Emergency Supplies for Your Business

By Kristi Vaughan

While you and your employees may have advance warning of the potential dangers of a hurricane, blizzard or even tornado, all too often disaster is an unexpected event that can deprive you of many of life's necessities for days at a time.

Just as families are advised to keep emergency supply kits on hand, so too, should businesses be prepared for several days of living without public water and electric supplies, telephone service and fresh food.

On its Ready Business website, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recommends that every business prepare an emergency supply kit that includes important records as well as basic survival equipment.

The department also recommends that businesses purchase NOAA weather radios, in addition to battery operated commercial radios, so they can be alerted to weather watches and warnings.

Supply kit

Minimum recommended supplies included in the Department of Homeland Security checklist (pdf) include:

  • Water (1 gallon per person per day)
  • Food (for 3 days)
  • Extra radio batteries
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First Aid Kit
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust or filter masks
  • Moist towlettes
  • Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities)
  • Can opener
  • Plastic sheeting and duct tape (If a room needs to be sealed off)
  • Garbage bags

Employers additionally should talk with their workers about the need to prepare personal disaster kits that could include such items as necessary medicine, contact lenses and supplies, hearing aid batteries, extra eyeglasses and the like.

Recommendations for storing water, or, if needed, treating impure water, can be found here:

The same booklet also contains a list of nonperishable food and nonprescription medical supplies that should be kept on hand.

Records

In addition to emergency supplies, officials also recommend that each business keep copies of important documents on hand in a waterproof, fireproof and portable container as well as in an off-site location. These documents could include:

  • Site maps
  • Building plans
  • Insurance policies
  • Employee contact and identification information
  • Bank account records
  • Supplier and shipping contact list
  • Computer backups
  • Law enforcement and emergency response contact information

Most important, be prepared, assume nothing, back up your data regularly and remember that no matter what happens, your safety is more important than any record.