Does Your Wappingers Office Have a Sound Emergency Procedure? | SERVPRO® of Western Dutchess County

10/1/2020 (Permalink)

It's vital to have an emergency plan in place for your business before disaster strikes!

There are a lot of things to consider as you work to ensure your office is as prepared as possible, but once you have an overall idea of what your emergency procedure will be, you may want to revisit it in the future to make sure your plan is airtight. 

Small things that are overlooked in the planning stages are even more likely to be overlooked when an actual disaster ensues, which is why conducting a thorough risk assessment and formulating a plan is so important.

Things Often Forgotten in Office Emergency Planning-

1. The Buddy System

While movies might have us think that it is an “every person for themselves” scenario when things get chaotic, it is important to remind your staff to look out for one another in the event of an emergency. If you have staff that may need special assistance to get out of the building quickly and safely, be sure you pair them up with someone who works nearby to ensure they are assisted properly and swiftly in case of evacuation.

2. A Leader for Each Area

While you will hopefully be nearby to assist your staff during emergency proceedings, it is important to make sure they can handle the situation even if you are in a different part of the building or away. Assign a manager or other high-ranking employee to be the safety manager of a specific area to make sure that people are directed to the right emergency exit and that everyone is making a swift and orderly march to safety.

3. Keep Track of Your Visitors

If you have the type of facility that has guests often, whether that be friends, families or clients, it is important to keep a log of this in case a headcount must be done. Have a place for guests to sign in when they arrive and sign out when they exit, and assign one of your safety managers to pull this list in an emergency to make sure there are no guests currently in the building. This is extremely important, as they will not be as familiar with your emergency exits or evacuation procedures. 

Making sure your business is prepared is so important. If you do experience damage to your commercial space due to a disaster, you can count on us. Contact us 24 hours a day so we can help!