Department of Emergency Management and Security

CONTACT INFORMATION: Open during regular business hours 8 a.m. - 4:30p.m., Monday - Friday
4890 Alliance Drive, Suite 2200, Fairfax, VA 22030
Seamus Mooney
Coordinator

Business Preparedness

Introduction

Disasters can impact individuals, families, communities, and businesses. To help with this, the Department of Emergency Management and Security (DEMS) has created a "Business Disaster Resilience Guide," which provides easy-to-follow first action steps for emergencies. This guide complements the Community Emergency Response Guide (CERG). If you're interested in a business resilience workshop, you can reach out to DEMS via their website or email. For more resources, including downloadable guides and templates, visit their website.

Resilience Plan

Every business, regardless of size, can be affected by emergencies or disasters, risking the loss of hard-earned customers and operations. Issues like broken pipes, severe weather, and cyber-attacks can leave businesses vulnerable to significant losses. Being proactive and building disaster resilience is crucial for maintaining operations during unexpected events and ensuring financial recovery after a major loss. Resilience refers to the ability of businesses and communities to survive, adapt, and thrive despite challenges. To protect your business, employees, and customers, start by gaining a basic understanding of business resilience, as it can determine your ability to reopen after a crisis.

Do you know your...

  • Risks: identify serious threats that may lead to disruptions.
  • Operations: understand business functions and processes critical for survival.
  • Employees: document employee information so you can connect with them.
  • Equipment: protect critical equipment to keep your business running.
  • Key Customers, Contacts, Suppliers, and Vendors: ensure continued service to customers.
  • Information Technology: understand IT needs and develop protection systems.
  • Finances: ensure financial resilience.
  • Plan: review, test and update plans to stay updated.
  • Community: build ties with those that can help your business recover.

Four basic steps to building business resilience:

  1. Identify risks that make your business vulnerable (Risk Assessment)
  2. Analyze the impacts those risks potentially have on your business (Business Impact Analysis).
  3. Create a resilience strategy and plan using the template included in this guide.
  4. Measure your efforts through testing, training, and maintaining your documents.

 

Long-term Risk Reduction -- Before and After

  • Identify potential internal and external hazards.
  • Complete a risk assessment.
  • Address priority hazards.
  • Identify hazards that may impede emergency evacuation for those with disabilities, access and functional needs.
  • Secure your space (begin by addressing hazards starting at no/low-cost items with high impact).
  • Strengthen your property, such as using surge protectors or getting a generator (actions if you lease or own).
  • Review your insurance coverage and design a program that fits your house of worship and risk.
  • Plan on what items you will be required to provide when filing an insurance claim.
  • Be diligent in continuing solutions that work for your house of worship.

  • Build a planning team.
  • Complete the House of Worship Disaster Resilience template in this guide.
  • Gather disaster supplies. (Visit page 14 for a list of suggested supplies)
  • Create first aid/medical kits.
  • Encourage congregants to make their own emergency kits.
  • Review the designated shelter-in-place and lock down locations.
  • Educate congregants and visitors on safety protocols.
  • Train your staff on the emergency plans.
  • Update and test your plan through regularly scheduled drills.
  • Build ties with your community and agencies that can help you recover quickly.
  • Consider how your house of worship may be able to help congregants and their families with support and resources if a crisis occurs (e.g., food, housing, childcare, wage advances).
  • Sign up for Fairfax Alerts to stay informed.
  • Sign up your house of worship for Community Connect.
  • Follow @ReadyFairfax and @FairfaxCounty on social media.

  • Decide if evacuation is necessary or shelter-in-place.
  • Activate staff and volunteers to help the injured.
  • When safe, observe the building(s) for damage and/or hazards.

  • Perform a detailed facilities assessment of impacts to utilities, special equipment, inventory, etc.
  • Provide staff and congregants with instructions on how to obtain information about house of worship operating status.
  • File an insurance claim as soon as possible.
  • Restore operations/productions.
  • Communicate frequently with key stakeholders (staff, vendors, congregants).
  • Document lessons learned.
  • Update resilience plan/templates.
  • Restock kits and supplies.
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