Last year, we experienced one of the most destructive hurricane seasons in recent memory. The extensive damage caused by Harvey in Texas, Irma in Florida, and Maria in Puerto Rico continue to impact communities to this day, as many still haven’t fully recovered economically from the devastation of these storms. As we head into the summer and with the official start of hurricane season on June 1, now is the time to update your hurricane preparedness plans and review resources to ensure you are ready in the event a storm makes landfall in your area this year.
Of course, the personal safety of your family and your employees is of utmost importance. There are a number of resources and checklists available to help you create your own family preparedness plan to keep your home and loved ones as safe as possible during a storm. Below are just a few of the resources that the federal government and non-profit organizations have compiled to ensure you know what to do before, during, and after a storm.
While protecting yourself and your family is of utmost importance, preparing your business for a devastating storm should also be a top priority. It is a good exercise to review and update your crisis response plan on a regular basis and inform your employees of any changes. This will help ensure your facility can be hardened to weather a storm on a moment’s notice and that your employees are all on the same page about how to execute that plan. Fortunately, the government and non-profits also provide resources for businesses to help them prepare.
NACD will also offer an opportunity at this year’s ChemEdge event, being held August 14-17 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel (agenda here). Attendees will hear from Lt. General Russell Honoré, the leader who oversaw the relief efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Not only will he speak about his experiences in managing the response to natural and man-made disasters throughout his career, but he will also hold a roundtable discussion on how to lead your organization through disaster and provide an opportunity for others to share their experiences and lessons learned. I expect attendees to get a lot of value out of this session, and I hope you’ll join us in New Orleans this year to continue improving upon your disaster readiness.
Proper planning in advance of a storm can mean the difference between the protection or loss of life, limb, and property. As last year’s hurricane season demonstrated, the power of Mother Nature should never be brushed off or underestimated. I highly encourage you to take the steps today to prepare so that you aren’t scrambling tomorrow when a storm hits. And as always. NACD stands ready to help in any way we can to support those caught in the path of Mother Nature’s fury.