Hurricane Preparedness for Work

Hurricanes are devastating storms that can ruin even architecturally sound structures,
strong buildings, and even human lives--and now is the best time of year for them.
Although these storms do get a basic emergency supplies they need, there is no way to be
totally ready for a disaster until everyone in that building has been prepared. This means
that when it comes to the office, people need to be just as serious about safety as I
normally am--it’s just that people are just as likely to be caught off guard at home as well
as at work or while traveling myself.
The first step to any emergency preparedness plan, especially one at work, is to have a
plan. Any building in a hurricane zone should have an evacuation plan and the employees
should practice this often. In some cases, a mild hurricane could suddenly turn violent once
it hits land and could force hundred or possibly even thousands to evacuate immediately.
If people are told to evacuate, then they must not remain where they are. If it is the only
option, be sure to stay away from already flooded areas. Because the water will be muddy
or murky, there will be no way to tell whether the water is six inches or six feet deep. And
people have been swept away by just six inches of moving water before, so there is no
guarantee of safety if someone enters flood waters. Along a similar vein, many cars can be
swept away by just six inches of water.
If someone is driving when a flood warning is announced, they should also avoid already
flooded areas, and head to higher ground as well. If water begins to flow around the car and
the engine stalls, leave it unless it is immediately unsafe to do so. Many hurricane deaths
can be related to vehicles--either people become trapped inside or they are swept away
while trying to move their stalled car. Upon exiting the car, move to higher ground as
quickly as possible.
If, however, people are listening to or watching news, they may be told that it will be safer
to take shelter inside their own homes or businesses. In this case, it could be an extremely
uncomfortable situation for many hours if people don’t know the emergency hurricane
procedures of their office building, where emergency supplies are, or how to respond to
each crisis as it comes.
Suggest holding a monthly meeting, just to refresh everyone’s memory of what a hurricane
is capable of and how to deal with it. And be sure to become very familiar with the
company’s rules and guidelines so that during a hurricane, no one will have to waste
precious time arguing over what the “right” thing to do--people can instead just be
concerned with survival. And remember--if authorities tell people to “shelter-in-place,” then
don’t be fooled by the eye of the storm .Unless emergency officials tell people that it is now
safe to return home or return to normal life, do not assume the storm is over. There could
be things that ordinary people can’t see going on with that storm, and people must not take
the risk and assume they know better than those announcements.
Once a plan has been established and all possibilities have been accounted for, then it is
time to prepare an emergency kit. These kits are especially important at the office since
they are meant to replicate the most important disaster supplies. Many people falsely
believe that all they need is a 72-hour emergency kit. And while of course having three
days’ worth of first aid supplies and food and water is better than having none at all, these
days, authorities like FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) recommend having at
least two weeks’ worth of supplies on hand in order to plan for any disaster. If this is
impractical, however, speak with individual bosses for emergency kit options.
Any emergency kit should always first have a first aid kit, since injury is imminent during a
natural disaster. These first aid kits should have, at minimum, supplies like bandages,
antiseptic wipes, over-the-counter pain medication, splints, gauze pads, a thermometer,
and any other prescription medications or special supplies a particular person might need.
These supplies can either be gathered manually or purchased altogether at emergency
preparedness businesses, like The Ready Store.
Besides the first aid, it’s also crucial to have two weeks’ worth of food and water, as
discussed above. The water is of particular importance, first because humans cannot live
without it for a much shorter time than they can food, and second because in the event of
flooding, it is very possible that the disaster could damage water mains or reservoirs. This
could leave whole cities or counties without any drinkable water, so it is important to be
self-sufficient in this case.
Finally, every emergency kit should also include some source of light (i.e. flashlights,
candles and lightsticks), sleeping bags and some form of shelter, and water purifying
devices (including tablets and filters). These are the general supplies that every person
should have with them, just in case. However, there are more specific needs that people
may have to fulfill, which would result in extra supplies in their emergency kits. Some
examples of this include needing baby food, diapers, and prescription medication or medical
equipment.
More supplies that are essential to an emergency flood kit are personal hygiene supplies
(including soap and toothpaste), rubber boots and gloves, and insect repellent for after the
flood when the mosquitoes and other bugs being to breed in the stagnant water. Besides all
of this, it’s also a good idea to keep similar supplies in the car, in case that’s where people
end up at the time of the flood. Emergency car kits should also include flares, jumper
cables, maps, and tools in addition to all the previously mentioned supplies.
Although all this may seem intimidating, getting emergency kits can really be very simple.
It’s both more convenient and usually cheaper to purchase the kits ready-made from an
emergency preparedness store like The Ready Store than to buy them all individually.
Finally, the last thing to do when it comes to any disaster is practice and remain informed.
Get people from the office involved, and take one or two days every month to renew these
strategies and get people’s feedback. No on is immune to natural disasters, and because of
how devastating hurricanes can be, everyone should be interested in preventing death and
injury in the office because of them.
Although it may seem like an inconvenience, if a workplace is well-educated and well-
stocked with emergency supplies (something the company needs to take care of before a
disaster strikes, not during or after), it can actually be a pleasant place to settle down in for
the duration of a storm. And although hurricanes can be very destructive disasters, they are
entirely manageable as long as people will plan ahead and remain informed. Remember,
natural disasters like hurricanes don’t have to be tragedies so long as people plan well in
advance--save time, money, and lives by becoming prepared now.