The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is concerned about business preparedness and they offer a helpful program called Ready Business.
As DHS notes, “America’s businesses form the backbone of the nation’s economy; small businesses alone account for more than 99% of all companies with employees, employ 50% of all private sector workers and provide nearly 45% of the nation’s payroll.”
“If businesses are READY to survive and recover, the nation and our economy are more secure.”
DHS goes on to say that a commitment to planning today will help support employees, customers, the community, the local economy, and even the country. Emergency planning also protects your business investment and gives your business the chance for survival after a crisis or natural disaster.
Ready Business offers common sense measures and easy-to-use templates that a business owner or manager can readily use. Business continuity and crisis management is an idea that all businesses ought to be concerned about. Go to www.ready.gov/business and see how your business can benefit from the program.
DHS offers recommendations that have no cost, such as promoting family and individual preparedness among your workers and creating a list of critical business contractors and others whom you will use in an emergency.
DHS offers recommendations that cost under $500, such as buying a fire extinguisher and smoke alarm and setting up a telephone call tree, a password-protected page on the company website, an email alert, or a call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in an emergency.
DHS offers recommendations that cost more than $500, such as purchasing additional insurance for business interruption, flood, or earthquake, and hiring a security professional to evaluate and/or create a disaster preparedness and business continuity plan for your company.
Like a fire extinguisher that you may never use to put out a fire, businesses should have an emergency plan in place in the event of a crisis or a natural disaster. Ready Business can help you stay in business, protect your investment, and save lives.
