The unfortunate tragedy in Japan has combined three devastating disasters into one unbelievable event: earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. Our thoughts and prayers continue for those affected by this ongoing tragedy, and those who are working to respond, restore order, and prevent further catastrophe. While the lessons learned from this event will continue to develop over the coming months and years, we should take this opportunity to assess how our businesses, organizations, local municipalities, and families are prepared for the earthquake threat here in South Carolina. Unfortunately it is always "earthquake season" in the Lowcountry, and the 1886 earthquake in Charleston (Magnitude 7.3) demonstrated the need to be aware of this constant threat.
So how does a business or other entity prepare for earthquakes? A hurricane is relatively easy to prepare for due to the ability of forecasters to provide advanced warning. Unfortunately an earthquake has no such warning, making the planning process more challenging. However if your business continuity plan focuses on the basics, what I call the Four P’s of Preparedness, then you will likely already have the foundation for a good earthquake plan. The Four P’s of Preparedness include People, Place, Property, and Processes. I’ll spend more time discussing each "P" in future blog entries, but for now let’s look at how they relate to earthquake preparedness.
People. Are your employees, family members, and others ready for an earthquake? Do they know what to do when the shaking starts? Tell them to Drop, Cover, and Hold on. Most importantly, make sure they know to NOT run outside. For more detailed information, see http://www.shakeout.org/dropcoverholdon/.
Place. Is your place of business or your home safe during an earthquake? Consider a review by a qualified engineer or inspector. If your primary place of business or home is severely damaged by the earthquake, where would you go and how would you get there if roads and bridges are damaged? Talk through these issues with your employees and families. For more information, see http://scearthquakes.cofc.edu/.
Property. Do you have proper earthquake insurance for both your structure and your contents? This is not necessarily a standard part of your basic insurance policy! Do you have emergency supplies to last 3 – 5 days until emergency personnel may be able to reach you? For information on how to create an emergency supply kit, see http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/step3.html.
Processes. First and foremost, you need a plan to follow during and after an earthquake. If your business has more than 10 employees, OSHA requires that you have a written emergency action plan to address employee safety and response during earthquakes and other emergencies. Another critical process after an earthquake is communications. How will you communicate with others if landlines are down? Send text messages over cell phones instead of trying voice calls. Text messages have a much higher success rate when the cellular network is overwhelmed following a disaster. However if the cellular towers are damaged and sending a text message isn’t even an option, then a satellite phone may be the option of last resort. Costs for satellite phones and emergency usage plans have come down significantly over the years, so consider this option if communications is a critical need for your business or entity.
As we continue to keep the people of Japan in our thoughts and prayers, let’s also commit to talking about these earthquake preparedness issues with our colleagues, friends, and families here in the Lowcountry. We can’t do anything to prevent an earthquake here, but we can do something to make sure we are all well prepared for it when it happens.
