Back to Work, Back to Preparedness: Is Your Workplace Ready?

Labor Day is behind us, summer routines are beginning to fade, schools are back in session, and many of us are settling back into the familiar rhythm of work.

That makes this a good time to look at something we often overlook: disaster preparedness at work.

Most of us think about preparedness in terms of what we have at home—food, water, emergency kits, medications, flashlights, and a plan for our families. But what happens if disaster strikes while you are at work?

For many people, that could mean being miles from home, separated from family, dealing with damaged roads, power outages, interrupted communications, or a workplace that suddenly has to operate very differently.

National Preparedness Month is a good reminder that preparedness should follow us wherever we spend our time.

And sometimes preparedness starts with something very simple: knowing your plan and having the right supplies available before you need them.

Know Your Workplace Emergency Plan

Every employee should have a basic understanding of what will happen during an emergency.

Do you know:

• Where your emergency exits are?
• Where you are expected to assemble after an evacuation?
• Where fire extinguishers and emergency equipment are located?
• How your organization will communicate emergency information?
• Where you would shelter if going outside was unsafe?
• Who provides direction during an emergency?
• What happens if phones, computers, or the internet are unavailable?

You do not need to memorize an entire emergency operations plan. But you should understand what your role is and what actions you may be expected to take.

Keep Some Supplies at Work

Your workplace may maintain emergency supplies, but keeping a few personal preparedness items nearby is still a good idea.

Consider a small workplace emergency kit containing:

• Drinking water
• Nonperishable snacks
• Necessary personal medications
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Flashlight
• Portable phone charger or power bank
• Small first-aid kit
• N95 or similar protective mask
• Emergency contact information
• Light jacket or warm clothing
• Basic hygiene items

If you normally commute a significant distance, consider what you might need if roads, bridges, buses, or trains were temporarily unavailable.

In a major regional disaster, getting home could take much longer than expected.

Have a Family Communication Plan

One of the biggest concerns employees may have following a disaster is simple:

Is my family okay?

Create a family communication plan before an emergency happens.

Everyone in your household should know who to contact, where you might meet, and what to do if normal communication systems are overwhelmed.

Consider identifying an out-of-area contact who can serve as a central point of communication. Sometimes a text message or call outside the affected area may get through when local communications are congested.

Knowing that your family has a plan can also make it easier for you to focus on what needs to be done where you are.

Think Beyond Evacuation

One common misconception is that every emergency means evacuating the building.

It does not.

Depending on the situation, you may need to:

• Evacuate because the building is unsafe.
• Shelter in place because conditions outside are dangerous.
• Drop, Cover, and Hold On during an earthquake.
• Lock down or secure your area during a security threat.

The safest response depends on the emergency. Understanding your workplace procedures before something happens reduces confusion when seconds matter.

Businesses Need to Prepare Too

Preparedness is not only an employee responsibility.

Organizations should regularly ask:

• How will we account for employees?
• How will leadership communicate if normal systems fail?
• Which services must continue?
• What happens if key employees are unavailable?
• How will we operate during an extended power or internet outage?
• Are emergency supplies adequate for the number of employees onsite?
• Can employees access critical information without electronic systems?
• When was the last time we practiced our emergency procedures?

This is where emergency preparedness becomes continuity planning.

The goal is not simply surviving the initial emergency. It is determining how an organization continues performing its most important functions afterward.

Start With One Thing This Week

Preparedness does not have to be complicated.

During National Preparedness Month, choose one workplace preparedness action:

• Review your evacuation route.
• Build a small desk or vehicle emergency kit.
• Update your emergency contacts.
• Ask where your workplace assembly area is.
• Make a family communication plan.
• Charge or purchase a portable power bank.
• Talk with coworkers about what your department would do during an extended outage.

Small actions add up.

Make Preparedness Easier

Building workplace emergency supplies does not have to mean starting from scratch.

Whether you are preparing for yourself, a small office, or a larger workplace, having the right supplies already assembled can save time and help ensure important items are not overlooked.

LMD Disaster Survival Kits & Supply offers preassembled disaster kits, emergency food, water, preparedness supplies, and other items that can help individuals, families, and workplaces become better prepared.

Visit www.lmddisastersurvivalkits.store to explore available emergency kits and preparedness supplies.

Preparedness does not have to happen all at once. Start with what you can do today, add to it over time, and keep building toward greater resilience at home and at work.

September is a reminder that disasters rarely occur when they are convenient. They can happen while we are sleeping, traveling, attending school—or sitting at our desks on an ordinary Tuesday morning.

Preparedness at home matters. Preparedness at work matters too.

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Michael Cady, MSDM, NEMAA, is the owner of LMD Disaster Survival Kits and an emergency management professional with more than 30 years of experience working alongside first responders. He also has five years of federal disaster recovery experience assisting individuals, families, businesses, and communities affected by disasters.

Michael founded LMD Disaster Survival Kits in 2007 to help people become better prepared for emergencies before they occur. He holds associate and bachelor’s degrees in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, as well as a Master of Security and Disaster Management with a concentration in Climate Security from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

In his current professional role, Michael supports emergency management, workplace health, and safety initiatives for a behavioral healthcare organization with more than 500 employees.

Preparedness questions matter, reach out. LMD Disaster Survival Kits welcomes the opportunity to help individuals, families, workplaces, and communities strengthen their readiness, build confidence, and prepare for the unexpected.