David Harrison
Assistant Director of Emergency Services
City of Carlsbad
Four steps to prepare your business for the next emergency
Over the past 18 months businesses have adapted to a prolonged emergency that caught many off guard. Now, as much of life is returning to normal, it’s time to get prepared for a different kind of emergency, one that is all too familiar to us here in California.
The risk of wildfires has become a year-round phenomenon, but fall can be especially dangerous, following months of little to no rain and more dry Santa Ana winds in the forecast.
That’s why each year the City of Carlsbad spends the month of September, “National Preparedness Month,” promoting awareness of this risk and how to prepare. Following the disruptions brought about by COVID-19, we know businesses have even less time than usual to devote to preparedness. That’s why we developed a tool to help. It’s free to download, simple to use and full of easy steps all businesses can take to increase their levels of emergency preparation, such as:
- Inspect your site
- Walk through your workplace looking for things that could easily catch fire. Walk around the perimeter to make sure dry landscaping is not too close to the building.
- Review employee evacuation plans (create one, if necessary).
- Conduct a fire alarm drill with your employees (good practice and it will raise wildfire threat awareness).
- Check supplies of water, food and other essentials in case you need to shelter in place.
- Help employees prepare
- Raise awareness about the threat of wildfires and encourage employees to prepare their families and homes.
- Encourage all employees to register with Alert San Diego so they are notified via text, phone call and email of a threat at their work location in addition to their home.
- Encourage employees to monitor the city’s social media and other official sources of emergency information.
- Take care of business
- Conduct an insurance audit/update.
- Consider off site or cloud storage for insurance documents, intellectual property, personnel records and other important data.
- During windy days, avoid (or stop) outdoor spark-and flame-producing activities.
Download our new quick start guide to emergency preparedness at carlsbadca.gov/ prepare.