Outsmart Disaster Resiliency Tip: Small Business Earthquake Preparedness 

Preparing your Small Business and Employees for Earthquakes

Earthquakes can strike at any time, anywhere, and with no warning. As we practiced Drop, Cover, and Hold during the Great California ShakeOut on October 17, we were reminded that the time to prepare our small business for a potential earthquake is now. Earthquakes can have devastating impacts on your business and disrupt daily operations.  

According to FEMA, 80% of a building’s value is in its equipment, inventory, and other contents. Be sure to document all your equipment, machinery and vital records. Consider the type of extra inventory you would need to keep in stock and the kind of building features your business requires in case you need to temporarily relocate to continue operations. 

Earthquakes are unpredictable, but you can lessen the impact with actionable steps to mitigate the risk such as securing objects that hang on the walls, having an emergency supply kit for you and your employees, and checking your building for structural issues. Continue to simulate earthquake drills with your employees to help improve your emergency plan and ensure employees confidence with regular training. 

To learn more about how your business can prepare against earthquakes now, visit the Ready Business Quakesmart Toolkit or Earthquake Country Alliance for more information. 

Join us for our Outsmart Disaster 101 training webinar to learn more about how you can prepare your small business for an earthquake or any other business disruption with a customized Resiliency Roadmap. Click here for Free Webinar . Also available in Spanish. 

Thank you for choosing Outsmart Disaster! 

October 2024