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Preparing Your Team for Severe Weather Situations | SERVPRO of Barron, Dunn & Rusk Counties
9/19/2023 (Permalink)
If your home or business was damaged in a storm, call SERVPRO of Barron, Dunn & Rusk Counties to get you back in action.
Owning a business is so much more than just providing a service to our community. You are responsible for the daily operations, for the planning for various situations and for keeping your staff safe and happy.
Overcoming regular work-related obstacles and fostering an encouraging environment is something you are used to, but are you preparing for the unexpected in your everyday life? Something like a severe storm or weather emergency could send your staff into a frenzy if they aren’t prepared.
Training and teaching your staff about the different weather situations that could affect them and explaining your emergency response to each can help everyone stay calm and react safely during a true emergency.
We all know that living in the Midwest is quite the experience in terms of weather. We battle through the snowiest and coldest winters, and we hunker down on humid summer days as we watch severe storms and tornadoes roll into town. Because of that, you have to plan for basically every weather scenario!
One example would be to prepare for the risk of flooding, as this could happen as the snow melts in the spring time or any time that heavy rain is forecast. Get the lowest levels of your home ready by removing important documents or fragile things off of the ground, and consider investing in flood insurance for even more security.
Communication is everything nowadays! Thankfully, we are able to connect with one another with a few simple clicks of a mouse or keyboard, which makes it really easy to share information when you need to.
This can include group texts or mass emails about an impending storm, the location of your safe shelter spot or where your nearest emergency kit is located. Any information you can give to your staff will pay off when a true emergency arises.
Once you see a storm or weather situation in the forecast, you have to decide what to do in order to keep everyone safe. You can either evacuate quickly if you have time to get everyone out and home before the weather arises or you can sit tight and wait it out. If you choose to evacuate, your employees need to know how to get out quickly and efficiently. Label your exit points clearly, and go over your evacuation routes during your next training.
If staying put is the safest choice, get your staff to your safe shelter location right away and keep them there for the duration of the storm. Prep this space ahead of time with food, water, an emergency kit and comfort items, and be sure everyone knows how to get to this room without the use of an elevator or escalator.
Practice your team’s response to these different scenarios a few times a year, and you will be ready for any type of weather that comes your way.
Don’t let extreme weather take control! If storms strike your business, SERVPRO® can help you restore your losses.