No one wants a natural disaster, technological emergency or other event to disrupt business. That’s why a business emergency plan is so important -- a well-thought-out plan gives you a way to protect your business assets as well as your employees. Otherwise, you may be one of the estimated 40 percent of businesses that do not reopen after a major disaster, according to the Washington Military Department Emergency Management Division.


Outline emergency escape routes and procedures for various disasters, such as clearly marking exit signs in the case of fire and listing routes to get to a basement or reinforced concrete area in the event of a tornado warning. Include a section that identifies a rally place where all staff should go to check in. That way, you can quickly identify the people who do not report in and start a search operation.

Rescue and Medical

Develop procedures for rescuing employees who did not make it to the gathering location. Identify which medical facilities are located nearest to your business so you know medical help is within minutes of your facility. If your business is located in a remote area or in a place where hazardous operations take place, you may need to store medical equipment in your building. Provide a map that shows where first-aid kits are located in the building. The map should also indicate where fire extinguishers and emergency power equipment, such as generators, are located.

Outside Resources

Provide a list of resources you may need to contact, such as the fire department or police. Include phone numbers to area hospitals and ambulance services. Your resource list should also include contact information for all of the utility companies. Provide information about your insurance carrier, including policy numbers. Provide phone numbers for the company that houses your offsite backup data so you can obtain a copy as soon as possible if your onsite backup data fails.

Operating Procedures

Businesses that involve plant operations or other critical components need to develop operating procedures for staff members who must stay onsite and run the operation. Develop procedures that outline the steps these employees need to take to get systems back online so your business experiences the least amount of disruption.


Create a list of key personnel, and include their job titles and contact information, so your staff knows who to call to answer questions. These staff members should be able to explain what each employee’s duties are during the emergency. Key employees need to become very knowledgeable about your company’s emergency procedures. They also need to know where emergency procedure manuals are kept so they can identify who does what, when and where to get things flowing smoothly again.

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