With Texas still recovering from Ike, it reminds us that we all need to take steps to prepare for a disaster. Obviously nobody can be truly prepared to deal with the many issues of a disaster like a devastating hurricane, tornado or earthquake. The practical and human issues are so immense that even today’s information-filled world of 24-hour news coverage, blogs, and multiple websites cannot describe the struggles of those affected. However, we can take reasonable steps to minimize the impact when it is our turn to face a crisis. Following are several measures that individuals and corporations should take to get ready for the next disaster.

National Preparedness Month

Months before Katrina struck the National Red Cross and the Department of  Homeland Security designated September as National Preparedness Month.  This initiative is designed to help individuals and corporations become more informed about protective measures.  The organizations have created a website that includes specific lists and information that people can use.  We encourage you to ask all your employees to visit the site at:  http://www.ready.gov/america/npm08/intro.html.

Individual Preparedness

Individual preparedness applies both to you as a community member and to your role in helping fellow-employees become better prepared.  There are many steps that can be taken but at a minimum two of the recommendations offered by ready.gov should be followed by all of us.

• Get a kit: A safe container with three days of supplies should be with you at home, in the car and at work. Detailed recommendations can be found at http://www.redcross.org/preparedness/cdc_english/home.asp

• Make a Plan: Disasters remind us that our personal communication plans need to consider the loss of cell phones, land lines and electricity.  Families will be spread apart.  Establish a central contact person outside of your region that is your first point of contact.

Corporate Preparedness

If you and your fellow employees prepare a kit and a plan you will have also taken the first steps in the development of a corporate wide plan.  After all, if employees do not feel comfortable with their own security and are not confident of their knowledge of their family's well-being, no corporate business continuity plan will be effective.  Beyond these steps, there are several components of a business continuity plan that every company should consider.

• Communication: Communication with employees, customers, suppliers and the investment community needs to be well-coordinated.

• Business recovery: This must go beyond data and system recovery to include a discussion of manual procedures and chain-of-command structure.

• Evacuation procedures: Employees need to know where to go and what is expected of them in the event their building must be evacuated.

• Emotional support: Employees will be affected by a disaster. Employee assistance programs and other counselors should be available to help manage the stress.

• Coordination with outside organizations: Your planning committee should understand what resources can, and can not, be expected from local organizations depending upon the magnitude of the event.

• Property protection: Property protection may range from knowing where to find boards for windows to comprehensive, trained fire brigades. The key factor is to remember to not put people at risk for the sake of property.

Following are a few resources to help in the development of a preparedness plan.

http://www.fema.gov

http://www.ready.gov/business

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_606_,00.html

Are you Ready?

Many of us feel that we are prepared for the next disaster.  To test your RQ (Readiness Quotient), click on the following link: http://www.whatsyourrq.org/

If you find that you're not quite ready, you may find these helpful:

Emergency Preparedness Checklist - https://www.mycybersure.com/Documents/RiskControl/epc.pdf

Evacuation Planning - https://www.mycybersure.com/Documents/RiskControl/m170.pdf

Food and Water in an Emergency - https://www.mycybersure.com/Documents/RiskControl/f&web.pdf

Reduce Your Risk from Natural Disasters - https://www.mycybersure.com/Documents/RiskControl/reduce.pdf

Wells Fargo Insurance and Financial Services provides clients with the tools they need to effectively identify and manage their risks.  For more information on our services contact your account manager or call (650) 839-6000