

Q Create a contact list for existing critical business contractors and others you plan 

to use in an emergency. Keep this list with other important documents on file in 

your emergency supply kit and at an off-site location. 

Q Make a list of your most important customers and proactively plan ways to serve 

them during and after a disaster. 

Plan what you will do if your building, plant or store is not accessible. This type of planning 

is often referred to as a continuity of operations plan, or COOP, and includes all facets of 

your business. 

Q Consider if you can run the business from a different location or from your home. 

Q Develop relationships with other companies to use their facilities in case a disaster 

makes your location unusable. 

Plan for payroll continuity. 

Decide who should participate in putting together your emergency plan. 

Q Include co-workers from all levels in planning and as active members of the 

emergency management team. 

Q Consider a broad cross-section of people from throughout your organization, but 

focus on those with expertise vital to daily business functions. These will likely 

include people with technical skills as well as managers and executives. 

Q Include employees with special needs and consider their unique requirements. 

Define crisis management procedures and individual responsibilities in advance. 

Q Make sure those involved know what they are supposed to do. 

Q Train others in case you need back-up help. 

continued on next page 

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CONTINUITY OF 

OPERATIONS 

PLANNING 

Worksheet continued 

O Coordinate with others. 

Q Meet with other businesses in your building or industrial complex. 

Q Talk with first responders, emergency managers, community organizations and 

utility providers. 

Q Plan with your suppliers, shippers and other business associates. 

Q Share your plans and encourage other businesses to set in motion their continuity 

planning. Offer your help. 

O Communicate plans with employees and conduct practice drills. 

O Review your emergency plans annually. Just as your business changes over time, so do 

your preparedness needs. When you hire new employees or when there are changes in 

how your company functions, you should update your plans and inform your people. 

Information Sheet: Prepare for Utility Disruptions 

Businesses are often dependent on electricity, gas, telecommunications, sewer and other 

utilities. 

O Plan ahead for extended disruptions during and after a disaster. Carefully examine which 

utilities are vital to your business’s day-to-day operation. Speak with service providers 

about potential alternatives and identify back-up options. 

O Learn how and when to turn off utilities. If you turn the gas off, a professional must turn it 

back on. Do not attempt to turn the gas back on yourself. 

O Consider purchasing portable generators to power the vital aspects of your business in an 

emergency. Never use a generator inside as it may produce deadly carbon monoxide gas. 

It is a good idea to pre-wire the generator to the most important equipment. Periodically 

test the back-up system’s operability. 

O Decide how you will communicate with employees, customers, suppliers and others. Use 

cell phones, walkie-talkies or other devices that do not rely on electricity as a backup to 

your telecommunications system. 

O Plan a secondary means of accessing the Internet if it is vital to your company’s day-today operations. 

O If food storage or refrigeration is an issue for your business, identify a vendor in advance 

that sells ice and dry ice in case you cannot use refrigeration equipment. 

Next Steps 

O Discuss “what-if” scenarios with members of your emergency planning team. 

O Review your critical operations and discuss procedures to follow in the event of a disaster 

with the staff person in charge of each operation. 

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15 
Sample Emergency Plan Page 1 — Emergency Contact Information 

22667 User.indd 16 4/25/06 6:04:09 PM 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Testimonial: Aeneas 

Inadequate insurance coverage can adversely 


affect a business that is damaged or destroyed 


by a disaster, or has its operations interrupted.
 

Consider insurance-related issues such as the 


amount of deductibles, how you would meet 


payroll and pay creditors, and your business
 

financial needs in case a disaster hits. 


Yes or No? 

Y N

 T T 	 Does your company’s insurance provide adequate coverage for emergencies that may 

affect your business? 

 T T Have you reviewed your coverage within the last year? 

 T T 	 Have you reviewed and renewed provisions for other financial preparedness needs, such 

as arrangements for emergency finances and protection of vital records, 

within the past year? 
EMERGENCY CONTACT 

INFORMATION 

O

Testimonial: Aeneas 

“And because we were 

ready, our customers 

never knew the 

difference.” 

— Aeneas Internet and Telephone 

CEO Jonathan Harlan 

The people who work at Aeneas

Internet and Telephone of

Jackson, Tennessee, know what 

it’s like to have their business 

devastated by Mother Nature. 

Fortunately, because they had a 

disaster recovery plan, they also 

know what it’s like to recover 

from devastation. 

On May 4, 2003, Aeneas was among the more than 400 businesses in

Tennessee hit by an F4 tornado, packing winds greater than 200 miles 

per hour. The tornado resulted in eleven deaths and more than $50 

million in damage throughout the community. Aeneas Internet and

Telephone lost more than $1 million in hardware and software, and its 

home office was reduced to rubble. 

“There was nothing left of our building. Just piles of bricks and concrete. 

We lost everything,” said Aeneas Internet and Telephone CEO Jonathan

Harlan. “But back up systems were in place and our employees worked 

from other locations. And because we were ready, our customers never 

knew the difference.” 

Less than 72 hours later Aeneas was back, fully serving its clients’ needs. 

In fact, many of its smaller business and residential phone customers 

never lost their service. Aeneas had been able to protect itself against 

a worst case scenario because it had planned for a worst case scenario. 

Its business recovery plan was based on the idea that even if its facilities 

were destroyed and services halted, it would have back ups in place and 

ready to go. 

Through the recovery effort, Aeneas officials were careful to keep

customers abreast of their progress. Aeneas also benefited from the 

quick work and dynamic spirit of its employees and the local community 

who refused to let a tornado bring down what they had fought so hard

to build in the first place. 

Next Steps 

Review coverage with your insurance agent. Be sure you understand what is covered, 

including items that are excluded under your current policy. 

Find out what records your insurance company will need to see in the event of a disaster 

and store copies of the documents in a safe, off-site location. 

O

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17 
Sample Emergency Plan Page 2 — Be Informed 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Risk Assessment Survey 

Disaster preparedness includes both natural and 

man-made events ranging from floods and power 

outages to technological threats and terrorism. 

Being informed means knowing your risks and 

knowing what to do in different situations. Risk 

assessment can range from self-assessment to a 

sophisticated engineering analysis. 

Post-9/11 realities have heightened the concern 

for terrorist events. The Ready Business Web 

site includes information on chemical, biological, 

radiological and nuclear threats. Your business 

safety plan should include a review of how to 

properly respond to each of these events.

The Ready Business Web site also includes helpful information on coping with natural 

disasters and industrial hazards.

Yes or No? 

Y N 
 

 T T Do you know the risks that your business faces from natural and man-made disasters? 


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19 

Worksheet: Risk Assessment Survey 

Risk Level 

Possible Hazards atemoder

How Can I Reduce My Risk? and Emergencies none

w

hig

lo

Natural hazards 

 h

Floods TTTT ___________________________________ 

Hurricanes TTTT ___________________________________ 

Thunderstorms and 

lightning TTTT ___________________________________ 

Tornadoes TTTT ___________________________________ 

Winter storms and 

extreme cold TTTT ___________________________________ 

Extreme heat TTTT ___________________________________ 

Earthquakes TTTT ___________________________________ 

Volcanoes TTTT ___________________________________ 

Landslides and debris flow TTTT ___________________________________ 

Tsunamis TTTT _________________________________ 

Fires TTTT ___________________________________ 

Wildfires TTTT ___________________________________ 

Technological hazards 

Hazardous materials incidents TTTT ___________________________________ 

Nuclear power plants TTTT ___________________________________ 

Power outages TTTT ___________________________________ 

Cyber-security TTTT ___________________________________ 

Terrorism 

Explosions TTTT ___________________________________ 

Biological threats TTTT ___________________________________ 

Chemical threats TTTT ___________________________________ 

Nuclear blasts TTTT ___________________________________ 

Radiological Dispersion 

Device (RDD) TTTT ___________________________________ 

Local hazards specific to your business 

1. _______________________ TTTT ___________________________________ 

2. _______________________ TTTT ___________________________________ 

3. _______________________ TTTT ___________________________________ 

BE INFORMED 

22667 User.indd 19 4/25/06 6:04:18 PM 
BE INFORMED Next Steps 

O If you are uncertain about your risks, ask a local emergency manager about possible 

hazards or emergencies. 

OYou also can consult FEMA for hazard maps particular to your area. Go to www.fema.gov, 

select maps and follow the directions. 

O Conduct a similar brainstorming session with your company’s emergency team. Use the 

worksheet to record your findings and suggestions for reducing risk. 

22667 User.indd 20 4/25/06 6:04:27 PM 
Sample Emergency Plan 

Page 2 — Emergency Planning Team 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Involve Co-Workers in Emergency


 Planning
 

Rather than fill out a team roster immediately, 


consider the make-up of your team. What roles 


and responsibilities come to mind? Are certain 


employees are particularly well-suited for the team? 


What qualities and abilities make them a good fit?
 

Use the checklist to help determine who in the 


organization may already be handling similar 


responsibilities. The list also provides ideas about 


how to get employees more involved in emergency 


preparedness.
 

It is important that your company involve employees 


at every level so they are part of the effort to
 

prepare and protect their place of business; 


also consider all divisions of the business. 


Yes or No? 

Y N

 T T Does your business have an emergency planning team in place? 

 T T If not, is there anyone who has experience handling emergencies on behalf of the 

company? 

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21 
Worksheet: Involve Co Workers in Emergency Planning 

O Involve co-workers from all levels in emergency planning; identify employees with 

disabilities or other special needs and involve them in your emergency planning. 

Use newsletters, Intranet sites, staff meetings and other internal communications tools 

to communicate emergency plans and procedures. 

Set up procedures to warn employees. Plan how you will communicate with people who 

are hearing-impaired or have other disabilities, or who do not speak English. 

Set up a telephone call tree, password-protected page on the company’s Web site, email alert or call-in voice recording to communicate with employees during and after an 

emergency. 

Designate an out-of-town phone number where employees can leave an “I’m OK” 

message in a catastrophic disaster. Remember to minimize your calls and keep them 

short so others can get through. 

Encourage employees to have alternate means and routes for getting to and from work, 

in case their normal mode of transportation is interrupted. 

Keep a record of employee emergency contact information with other important 

documents in your emergency kit and at an off-site location. 

If you rent, lease or share space with other businesses, it is important to communicate, 

share and coordinate evacuation procedures and other emergency plans. 

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

Next Step 

22667 User.indd 22 4/25/06 6:04:39 PM 

Establish an emergency planning team that involves employees at all levels. 
23 

Sample Emergency Plan 

Page 4 — Evacuation Plan 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Make an Evacuation Plan
 

Testimonial: Morgan Stanley
 

Information Sheets: People with Disabilities
 

High-Rise Buildings 

When disaster strikes, one of the most critical
 

decisions to make is whether to remain on-site or to
 

evacuate the premises.
 

Local authorities may not always be able to provide 


you immediate information about what is happening 

or what action you should take. Nevertheless, 


monitor local television and radio reports for official
 

information as it becomes available.
 

If officially advised to evacuate, shelter-in-place or
 

seek medical treatment, do so immediately.


Yes or No? 

Y N 

 T T Does your company currently have a formal plan to evacuate the premises?

T T Are employees trained to follow the plan in case of emergency? 

T T Are evacuation routes clearly posted? 

T T Do you regularly practice evacuation procedures? 

 

Review the “Make an Evacuation Plan” worksheet before attempting to complete page 4 of the 

Sample Emergency Plan. Even if your business has an evacuation plan, there may be important 

steps that have been overlooked. 

Worksheet: 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. People who plan and practice how 

they will get out of the building in an emergency are better prepared than those who do not 

have an exit strategy. 

1. If feasible, develop a system for knowing who is in your building, including customers and 

visitors, so that all can be accounted for in case there is an emergency. 

continued on next page 

22667 User.indd 23 4/25/06 6:04:42 PM 
Worksheet continued 

22667 User.indd 24 4/25/06 6:04:47 PM 

2. Decide in advance who has the authority to order an evacuation. Create a chain of command 

so that others are authorized to act in case your designated person is not available. If local 

officials tell you to evacuate, do so immediately. 

3. Identify who will shut down critical operations and lock the doors, if possible, during an evacuation. 

Q Train others who can serve as a backup if the designated person is unavailable. 

Q Write down, distribute and practice evacuation procedures. 

4. Locate and make copies of building and site maps with critical utility and emergency routes 

clearly marked. 

Q Identify and clearly mark entry-exit points both on the maps and throughout the building. 

Q Post maps for quick reference by employees. 

Q Keep copies of building and site maps with your crisis management plan and other 

important documents in your emergency supply kit and also at an off-site location. 

Q Make copies available to first responders or other emergency personnel. 

5. Plan two ways out of the building from different locations throughout your facility. 

6. Consider the feasibility of installing emergency lighting or plan to use flashlights in case the 

power goes out. 

7. Establish a warning system. 

Q Test systems frequently. 

Q Plan to communicate with people who are hearing-impaired or have other disabilities 

and those who do not speak English. 

8. Designate an assembly site. 

Q Pick one location near your facility and another in the general area in case you have to 

move farther away. 

Q Talk to your people in advance about the importance of letting someone know if they 

cannot get to the assembly site or if they must leave it. 

Q Be sure the assembly site is away from traffic lanes and is safe for pedestrians. 

9. Try to account for all workers, visitors and customers as people arrive at the assembly site. 

Take a head count. 

Q Use a prepared roster or checklist. 

Q Ask everyone to let others know if they are leaving the assembly site. 

10. Determine who is responsible for providing an all-clear or return-to-work notification. Plan 

to cooperate with local authorities responding to an emergency. 

11. Plan for people with disabilities who may need help getting out in an emergency. 

12. If your business operates out of more than one location or has more than one place where 

people work, establish evacuation procedures for each individual building. 

13. 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. 

14. If you rent, lease or share space with other businesses make sure the building owner and 

other companies are committed to coordinating and practicing evacuation procedures 

together. 
25 

EVACUATION PLAN 

22667 User.indd 25 4/25/06 6:04:48 PM 

Testimonial: 

Morgan Stanley 

Practice Pays: 

Morgan Stanley and the 

September 11, 2001, 

Terrorist Attacks 

In 1993, when terrorists attacked 

the World Trade Center for the 

first time, financial services

company Morgan Stanley learned

a life saving lesson. It took the 

company 4 hours that day to 

evacuate its employees, some of

whom had to walk down 60 or 

more flights of stairs to safety. 

While none of Morgan Stanley’s employees were killed in the attack, 

the company’s management decided its disaster plan just wasn’t good 

enough. 

Morgan Stanley took a close look at its operation, analyzed the potential 

disaster risk and developed a multi faceted disaster plan. Perhaps just 

as importantly, it practiced the plan frequently to provide for employee 

safety in the event of another disaster. 

On September 11, 2001, the planning and practice paid off. Immediately 

after the first hijacked plane struck One World Trade Center, Morgan

Stanley security executives ordered the company’s 3800 employees to 

evacuate from World Trade Center buildings, Two and Five. This time, 

it took them just 45 minutes to get out to safety! 

The crisis management did not stop at that point, however. Morgan

Stanley offered grief counseling to workers and increased its security

presence. It also used effective communications strategies to provide

timely, appropriate information to management and employees, 

investors and clients, and regulators and the media. 

Morgan Stanley still lost 13 people on September 11th, but many more

could have died if the company had not had a solid disaster plan that was

practiced over and over again. In making a commitment to prepare its

most valuable asset, its people, Morgan Stanley ensured the firm’s future. 
EVACUATION PLAN 

Information Sheet: People with Disabilities 

Talk to co-workers with disabilities. If you have employees with disabilities ask what assistance 

is needed. People with disabilities typically know what assistance they will need in an 

emergency. 

O Identify co-workers in your organization with special needs. 

O Engage people with disabilities in emergency planning. 

O Ask about communication difficulties, physical limitations, equipment instructions and 

medication procedures. 

O Identify people willing to help co-workers with disabilities and be sure they are able to 

handle the job. This is particularly important if someone needs to be lifted or carried. 

O Plan how you will alert people who cannot hear an alarm or emergency instructions. 

Information Sheet: High Rise Buildings 

O Note where the closest emergency exit is. 

O Be sure you know another way out in case your first choice is blocked. 

O Take cover under a desk or table if things are falling. 

O Move away from file cabinets, bookshelves or other things that might fall. 

O Face away from windows and glass. 

O Move away from exterior walls. 

O Determine if you should stay put, “shelter-in-place” or get away. 

O Listen for and follow instructions. 

O Take your emergency supply kit, unless there is reason to believe it has been contaminated. 

O Do not use elevators. 

O Stay to the right while going down stairwells to allow emergency workers to come up. 

Next Steps 

O Review and practice the evacuation plan at your business location.
 

O Conduct employee training, exercises and drills.
 

O Plan for people with disabilities who may need help getting out in an emergency.
 

22667 User.indd 26 4/25/06 6:04:49 PM 
27 

Sample Emergency Plan Page 5 — Shelter-in-Place Plan 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Shelter-in-Place Plan 

Information Sheet: Shelter-in-Place “Seal the 

Room” Diagram 

Deciding whether to stay or go is a critical, 

potentially life-saving call. If you are officially 

instructed by local authorities to either evacuate or 

shelter-in-place, do so immediately. 

Shelter-in-place planning requires a high level of 

preparedness, particularly in situations where a 

decision is made to “seal the room” to create a 

barrier against contaminated outside air. 

It should be noted that employees cannot be forced 

to shelter. Planning and effective communication 

with employees will avoid confusion in the event of 

an emergency.

Yes or No? 

Y N 

T T Does your company have a shelter-in-place plan to protect employees in the event they 

need to remain inside the building during an emergency? 

T T 	 If so, are your employees familiar with the plan? 

	 

22667 User.indd 27 4/25/06 6:04:54 PM 
Worksheet: Shelter in Place Plan 

There may be situations when it is best to stay where you are to avoid any uncertainty outside. 

There are other circumstances, such as during a tornado or a chemical incident, when specifically 

how and where you take shelter is a matter of survival. You should understand the different 

threats and plan for all possibilities. If you are instructed by local authorities to take shelter, do so 

immediately. 

1. If feasible, develop a system for knowing who is in your building in case there is an 

emergency. 

2. Establish a warning system. 

Q Test systems frequently. 

Q Plan to communicate with people who have hearing impairments or other disabilities 

or who do not speak English. 

3. Account for all workers, visitors and customers as people arrive in the shelter. 

Q Take a head count. 

Q Use a prepared roster or checklist. 

Q In general, employees cannot be forced to shelter. However, there are circumstances 

when local officials will order that everyone stay put. It is important to speak with your 

co-workers in advance about sheltering to avoid confusion and allow for cooperation 

in the event you need to shelter-in-place. 

4. Assign specific duties to employees in advance and create checklists for each 

responsibility. Designate and train employee alternates in case the assigned person is 

not there or is injured. 

5. Get emergency supply kits and keep them in your shelter locations. 

6. Practice your shelter-in-place plan on a regular basis. 

Determine where you will take shelter in case of a tornado warning. 

1. Storm cellars or basements provide the best tornado protection. 

2. If underground shelter is not available, go into an interior room or hallway on the lowest 

floor possible. 

3. In a high-rise building, go to a small interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible. 

4. Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls. Go to the center of the room. Stay 

away from corners because they attract debris. 

5. Stay in the shelter location until the danger has passed. 

Seal the Room 

If local authorities believe the air is badly contaminated with an agent released from a chemical 

manufacturing plant, for example, you may be instructed to take shelter and “seal the room” in 

an inside room on a higher floor. The process used to seal the room is considered a temporary 

protective measure to create a barrier between your people and potentially contaminated air 

outside. It is a type of sheltering that requires preplanning. 

Make a Shelter-in-Place Plan 

continued on next page 

22667 User.indd 28 4/25/06 6:04:59 PM 
SHELTER IN PLACE 

PLAN 

22667 User.indd 29 4/25/06 6:05:00 PM 

29 

Worksheet continued 

1. Identify a location to “seal the room” in advance. 

Q If feasible, choose an interior room, such as a break room or conference room, 

with as few windows and doors as possible. 

Q If your business is located on more than one floor or in more than one building, 

identify multiple shelter locations. 

2. To “seal the room” effectively: 

Q Close the business and bring everyone inside. 

Q Lock doors, close windows, air vents and fireplace dampers. 

Q Turn off fans, air conditioning and forced air heating systems. 

Q Take your emergency supply kit unless you have reason to believe it has been 

contaminated. 

Q Go into an interior room, such as a break room or conference room, with few 

windows, if possible. 

Q Seal all windows, doors and air vents with plastic sheeting and duct tape. Measure, 

cut and label the sheeting in advance to save time. 

Q Be prepared to improvise and use what you have on hand to seal gaps so that you 

create a barrier between yourself and any contamination. 

Q Local authorities may not immediately be able to provide information on what is 

happening and what you should do. However, you should watch television, listen 

to the radio or check the Internet often for official news and instructions as they 

become available. 
Next Steps 

Information Sheet: Shelter in Place “Seal the Room” Diagram 

O Cover all doors, windows and vents with 2–4 mil. thick plastic sheeting. 

O Cut the plastic sheeting several inches wider than the openings and label each sheet. 

O Duct tape plastic at corners first and then tape down all edges. 

O Review and practice the shelter-in-place plan at your business location.
 

O Organize an emergency team that understands procedures to shelter-in-place.
 

O Identify special needs of employees and ensure that they are provided assistance in case 


of a shelter-in-place emergency; include these employees in your planning process. 

O If you are in the process of expanding, changing locations or building new facilities, you 

may want to consider constructing a special shelter-in-place room. For more information, 

visit www.fema.gov/mit/saferoom. 

22667 User.indd 30 4/25/06 6:05:01 PM 
31 

Sample Emergency Plan Page 5 — Emergency Supplies 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Emergency Supplies Checklist 

You should let employees know what emergency 


supplies the company will store on location so that

individuals may consider if there are other items
 

they need to include for their personal protection.
 

Remember that emergency supplies should
 

include a battery-operated All Hazards NOAA
 

Weather Radio for weather alerts and a 


commercial radio for news and information from 


local authorities.
 

Keep essential documents such as building 

plans, insurance documents, supplier contracts, 

employee contact information and computer 

 


backup tapes in a waterproof, fireproof container. Store a duplicate set of these same items 

at an off-site location. 

In addition to emergency supplies that the company can feasibly keep on hand, encourage 

workers to maintain their own kit, including such things as medications, mini-flashlight, 

emergency whistle, water, snacks, etc.

Yes or No? 

Y N 

T T	 In addition to a basic first-aid kit, does your company store and maintain emergency 

supplies that could be useful in the event of a disaster? 

T T	 Do you protect documents essential to business continuity at work and at an off-site 

location? 

Worksheet: Emergency Supplies Checklist 

On next page; also available for download at www.ready.gov 

O This list is a starting point. Add items that might be appropriate to your particular business 

and the needs of employees. 

22667 User.indd 31 4/25/06 6:05:05 PM 
Emergency Supplies

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 the following:

Water, amounts for portable kits will vary. Individuals should determine

what amount they are able to both store comfortably and to transport to

other locations. If it is feasible, store one gallon of water per person per

day, for drinking and sanitation

Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

Battery-powered radio and extra batteries

Flashlight and extra batteries

First Aid kit

Whistle to signal for help

Dust or filter masks, readily available in hardware stores, which are

rated based on how small a particle they filter

Moist towelettes for sanitation

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)

Plastic sheeting and duct tape to "seal the room"

Garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation

Emergency Supplies

Next Steps 

O Review the emergency supply list and add additional items that fit your particular situation. 

O Encourage employees to put together their own emergency preparedness kit. 

22667 User.indd 32 4/25/06 6:05:12 PM 
33 

Sample Emergency Plan Page 6 — Communications 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Develop a Crisis Communication Plan 

Testimonial: Equity Technologies 

The ability to effectively communicate with 

employees, customers, local authorities and the 

public during an emergency can make a major 

difference in how well your company is able to 

recover from disaster. 

Encourage open communication from employees 

concerning procedures before, during and after an 

emergency.

Yes or No? 

 Y N 

 T T Does your business regularly include emergency preparedness and safety information in 

company communications, including web pages, newsletters and e-mails? 

Worksheet: Develop a Crisis Communication Plan 

1. Employees: Be prepared to provide employees with information on when, if and how to 

report to work following an emergency. 

Q Set up a telephone call tree, password-protected page on the company Web site, 

an e-mail alert or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an 

emergency. 

Q Be clear on how their jobs may be affected. 

2. Management: Provide top company executives with all relevant information needed for 

the protection of employees, customers, vendors and nearby facilities. 

3. Public: It may be important to update the general public with calm assurance that 

all resources are being used to protect workers and the community. Being able to 

communicate that plans are in place for recovery may be especially important. 

4. Customers: Update your customers on whether and when products will be received and 

services rendered. 

5. Government: Tell officials what your company is prepared to do to help in the recovery 

effort. Also communicate with local, state and federal authorities what emergency 

assistance is needed for you to continue essential business activity. 

6. Other Businesses/Immediate Neighbors: You should be prepared to give competing and 

neighboring companies a prompt briefing on the nature of the emergency so they may 

be able to assess their own threat levels. 

22667 User.indd 33 4/25/06 6:05:16 PM 
Testimonial: Equity Technologies 

“It wasn’t hard to put 

together a plan, you 

just have to make it a 

priority.” 

— President and CEO 

Cathy Anderson Giles 

O

O

22667 User.indd 34 4/25/06 6:05:21 PM 

Equity Technologies Corporation

knows what it means to be

prepared. Located in Mobile,

Alabama, the company has long 

had plans and procedures in

place to counter the threat posed 

by hurricanes and other severe

weather. For instance, Equity

Technologies promotes family

and individual preparedness and

has set up a means of communicating with employees when dangerous 

weather threatens. Employees carry laminated cards with contact 

information for supervisors and a voice recorded call in number with

updates about the company’s status. 

But it was the risk of Y2K related disturbances that motivated Equity

Technologies to get serious about its disaster preparedness and business 

continuity plans. “We are a small company which does business around

the world. To be competitive my clients must feel confident that we are 

ready for anything,” said Equity Technologies Corporation’s President

and CEO Cathy Anderson Giles. “It wasn’t hard to put together a plan, 

you just have to make it a priority.” 

First the company identified workers to serve as key contacts for the 

72-employee operation. These key contacts then established safety

and security teams which analyzed Equity Technologies Corporation’s

entire emergency process. 

The teams realized that communication between the company and the 

outside world was the single most important operational factor in an

emergency. As a result, Equity Technologies purchased generators to 

power the phone system during utility outages and trained co workers 

to set them up within seven minutes. Not only does the company have

emergency plans and procedures in place, it has made a commitment to 

review the plans and tools each year at the start of the hurricane season. 

“We have the annual review on our corporate calendar,” said Anderson

Giles. “Being prepared means being ready for any kind of emergency, be 

it hurricane, utility disruption or man made disaster.” 

Next Steps 

Include safety and preparedness information in future company communications. 

Identify employees with disabilities or special communication needs and involve them in 

your planning. 
35 

Sample Emergency Plan Page 6 — Cyber Security 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Improving Cyber Security 

The issue of computer security is an everyday 


problem that most people are familiar with 


on a personal level. Because computers are 


the lifeblood of many operations, it is vital that 


companies address cyber security.
 

Every computer is vulnerable to cyber-security 


threats. While some protections can be highly 


technical and expensive, even the smallest
 

business can benefit from taking measures to
 

guard against computer hacking and viruses.


Yes or No? 

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

22667 User.indd 35 4/25/06 6:05:24 PM 

 Y N 

 T T Do you regularly install security patches to your software? 

 T T Have you installed a firewall to your network? 

 T T Do you update your anti-virus software? 

Worksheet: Improving Cyber Security 

Use anti-virus software and keep it up to date. 

Do not open e-mail from unknown or unwanted sources. 

Use hard-to-guess passwords. 

Protect your computer from Internet intruders by using firewalls. 

Back-up your data. 

Regularly download security update patches. 

Check your computer operations security on a regular basis. 

Train personnel on steps to take should the computer system become infected, or 

designate an in-house contact should a cyber-security problem arise. 
Next Steps 

O Use the online resources of the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (www.us-cert. 

gov). This is a partnership between DHS and public and private sectors. The team was 

established to protect the nation’s Internet infrastructure through coordinated defense 

against and responses to cyber attacks. 

O Consider signing up for the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Alert 

System (www.us-cert.gov) to receive free, timely alerts on new threats and to learn how to 

better protect your area of cyberspace. 

OReview Common Sense Guide to Cyber Security for Small Businesses, Recommended 

Actions for Information Security, First Edition, March 2004. Available for download at 

www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/CSG-small-business.pdf. 

22667 User.indd 36 4/25/06 6:05:32 PM 
37 

Sample Emergency Plan 

Page 7 — Promote Preparedness and 

Support Employee Health 

After a Disaster Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Support Employee Health 

Encouraging your employees to prepare for 

emergencies helps individuals and families 

minimize the impact a disaster may have 

on their lives. In the event of a disaster, 

employees will be able to re-establish routines 

faster and the company as a whole will be 

able to recover more quickly. 

People who experience a disaster may 

have special recovery needs. For example, 

someone recovering from a devastating flood 

may have to re-establish themselves and their 

family in a new living situation, and will likely 

need extra time in the transition. Be prepared 

to support employee health after a disaster.

Yes or No? 

Y N 

 T T 	 Does your company keep emergency contact information on hand that is readily 

retrievable in the event of an emergency? 

 T T 	 Has the information been updated recently? 

 T T 	 Is this information also kept off-site with other parts of your emergency plan? 

 T T 	 Do you encourage employees to make a personal emergency supply kit and a family 

communication plan? 

22667 User.indd 37 4/25/06 6:05:34 PM 
22667 User.indd 38 4/25/06 6:05:40 PM 

Worksheet: Support Employee Health 

Re-establishing routines, including getting back to work, is important to the well-being of people 

who have experienced disasters. If individuals and families are prepared, your company and your 

co-workers are better positioned in an emergency situation. 

Support Employee Health After a Disaster: 

O Encourage adequate food, rest and recreation. 

Provide for time at home to care for family needs, if necessary. 

Have an open-door policy that facilitates seeking care when needed. 

Create opportunities for breaks where co-workers can talk openly about their fears and 

hopes. Sharing with others can speed personal recovery. 

Reassure one another that families will be supported. Worries about family well-being 

can consume workers who have experienced a disaster. 

Re-establish routines, when possible. Workplace routines facilitate recovery by providing 

an opportunity to be active and to restore social contact. 

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

Once the need to listen for emergency instructions has passed, limit television, radio and 

other external stresses. 

Take care of yourself. Leaders tend to experience added stress after a disaster. Your 

personal health and recovery is important to your family and your employees. 

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

Next Steps 

Visit www.ready.gov (Ready America) for general preparedness instructions and 

information. 

Encourage your employees and their families to “Get a Kit, Make a Plan, Be Informed.” 

Call 1-800-BE-READY for a free brochure. 

Review Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness, available at www. 

fema.gov/areyouready or by calling (800) 480-2520. Also available upon request is the 

Are You Ready? Facilitator Guide, an aid to presenting preparedness information to 

employees and small groups. 

Have employees test their knowledge of preparedness by taking an Are You Ready? 

independent study course online at www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is22.asp. 

Include emergency preparedness information in newsletters, company Intranet, 

employee e-mails and other internal communications. 

Review Preparing Makes Sense Brochure. Available for download at 

www.ready.gov 

Review Family Communications Plan. Available for download at 

www.ready.gov 
39 

Sample Emergency Plan 

Page 7 — Annual Review 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheet: Practice the Plan with Co-Workers 

Testimonial: Childs Capital, LLC 

The last item in the Sample Emergency 

Plan simply asks that businesses review 

their plan annually. Do more than just look 

the plan over, though. Review the plan, 

and practice what to do in the event of an 

emergency through drills and exercises.

Yes or No? 

 Y N 

 T T Has your company’s emergency plan been updated within the last year? 


 T T Have you practiced an emergency plan within that time? 


 T T Do you practice or coordinate with other companies in your building or business center? 


Worksheet: Practice the Plan with Co-Workers 

O If you rent, lease or share office space, coordinate and practice evacuation and other 

emergency plans with other businesses in your building or facility. 

Conduct regularly scheduled education and training seminars to provide co-workers with 

information, identify needs and develop preparedness skills. 

Include preparedness training in new employee orientation programs. 

Do tabletop exercises with members of the emergency management team. Meet in a 

conference room setting to discuss individual responsibilities and how each would react to 

emergency scenarios. 

Schedule walk-through drills where the emergency management team and response teams 

actually perform their designated emergency functions. This activity generally involves more 

people and is more thorough than a tabletop exercise. 

Practice evacuating and sheltering. Have all personnel walk the evacuation route to a 

designated area where procedures for accounting for all personnel are tested. Practice your 

shelter-in-place plan. 

Evaluate and revise processes and procedures based on lessons learned in training and 

exercises. 

Keep training records. 

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

22667 User.indd 39 4/25/06 6:05:42 PM 
Testimonial: Childs Capital, LLC 

“We had trained in 

advance and knew what 

to do.” 

— Founder and CEO Donna Childs 

22667 User.indd 40 4/25/06 6:05:50 PM 

Many small businesses struggled 

to recover after the terrorist 

attacks of September 11th,

but one small company with a 

comprehensive contingency plan

was back in business within a 

week. 

Childs Capital, LLC, a company

that specializes in international economic development, is located very

near Ground Zero. The company’s chief executive officer was in the 

World Trade Center when the first plane hit. “I immediately called the 

office and told them that it wasn’t safe, then ordered an evacuation and 

initiated our emergency plan,” said Childs Capital Founder and CEO 

Donna Childs. “We had trained in advance and knew what to do.” 

As the dust settled, Childs Capital still had to cope with major disruptions 

to power, telephone, water and other utilities. “Our building had a back

up generator that allowed us to run some of the computers, but we had 

planned to rely on battery powered laptops,” said Childs. Childs Capital 

was back in business, albeit in a limited capacity, within a week. 

It took the company less than a month to get back to full operation. 

“I used to be in the reinsurance business and I knew exactly how to 

document the expenses we were incurring,” said Childs. “Our insurance 

company paid in full in three days of submission and we were back in

business.” 
41 

Protect Your Investment 

Supplemental material for this section: 

Worksheets:	 Insurance Discussion Form 

Computer Inventory Form 

Secure Facilities, Buildings and Plants 

Assess Building Air Protection 

At this stage, you should have started a first draft of the Sample Emergency Plan. 

In addition to creating a plan, there are a number of practical steps you should also 

consider to safeguard the company and secure its physical assets. 

The “Protect Your Investment” section provides information about other preparedness 

actions your business should implement in support and furtherance of the emergency 

plan. 

Worksheet: Insurance Discussion Form 

On next page; also available for download at www.ready.gov 

O Inadequate insurance coverage can lead to major financial loss if your business is 

damaged, destroyed or simply interrupted for a period of time. 

Review coverage with your insurance agent. Be sure you understand what is covered, 

including items that are excluded under your current policy. 

O

22667 User.indd 41 4/25/06 6:05:53 PM 
Insurance Discussion Form
 

Open for Business Worksheet

Insurance Coverage Discussion Form

Use this form to discuss your insurance coverage with your agent. Having adequate coverage now will

help you recover more rapidly from a catastrophe.

Insurance Agent:

Address:

Phone: ___________________ Fax: _______________________ Email: ____________________

INSURANCE POLICY INFORMATION

Type of Insurance Policy No. Deductibles Policy Limits Coverage

(General Description)

Do you need Flood Insurance? Yes __ No __

Do you need Earthquake Insurance? Yes __ No __

Do you need Business Income and Extra Expense Insurance? Yes __ No __

Other disaster-related insurance questions:

22667 User.indd 42 4/25/06 6:06:00 PM 
O

O

PROTECT YOUR 

Worksheet: Computer Inventory Form INVESTMENT 

Below; also available for download at www.ready.gov 

Maintaining accurate records and safeguarding them in an emergency is an 

important element of ensuring adequate insurance coverage. 

Find out what records your insurance company will need to see in the event of a 

disaster and store copies of the documents in a safe, off-site location. 

Computer Inventory Form
 

Open for Business Worksheet

Computer Hardware Inventory

Use this form to:

* Log your computer hardware serial and model numbers. Attach a copy of your vendor documentation to this document.

* Record the name of the company from which you purchased or leased this equipment and the contact name to notify for

your computer repairs.

* Record the name of the company that provides repair and support for your computer hardware.

Make additional copies as needed.

Keep one copy of this list in a secure place on your premises and another in an off-site location.

HARDWARE INVENTORY LIST

Hardware (CPU, Monitor,

Printer, Keyboard, Mouse)

Hardware Size,

RAM & CPU

Capacity

Model

Purchased

Serial

Number

Date

Purchased Cost

22667 User.indd 43 4/25/06 6:06:03 PM 

43 
Worksheet: Secure Facilities, Buildings and Plants 

While there is no way to predict what will happen or what your business’s circumstances will 

be, there are things you can do in advance to help protect your physical assets. 

O Install fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in appropriate places. 

O Locate and make available building and site maps with critical utility and emergency 

routes clearly marked. 

Q Plan to provide a copy to fire fighters or other first responders in the event of a disaster. 

Q Keep copies of these documents with your emergency plan and other important 

documents in your emergency supply kit. 

O Consider if you could benefit from automatic fire sprinklers, alarm systems, closed circuit 

TV, access control, security guards or other security systems. 

O Secure ingress and egress. Consider all the ways in which people, products, supplies and 

other things get into and leave your building or facility. 

O Plan for mail safety. The nation’s battle against terrorism takes place on many fronts, 

including the mailrooms of U.S. companies. A properly informed and well-trained work 

force can overcome such threats. 

Q Teach employees to be able to quickly identify suspect packages and letters. Warning 

signs include: 

X Misspelled words 

X No return address 

X Excessive use of tape 

X Strange discoloration or odor 

Q The United States Postal Service (www.usps.com) suggests that if a suspect letter or 

package is identified: 

X Do not open, smell, touch or taste 

X Immediately isolate suspect packages and letters 

X Move out of the area and do not let others in 

X Quickly wash with soap and water and remove contaminated clothing 

X Contact local law enforcement authorities 

Q Post emergency numbers for easy reference. 

O Identify what production machinery, computers, custom parts or other essential equipment 

is needed to keep the business open. 

Q Plan how to replace or repair vital equipment if it is damaged or destroyed. 

Q Identify more than one supplier who can replace or repair your equipment. 

O Store extra supplies, materials and equipment for use in an emergency. 

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

Q Consider if you can run the business from a different location or from your home. 

Q Develop relationships with other companies to use their facilities in case a disaster 

makes your location unusable. 

O Identify and comply with all local, state and federal codes and other safety regulations that 

apply to your business. 

O Talk to your insurance provider about what impact any of these steps may have on your 

policy. 

22667 User.indd 44 4/25/06 6:06:09 PM 
Worksheet: Assess Building Air Protection 

In some emergencies, microscopic particles may be released into the air. A building can provide 

a barrier between contaminated air outside and people inside, but there are ways to improve 

building air protection. 

Depending on the size of the building and the design and layout of the Heating, Ventilating and 

Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system, there may be simple steps building owners and managers can 

take to help protect people from some airborne threats. 

O Know the HVAC system. 

Q Building owners, managers and employers should take a close look at the site’s 

system and be sure it is working properly and is well maintained. 

Q Be sure any security measures do not adversely impact air quality or fire safety. 

O Develop and practice shut-down procedures for the HVAC system. 

O Secure outdoor air intakes. HVAC systems can be an entry point and means of 

distributing biological, chemical and radiological threats. 

Q Limit access to air intake locations to protect the people inside a building from 

airborne threats. Air intakes at or below ground level are most vulnerable because 

anyone can gain easy access. 

Q Consider relocating or extending an exposed air intake, but do not permanently 

seal it. 

O Determine if you can feasibly upgrade the building’s filtration system. 

Q Increasing filter efficiency is one of the few things that can be done in advance 

to consistently protect people inside a building from biological and some other 

airborne threats. 

Q Carefully consider the highest filtration efficiency that will work with a building’s 

HVAC system. 

O HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrester) Filter Fans: These individual units have 

highly efficient filters that can capture very tiny particles, including many biological 

agents. Once trapped within a HEPA filter, contaminants cannot get into your body 

and make you sick. While these filters are excellent at filtering dander, dust, molds, 

smoke, many biological agents and other contaminants, they will not stop chemical 

gases. 

PROTECT YOUR 

INVESTMENT 

22667 User.indd 45 4/25/06 6:06:10 PM 

45 
Resource Listing 

Emergency Planning and Business Continuity 

O	 American Red Cross: Business and Industry Guide 

Provides suggestions for emergency planning in advance of a disaster, including 

recommendations regarding employees, computers, inventory, insurance, emergency supplies, 

building protection and customer safety. 

O	 Business Executives for National Security (BENS): Getting Ready: Company Primer 

on Preparedness and Response Planning for Terrorist and Bioterrorist Attacks 

Provides information on the types of terrorist attacks, especially those involving bioterrorism 

and using various potential biological agents and methods of attack. Includes treatment and 

control options. Also provides background information on local-state-federal governmental 

relationships and emergency response under a public health emergency, company procedures 

for recognizing and responding to bioterrorist attacks, and guidelines for maintaining business 

functions after a terrorist attack. 

O	 FEMA: Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry 

Provides step-by-step advice on creating and maintaining a comprehensive emergency 

management program, or assessing and updating an existing company emergency 

management plan. Provides information on how to build emergency management capabilities in 

key response functional areas such as life safety, property protection and community outreach, 

in addition to hazard-specific information. 

O	 FEMA: State Offices and Agencies of Emergency Management 

Provides state emergency management organizations’ geographical mailing addresses, phone 

numbers and email address links. 

22667 User.indd 46 4/25/06 6:06:11 PM 
RESOURCE LISTING 

O To utilize these resources 

please visit the Ready 

Business Knowledge 

Center at: www.ready.gov 

Institute for Business and Home Safety: Open for Business 

Provides information and recommendations regarding business continuity and emergency 

planning, including worksheets for developing contact information on business suppliers, 

customers, public and private sector emergency response related agencies, and businesses 

(e.g., gas/heat and electric companies). 

Also provides information collection worksheets and checklists for disaster supplies, insurance 

coverage, creditors, computer hardware, software and peripherals inventories, as well as natural 

disaster hazard and business building protection measures by geographic region, plus a list 

of business continuity and preparedness measures grouped by cost level ($0, <$500, >$500). 

Web site also includes links for obtaining Disaster Recovery Folder and one-page Getting Back 

to Business brochure. 

O Michigan State University: Critical Incident Protocol: A Public and Private Partnership, 

Office of Domestic Preparedness, U.S. Department of Justice 

Provides lessons learned information on establishing public-private partnerships in advance 

of a disaster by conducting individual and joint public/private evaluations of risk factors and 

subsequent joint emergency plans, facilitating business resumption and recovery, developing 

training exercises on joint plans, and incorporating mitigation throughout these processes to 

help prevent disasters or reduce their impacts. 

O National Fire Protection Association: 1600 Standard on Disaster/Emergency 

Management and Business Continuity Programs 2004 Edition 

Establishes and provides common set of criteria for disaster management, emergency 

management and business continuity programs for public and private sector use in assessing 

current mitigation, preparedness response, and recovery programs, or developing these 

programs. Focuses on emergency management plan elements including direction and 

control, communications and warning, operations and procedures, logistics and facilities, 

training, exercises, evaluations, corrective actions, crisis communications, and finance and 

administration. 

22667 User.indd 47 4/25/06 6:06:12 PM 

47 
O OSHA: How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations 

Provides business emergency planning guidance including OSHA legal emergency planning, 

toxic substances, hazard notification and response requirements. Also has good practice 

recommendations including suggested responder roles, evacuation route development 

and dissemination, medical care and first aid services or arrangements, employee locating 

techniques, training, emergency equipment, and coordination with external organizations and 

agencies. 

O OSHA: Emergency Preparedness and Response 

Provides the basic steps for handling workplace emergencies including accidental releases of 

toxic gases, chemical spills, fires, explosions, and bodily harm and trauma caused by workplace 

violence. OSHA requirements and guidance information are for small businesses that do 

not have safety and health professionals, and includes information on written and oral plan 

requirements, as well as recommendations regarding emergency response chain of command, 

communications, emergency response teams and training. 

O Small Business Administration: Get Ready-Be Prepared 

Provides a list of emergency preparedness questions, concerns and recommendations for small 

business, as well as links to related SBA, FEMA, and Institute for Business and Home Safety 

Web sites. 

O Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness 

FEMA’s most comprehensive source on individual, family and community preparedness. The 

guide was revised, updated and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most 

current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available. 

O Are You Ready? Facilitator Guide 

Call (800) 480-2520 to request copy 

A tool for those interested in delivering Are You Ready? content in a small group or classroom 

setting. The Facilitator Guide is an easy-to-use manual that has instruction modules for adults, 

older children and younger children. A resource CD is packaged with the Facilitator Guide 

that contains customizable presentation materials, sample training plans and other disaster 

preparedness education resources. 

22667 User.indd 48 4/25/06 6:06:17 PM 
O RESOURCE LISTING 

To utilize these resources 

please visit the Ready 

Business Knowledge 

Center at: www.ready.gov 

Joint Preparedness Publications from FEMA and American Red Cross	 

Preparing for Disaster — Provides step-by-step disaster preparedness procedures including 


hazard identification, how to create a family disaster plan, how to assemble a disaster supplies 


kit, and how to maintain a plan and kit.
 

Helping Children Cope With Disaster — Provides information on how to prepare children prior 


to disaster and how to lessen the emotional effects of disaster.
 

Food and Water in an Emergency — Explains how to select and store food and how to store 


and treat water in the event of an emergency. Provides information on emergency cooking, 


where to locate emergency water, and how to assemble a portable disaster supplies kit with 


food and water.
 

Preparing for Disaster for People With Disabilities and Other Special Needs — Provides 


disaster preparedness information specific to people with disabilities and other special needs,
 

including the elderly.
 

Evacuation and Shelter Planning 

O	 American Disabilities Act Access Board: ADA Design Requirements for Accessible Egress 

Provides Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines, which primarily cover new 

construction and alterations, and include specifications for accessible means of evacuating, 

emergency alarms and signage, life safety codes, and state access codes relating to persons 

with disabilities, such as the mobility impaired. 

O	 U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Fact Sheet on Obtaining and Using 

Employee Medical Information as Part of Emergency Evacuation Procedures 

Provides answers to recently asked employer questions related to the Americans with 

Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act and concerning whether they can request information 

to help identify individuals who may need assistance because of a medical condition and 

whether they can share this information with others in the workplace so that they can develop 

or re-evaluate company emergency evacuation procedures. 

O	 American Red Cross: Shelter-in-Place in an Emergency 

Provides definition of sheltering-in-place and describes how chemical, biological or radiological 

air contamination may require sheltering-in-place, as well as checklists of procedures for doing 

so at work, home or school, as well as in a vehicle. 

O	 National Institute for Chemical Studies: Shelter-in-Place at Your Office — A General 

Guide for Preparing a Shelter-in-Place Plan in the Workplace 

Provides procedures for sheltering-in-place in an office, as well as other information on 

preparedness measures to be taken prior to any emergency, such as determining employee 

intentions to participate or not, developing employee sheltering roles, devising an accountability 

system, conducting drills, identifying shelter locations and obtaining necessary equipment. A 

sample business shelter-in-place plan is also provided. 

22667 User.indd 49 4/25/06 6:06:18 PM 

49 
RESOURCE LISTING O FEMA: Tornado Protection: Selecting Refuge Areas in Buildings 

Uses case studies of three schools struck by tornadoes during the last 30 years, plus damage 

examinations by structural engineers, building scientists and architectural experts to select 

safety areas in existing buildings for protecting against a tornado strike and provides information 

on how to identify best available refuge areas in buildings. 

O OSHA: Does Your Facility Need an Emergency Action Plan? 

Provides emergency planning matrix of questions to help employers identify if they are required 

to develop an Emergency Action Plan. Also provides links to OSHA Web sites with guidance for 

helping in plan development and training. 

O OSHA Evacuation Planning Matrix 

Provides information to help small, low-hazard service or retail businesses to determine 

whether they need an Emergency Action Plan and if so, to implement one. Describes what 

an Emergency Action Plan is, provides checklists, diagrams, pictures of required signs, exit 

routes, equipment (e.g., alarm systems, fire extinguishers and their maintenance), public 

sector coordination recommendations, recommendations for employers in high-rise buildings, 

OSHA requirements information, and a simple “fill in the blank” expert system to help write an 

Emergency Action Plan. 

O OSHA Fact Sheet: Evacuating High-Rise Buildings 

Provides information on actions that employers should take in advance of any emergency to 

help ensure safe evacuations of high-rise buildings, things workers should know prior to an 

emergency, and things both employers and employees should do during an emergency. 

Assess Building Air Protection 

O	 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): Guidance for 

Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological 

Attacks 

Provides guidance for building owners on implementing without delay actions to enhance 

occupant protection from airborne chemical, biological or radiological attack. Includes 

information on how to modify existing buildings for better air protection and security, designing 

more secure new buildings, and developing preparedness plans for building managers to help 

them make effective decisions in the midst of a chemical, biological or radiological attack. 

Examples of recommended measures include enclosing or raising vulnerable outdoor air 

intakes; isolating lobbies, mailrooms, loading docks and storage areas from rest of building; and 

strictly controlling access to information on building operations. 

22667 User.indd 50 4/25/06 6:06:19 PM 
RESOURCE LISTING 

O

O

To utilize these resources 

please visit the Ready 

Business Knowledge 

Center at: www.ready.gov 

22667 User.indd 51 4/25/06 6:06:24 PM 

51 

Cyber Security 

Department of Homeland Security National Cyber Alert System 

Provides preparedness and response information for cyber attacks, including links to lists of 

cyber security alerts and tips, sign-up systems for receiving email notification of future technical 

and non-technical cyber security alerts and bulletins, and systems for use in reporting a 

cyber attack or vulnerability. The National Cyber Alert System of technical and non technical 

information is also described. 

National Cyber Security Alliance: Stay Safe Online 

Provides “Top Ten Cyber Security Tips,” an online cyber security test involving 10 questions, and 

links to 22 supporting organizations including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and 

the Cyber Security Industry Alliance. 
________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

Sample Emergency Plan
 

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan
 

PLAN TO STAY IN BUSINESS 

Business Name 

Address 

City, State 

Telephone Number 

If this location is not accessible we will operate

from location below: 

Business Name 

Address 

City, State 

Telephone Number 

The following person is our primary crisis manager

and will serve as the company spokesperson in an 

emergency. 

Primary Emergency Contact 

Telephone Number 

Alternative Number 

E-mail 

If the person is unable to manage the crisis, the

person below will succeed in management: 

Secondary Emergency Contact 

Telephone Number 

Alternative Number 

E-mail 

PAGE 1 

22667 User.indd 52 4/25/06 6:14:28 PM 

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION 

Dial 9-1-1 in an Emergency 

Non-Emergency Police/Fire 

Insurance Provider 
Sample Emergency Plan

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan (cont'd)

BE INFORMED 

The following natural and man-made disasters could impact our business.

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

EMERGENCY PLANNING TEAM 

The following people will participate in emergency planning and crisis management.

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

WE PLAN TO COORDINATE WITH OTHERS 

The following people from neighboring businesses and our building management will

participate on our emergency planning team.

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

o ________________________________________________

OUR CRITICAL OPERATIONS 

The following is a prioritized list of our critical operations, staff and procedures we need to

recover from a disaster.

Operation Staff in Charge Action Plan

_____________________ _________________________ _________________________________

_____________________ _________________________ _________________________________

_____________________ _________________________ _________________________________

_____________________ _________________________ _________________________________

_____________________ _________________________ _________________________________

PAGE 2 

22667 User.indd 53 4/25/06 6:14:32 PM 

53 
Sample Emergency Plan

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan (cont'd)

SUPPLIERS AND CONTRACTORS 

Company Name: _______________________________________________

Street Address: _______________________________________________

City: ______________State:_______________Zip Code: _________________

Phone: _____________Fax:_______________E-Mail: _________________

Contact Name: _________________ Account Number: ________________

Materials/Service Provided: _______________________________________

If this company experiences a disaster, we will obtain supplies/materials from the following:

Company Name: _______________________________________________

Street Address: _______________________________________________

City: ______________State:_______________Zip Code: _________________

Phone: _____________Fax:_______________E-Mail: _________________

Contact Name: _________________ Account Number: ________________

Materials/Service Provided: _______________________________________

If this company experiences a disaster, we will obtain supplies/materials from the following:

Company Name: _______________________________________________

Street Address: _______________________________________________

City: ______________State:_______________Zip Code: _________________

Phone: _____________Fax:_______________E-Mail: _________________

Contact Name: _________________ Account Number: ________________

Materials/Service Provided: _______________________________________

PAGE 3 

22667 User.indd 54 4/25/06 6:14:37 PM 
Sample Emergency Plan

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan (cont'd)

EVACUATION PLAN FOR _______________________________________ LOCATION 

(Insert address)

o We have developed these plans in collaboration with neighboring businesses

and building owners to avoid confusion or gridlock.

We have located, copied and posted building and site maps.

Exits are clearly marked.

We will practice evacuation procedures ____ times a year.

o

o

o

If we must leave the workplace quickly:

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

1. Warning System:____________________________________________________________

We will test the warning system and record results ____ times a year.

2. Assembly Site: _____________________________________________________________

3. Assembly Site Manager & Alternate:_____________________________________________

a. Responsibilities Include:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

4. Shut Down Manager & Alternate:________________________________________________

a. Responsibilities Include:

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

5. _________________________is responsible for issuing all clear.

PAGE 4 

22667 User.indd 55 4/25/06 6:14:41 PM 

55 
Sample Emergency Plan 

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan (cont'd) 

SHELTER-IN-PLACE PLAN FOR __________________________________ LOCATION 

(Insert address) 

o We have talked to co-workers about which emergency supplies, if any, the company 

will provide in the shelter location and which supplies individuals might consider

keeping in a portable kit personalized for individual needs. 

o We will practice shelter procedures ____ times a year.
 

If we must take shelter quickly
 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________ 

1. Warning System:________________________________________________ 

We will test the warning system and record results ____ times a year. 

2. Storm Shelter Location: __________________________________________ 

3. "Seal the Room" Shelter Location:___________________________________ 

4. Shelter Manager & Alternate: 

a. Responsibilities Include: 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

5. Shut Down Manager & Alternate: 

a. Responsibilities Include: 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________ 

6. _________________________is responsible for issuing all clear. 

PAGE 5 

22667 User.indd 56 4/25/06 6:14:46 PM 
Sample Emergency Plan 

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan (cont'd) 

COMMUNICATIONS 

We will communicate our emergency plans with co-workers in the following way: 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

In the event of a disaster we will communicate with employees in the following way: 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

CYBER SECURITY 

To protect our computer hardware, we will:

___________________________________________________________________________ 

To protect our computer software, we will: 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

If our computers are destroyed, we will use back-up computers at the following location: 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

RECORDS BACK-UP 

________________________ is responsible for backing up our critical records including

payroll and accounting systems. 

Back-up records including a copy of this plan, site maps, insurance policies, bank account

records and computer back ups are stored onsite ________________________________. 

Another set of back-up records is stored at the following off-site location: 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

If our accounting and payroll records are destroyed, we will provide for continuity in the

following ways: 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

PAGE 6 

22667 User.indd 57 4/25/06 6:14:52 PM 

57 
Sample Emergency Plan
 

Sample Business Continuity and Disaster Preparedness Plan (cont'd) 

EMPLOYEE EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION 

The following is a list of our co-workers and their individual emergency contact information: 

_____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 

_____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 

_____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 

_____________________ _____________________ _____________________ 

ANNUAL REVIEW 

We will review and update this business continuity and disaster plan in _______________. 

PAGE 7 

22667 User.indd 58 4/25/06 6:14:55 PM