Earthquake papers Earthquake Planning for Business: A Guide for Businesses in British Columbia Emergency Preparedness for Industry & Commerce Council July 2003
Abstract
This guide is designed to assist B.C. workplaces to minimize life, property and economic losses following a major earthquake. Whether you own, rent or lease your property, whether you are a large or small business, and whether you are a volunteer or the Chief Executive Officer of your organization, this guide is prepared for you.
The guidelines herein are intended to equip B.C. business owners, managers, supervisors and employees with the tools to develop earthquake preparedness and response plans and procedures by:
- Offering guidance and a standard approach to earthquake planning
- Providing a framework with which to prepare your organization for its specific earthquake vulnerabilities
- Providing a template for developing your organization’s emergency plans.
To use this guide, you will not need an in-depth knowledge of emergency management. What you do need is the authority to create a plan and a commitment from the most senior members of your organization to make earthquake preparedness part of your workplace culture.
If your organization already has a plan, use this guide as a resource to assess and update it.
This document is not specific to sectors or industries. It is intended as a general guide to assist business managers or corporate emergency planners with a range of issues that will aid in the preparation of their own specific earthquake emergency preparedness plans. Each building and type of occupancy has individual conditions, so each owner or operator must tailor his or her emergency plan to fit actual needs and operating styles. In summary, the intent of the guide is to help initiate the planning process and improve preparedness over time, as business needs dictate and as the availability of funding permits.