Emergency Preparedness Resources

• Emergency Preparedness - Active Intruder
• Emergency Preparedness - Communication Planning
• Emergency Preparedness - Earthquake
• Emergency Preparedness - Emergency Kit Checklist
• Emergency Preparedness - Extreme Heat
• Emergency Preparedness - Flood
• Emergency Preparedness - Pets
• Emergency Preparedness - Seniors
• Emergency Preparedness - Severe Weather
• Emergency Preparedness - Toolkit for Businesses
• Emergency Preparedness - Know Your Hazards

Prepared BC offers downloadable guides and fill-in-the-blank plans to help you prepare for emergencies. For Core Guides and Hazard-specific guides in French, Chinese and Punjabi visit Prepared BC emergency guides and resources

• Household Emergency Plan
• Household Preparedness Guide
• Earthquake and Tsunami Guide
• Extreme Heat Preparedness Guide 
• Wildfire Preparedness Guide 
• Flood Preparedness Guide

Emergencies happen when at least expected. An emergency plan is a playbook for how you and your household will respond to a disaster. Knowing what to do will reduce anxiety and help keep you focused and safe. Learn more at PreparedBC

After a disaster, your home emergency kit will be invaluable. Building a kit does not take long and does not have to be costly – you will be glad that you did when disaster strikes. Learn more at PreparedBC

If you have to evacuate due to a flood or wildfire, you will want to have your grab-and-go bags packed in advance. If you wait until the last minute, you may not be thinking clearly and forget important items, or pack some you do not really need. Learn more at PreparedBC

After a disaster, your home emergency kit will be invaluable. Building a kit does not take long and does not have to be costly – you will be glad that you did when disaster strikes. Learn more at PreparedBC

During an emergency, you and your animal companion(s) may be on your own for several days, and your pets will be relying on you to help them through it. Preparing for your pets is just as important as preparing for the human members of your family. Learn more at PreparedBC

Be aware of what the risks are in your Community, in your neighbourhood, in your business.  Abbotsford has an excellent document that discloses the risks as a community.

 Know Your Hazards.

Review this document and then assess what hazards may affect your business.  Don’t forget to consider human-caused risks such as cyberattack on your POS systems, ordering systems etc.

If you have a physical address for your business (brick and mortar) involve staff and complete a hazard hunt – Identify and secure things that could fall during an earthquake and identify important documents that could be stored off the floor and in water proof containers.  Would you have a need for a backup power source?

Making a plan, means you’re thinking ahead and BEFORE a disastrous event is the time to be thinking about it and planning on dealing with it.  Check out our resources for some great tips in making a plan.  In the meantime, here are some things to ponder as you start to make-a-plan for your Business. 

What are business core needs?

• What will you do, if your business (building) is not accessible – and you work from another location? Identify your space and equipment needs
• Can you work around certain functions by using manual processes?
• What suppliers, shippers, resources and other businesses do you rely on?  Think about alternate arrangements with them or alternate sources and back ups
• Identify what back up equipment will be used
• Plan for Payroll continuity (including yourself)
• Consider forming an Emergency Planning Team with your staff and identify roles and responsibilities for them before, during and after an emergency 

Create contact lists

• Create contact lists of critical and emergency numbers
• Ensure these are easily accessible to all staff (in the event you’re not at the business when the emergency/disaster happens
• Keep these lists updates
• Numbers to consider – Employee Contact, supplier contacts, Utility Companies, City Departments, Property Owner(s)
• Neighbouring businesses

Involve your staff in the plan

• Identify roles and responsibilities for your staff
• Provide them the tools to support you before, during and after the emergency
• Review personal preparedness with your staff and that they are prepared with a grab and go bag for their personal needs

Know how you will get and share information

• communication is often one of the first things to break down
• follow your Community on Social Media and understand how their social media communicates on their webpage and social media accounts – follow them
• identify your local radio station and rely on them for information – they will be receiving the local updates
• ensure your source is credible and not just Social Media talk
• It is critical that you plan on how you will communicate with staff, customers, clients and suppliers so your response and recovery is orderly, calm and informative

Mitigate hazards

• Identify the hazards that may threaten your business and take action to try and prevent them

Stock emergency supplies

• Build an emergency kit at your business that will care for your staff and yourself if stranded at work.
• Should include basic supplies such as First Aid Kit, battery powered radio, flashlights, whistle, supply of non-perishable food, water for drinking and hygiene, dust masks, garbage bags, moist towelettes and plastic ties for personal sanitation; copies of important documents and back up data, copy of your business emergency plan

Protect critical paperwork and equipment

• store critical paperwork in a waterproof storage container, keep it high off the floor, critical equipment (computer drives) should be kept off the floor, 

Review and understand your insurance

• know who your insurance provider is – NOT your broker that you bought it from

Know how to turn off utilities

• learn how to turn off water mains/valves
• turn off gas if needed (remember ONLY a professional gas fitter can turn gas back on)
• know where your main power box is and how to turn it off 

Be prepared to shelter in place

• have supplies to seal off doors, windows, vents and HVAC systems in the event of environmental hazards and you may have to shelter in place (clear plastic wrap, tape, utility knife)

It is great to have reviewed and make aware of the Hazards that can impact your business, sit and discuss with staff about an emergency plan, gather all your supplies and check things off your list.  HOWEVER, what good is this if you don’t practice your plan! 

Train your staff to know the plan, what their role in the plan is and give them the tools to react calmly and in a prepared manner

Once you’ve trained your staff – choose a day at least twice a year to practice the plan.  Involve customers in those practice days.  An emergency or disaster can happen at any time. 

A plan is a living document, always subject to change as your business grows or changes, as the environment around us changes and as staff change.  Be flexible, be prepared to update the plan when change happens. In the long run, having a plan that is updated can only support you in your response and steps to recovery during and after an emergency. 

Having a Plan, ensuring it’s updated and works to meet your needs will help you return to business “as usual” following the emergency event.  Employees will be able to return to work quicker, you will be a role model in business resiliency and continuity.  The more resilient you are and diligent in encouraging your staff to be prepared, your staff will be resilient in knowing how to protect themselves at home and work. 

Guides & Checklists

• Checklist to create a Business Continuity Plan 
• Continuity and Recovery Planning Guide  
• Know Your Hazards 
• Shelter in Place

Province of British Columbia Web Links

• Build an emergency kit and grab-and-go bag 
• PreparedBC: Guide for Small Businesses
• Minimize the risk of a disaster for your business | BDC.ca
• Business continuity plan (BCP) in 8 steps, with templates | BDC.ca