FEMA Business Prepardness

From: Ready.gov/business

Businesses [churches] can do much to prepare for the impact of the many hazards they face in today’s world including natural hazards like floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and widespread serious illness such as the H1N1 flu virus pandemic. Human-caused hazards include accidents, acts of violence by people and acts of terrorism. Examples of technology-related hazards are the failure or malfunction of systems, equipment or software.

Ready Business will assist [Places of Worship] in developing a preparedness program by providing tools to create a plan that addresses the impact of many hazards. This website [www.ready.gov/business] and its tools utilize an “all hazards approach” and follows the program elements within National Fire Protection Association 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs. NFPA 1600 is an American National Standard and has been adopted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The five steps in developing a preparedness program are:
Program Management
•Organize, develop and administer your preparedness program
•Identify regulations that establish minimum requirements for your program

Planning
•Gather information about hazards and assess risks
•Conduct a business impact analysis (BIA)
•Examine ways to prevent hazards and reduce risks

ImplementationWrite a preparedness plan addressing:

•Resource management
•Emergency response
•Crisis communications
•Business continuity
•Information technology
•Employee assistance
•Incident management
•Training

Testing and Exercises
•Test and evaluate your plan
•Define different types of exercises
•Learn how to conduct exercises
•Use exercise results to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan

Program Improvement
•Identify when the preparedness program needs to be reviewed
•Discover methods to evaluate the preparedness program
•Utilize the review to make necessary changes and plan improvements
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FEMA Ready.Gov Website

From: Ready.Gov

 

Launched in February 2003, Ready is a national public service advertising (PSA) campaign designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the campaign is to get the public involved and ultimately to increase the level of basic preparedness across the nation.

 

Ready and its Spanish language version Listo ask individuals to do three key things:

• (1) build an emergency supply kit
• (2) make a family emergency plan
• (3) be informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses.

The campaign’s messages have been distributed through: television, radio, print, outdoor and Web (PSAs) developed and produced by The Advertising Council; brochures;

 

 www.Ready.gov and www.Listo.gov Web sites; toll-free phone lines 1-800-BE-Ready and 1-888-SE-Listo; and partnerships with a wide variety of public and private sector organizations.

 

In 2004, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched Ready Business, an extension of the Ready campaign that focuses on business preparedness. Ready Business helps owners and managers of small- to medium-sized businesses prepare their employees, operations and assets in the event of an emergency. The campaign’s messages are being delivered through Ready Business section of this Web site, brochures, radio, print and internet PSAs and key partnerships.

 

In 2006, FEMA launched Ready Kids, a tool to help parents and teachers educate children ages 8 - 12 about emergencies and how they can help get their family prepared. The program includes family-friendly Web pages and online materials developed by Sesame Workshop and Discovery Education.

 

FEMA has also worked with a variety of public and private sector organizations to develop tailored preparedness information for specific Americans. The Department worked with American Kennel Club, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, American Veterinary Medical Association and The Humane Society of the United States to create materials that highlight the key steps pet owners should take to prepare themselves and their animals. FEMA also worked with AARP, the American Red Cross, the National Organization on Disability and the National Fire Protection Association to create emergency information for seniors and Americans with disabilities and special needs. Materials developed for these specific Americans include brochures and instructional videos available at our publications page.

 

In 2008, The Ready Campaign added a section on their web site for military families. The entire Department highlights emergency preparedness through National Preparedness Month (NPM), a nationwide effort held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools. View the Ready Public Service Advertisements.