Emergency Preparedness Month has just passed—but it’s never too late to begin preparing for a disaster. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated September National Preparedness Month. 

This annual campaign focuses on a new aspect of preparedness each year designed to help Americans stay safe during, and recover from, various types of disasters and emergencies. 

This year’s theme is “Start a Conversation.” In previous years, the themes have been: 

• “Take Control in 1, 2, 3”: Preparing older adults for disasters (2023)
• “A Lasting Legacy”: Protecting your assets for future generations (2022)
• “Prepare to Protect”: Safety for Spanish-speaking residents (2021)

As we are seeing the damage from Hurricane Helene continue to unfold, with hundreds having lost their lives and countless others displaced from their homes and businesses, we are once again reminded that so much remains out of our control. 

“Start a Conversation” encourages us to have hard discussions about what will happen in the event of a disaster.  

It’s difficult to imagine what life would be like if we lost our homes, businesses, or loved ones, but it’s also vital to be prepared if the unthinkable does happen. However, it can be a challenge to know where to start, so we’ve put together a handy guide to help. 

Emergency Preparedness: The Facts

Since 1980, the U.S. has experienced 396 weather and climate disasters—including droughts, floods, freezes, severe storms, tropical cyclones, wildfires, and winter storms—resulting in overall damages exceeding $2.78 trillion. According to Statista, in 2021 alone, we recorded 97 natural disasters. 

The costliest natural disaster in the U.S. was Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caused $200 billion in damage. When we estimate the cost of a natural disaster, we do not include the cost of human suffering—like being without power and water—or the cost of business and productivity lost. While often significant, these costs can be difficult to quantify.  

In 2023, 430 fatalities from natural disasters were documented. Hurricanes, wildfires, and floods are often the deadliest and most difficult to recover from. 

Planning During Emergency Preparedness Month

Before you can begin planning, it’s helpful to know what types of disasters you are most prone to in your location. Here in Colorado, where The Receptionist headquarters is located, we are most at risk for wildfires and winter storms, with the occasional tornado popping up. As such, we have plans in place to keep us all safe while maintaining business continuity as much as possible. 

Making a Plan

Once you have an idea of what disasters are most likely to happen where you are, it’s time to make a plan for your business. You’ll need to consider the following:

• Is my business vital to people’s safety, or can we close it temporarily?
• Is my building in a safe location, and can it safely shelter displaced individuals?
• How can I ensure vital documents and equipment remain intact?
• Do I have adequate insurance coverage?
• If my staff is unable to work, do I need a communication plan to notify other customers, businesses, and/or organizations that depend on us?

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and DHS have compiled planning resources for you here and here, respectively.  And finally, DHS has created a resource document to help you gather items for an Emergency Supply Kit. 

Tech Can Help

If you get word that a natural disaster is expected to wipe out access to power, having a backup generator helps maintain any crucial operations you may run. 

When it comes to protecting critical aspects of your business operations, lean on The Receptionist for iPad, which has several features to help you keep things running smoothly after the danger has passed. 

Broadcast Notifications

Your office may be bustling with employees and visitors alike as a downpour quickly devolves into a flash flood. You need to get everyone to safety right now—but there’s no time to contact them all.

The Receptionist for iPad’s Broadcast Notifications feature allows you to send a text message to everyone currently checked in at the same time, letting them know of the emergency and the next steps they should take to keep them safe. 

Digital Visit Log

Many different businesses maintain a visitor log, usually for compliance reasons. When that log is made of paper, you may very well lose it, especially if there’s a fire or any flooding.

Our Digital Visit Log ensures your check-in history remains intact, as well as any agreements you may require visitors to sign. No more worries about document safety and preservation. 

Additionally, when visitors or even employees are checked in, the digital visit log will automatically create an evacuation list so you can see who’s in the building and ensure they find a safe place to take shelter. 

Prioritize People

No matter what, the most important thing to remember when preparing for an emergency is that we should place safety above all else. You can replace buildings and belongings, but you cannot replace human lives. 

In a disaster or emergency situation, you might be faced with the choice to continue doing business, or allowing everyone to stay home and get to safety. While we don’t always know the extent of the damage these disasters may cause, it’s always better to err on the side of caution.