Better Safe Than Sorry: Are You Ready for an Emergency? Greenville NC

Natural disasters - such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes - can occur with little or no warning. Do you have a plan in place to minimize property damage and provide safety for all your employees?

By Gerald Cecil
2/1/1998

Hopefully, you and your employees will never have to endure a disaster, but just in case, it's up to you to make sure everyone knows how to handle emergencies. Below are some tips to help you develop a pre-emergency plan. You should also consult local police, fire and emergency preparedness departments for expert advice on developing your plan.

Pre-Emergency Planning

• Designate an authorized person or group of people as emergency coordinators.
• Provide written plans for various types of emergencies outlining specific actions to be taken and persons responsible. The fire department can assist you with this.
• Assign responsibility for contacting appropriate emergency units to one person, but also assign a back up. This individual can be the emergency coordinator, or you can designate another person to be the coordinator.
• Make sure employees know what action will be required of them during various emergencies. Conduct drills to check emergency preparedness.
• Train employees in the basics of fire fighting, including the proper use of fire extinguishers, and document any training provided.
• Compile and distribute emergency phone numbers to key personnel and post the list in conspicuous areas.
• Designate safe areas in the building for va...