If you are a business owner who wants to optimize the functioning of your organization, you may have wondered about what processes would be involved in setting up an emergency management program. By reading the information found below, you can obtain an answer to this question and subsequently implement the type of emergency management program that will protect your employees and clients from the adverse effects of natural disasters and emergencies.
Emergency Management Programs-The Basics
Although broadly defined, emergency management is basically a phrase that refers to the work of planning and coordinating responses to man-made and/or natural disasters. Emergency management can also involve the development and implementation of strategic plans that help prevent disasters. Although emergency management programs cannot prevent disasters from transpiring, they are still an integral aspect of ensuring the protection of individual citizens and communities.
Setting Up An Emergency Management Program For Your Business
If you are a business owner who wants to set up a new emergency management program on your premises, you should know that there are a variety of ways you can accomplish this objective. Although there is not one set of rules or modality you must conform to in order to make your program successful, implementing some or all of the strategies outlined below can be helpful:
1. Designate a Program Coordinator
In order to be effective, your emergency management program needs to have a designated program coordinator. This individual will perform a plethora of important and inalienable functions, including the organization of the emergency management program you implement.
2. Develop a Known Hazards Lists
In order to ensure that your emergency management program is effective, it will be important for you to determine what types of hazards are present in your business environment. Some of the categories that may be applicable for your business include:
• Human-generated (hostage taking, accidents, bomb threats, civil disturbance, etc.)
• Natural (hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, pandemic, etc.)
• Radiological (dirty bomb, radioactive material release, etc.)
• Technological (utility loss, cyber attack, etc.)
3. Determine How Hazards Will Impact Your Business
In order to devise an effective emergency management program, you should gain a thorough understanding of how various hazards will impact the function of your business and its employees. The hazard could impact your business in many areas, some of which include:
•Employees in the immediate vicinity
•Employees or disaster management professionals who respond to the emergency
•The business infrastructure, facilities, and property
•The organization’s ability to deliver its products and/or services ability
•The environment
•The business’s financial vitality
•Any contractual and legal obligations
•Campus reputation
•National and/or international considerations or consequences
4. Plan Activities to Reduce Exposure
Once you gain a basic understanding of the emergency challenges your business is likely to face, you will be able to begin planning mitigating activities that reduce your risks, vulnerabilities, and the general impact that the disaster might have on your employees, the property, and the general environment. When you begin to develop strategic plans to address these matters, it will be important for you to consider your organization’s abilities, budget, and resources. You can gain several examples of mitigation activities and projects at the FEMA website.
Conclusion
If you are a business owner who has given serious thought to implementing an emergency management program, you should know that doing so can be advantageous. Now that you have a basic understanding of several strategies you can implement when setting up an emergency management program, you can begin the process of devising a system which will protect your business and its employees from natural and human-made disasters.
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