Thousands of earthquakes occur in the United States each year; most are too small to significantly affect businesses and communities. However, large and very damaging earthquakes have occurred in the past and could happen again at anytime. In general, many businesses and healthcare providers have invested in emergency management and continuity of operations planning. However, most businesses have not conducted earthquake mitigation measures to protect their assets, staff, and business operations.
Thousands of earthquakes occur in the United States each year; most are too small to significantly affect businesses and communities. However, large and very damaging earthquakes have occurred in the past and could happen again at anytime. In general, many businesses and healthcare providers have invested in emergency management and continuity of operations planning. However, most businesses have not conducted earthquake mitigation measures to protect their assets, staff, and business operations. During an earthquake, buildings—or their components or contents—can be collapsed, toppled, broken apart, tossed around, or rendered inoperable or unusable.
Therefore, as part of addressing all-hazards emergency management, it is critical for businesses and healthcare providers to incorporate actionable earthquake mitigation solutions into their planning and business decisions. By doing so, businesses protect the organization’s assets (people, property, operations); sustain the capability to provide goods and/or services to the community; maintain cash flow; preserve competitive advantage and reputation; and provide the ability to meet legal, regulatory, financial and contractual obligations.
To help businesses and healthcare providers , the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) has released FEMA P-811 CD: Earthquake Publications for Businesses (QuakeSmart Toolkit).
This QuakeSmart Toolkit (FEMA P-811CD) provides business owners, managers, and employees with basic guidance and ready-to-use tools that can be tailored to the specific needs and requirements of the user. The guidance and tools focus on the importance of earthquake mitigation and the simple things they can do to reduce the potential of earthquake damages, injuries, and financial losses at work…AND also at home and within their communities.
The toolkit walks you through the following 3-step QuakeSmart process:
- How to identify your risk
- How to make a mitigation project plan
- How to take action and implement the techniques for ensuring and enhancing business resilience from an earthquake
These resources are especially timely for California, because the 2012 Statewide Medical and Health Training and Exercise will be an earthquake scenario. View or download the QuakeSmart Toolkit (FEMA P-811CD) or order CD copies of the QuakeSmart Toolkit from the FEMA Publications Warehouse by calling (800) 480-2520. Or fax your request to (240) 699-0525. All orders will be shipped in January 2012.
Other FEMA materials and earthquake guidance are also available.