How well a business manages a natural disaster or other emergency depends on its degree of readiness before, during and after the event.  There is no way to guarantee that your workplace will never have to deal with a natural or man-made disasters, but by being prepared and communicating effectively employees can stay calm and get through it in good shape. Even with good plans in place, it’s important to have the right products on hand to ensure your employees and business are safe. Staples, offers some tips on equipping your business for an emergency: Purchase the basics (and then some). This includes everything from fire extinguishers, emergency preparedness kits, long-term shelf life water and food, crank-powered cell phone chargers, emergency lighting (flashlights, lanterns and glow sticks, for example), extra batteries, blankets and exit signs. Order the appropriate personal protective equipment.  If employees work with potentially hazardous materials, you need to provide the right kind of protection for them, such as gloves, helmets, and respiratory protection. When PPE is used properly, it can dramatically reduce the risk of injury on the job. Stop injuries before they happen. Slips and falls are major causes for concern in a facility, so being aware of how to prevent them will help avoid dangerous injuries. This includes purchasing items like the right cleanup equipment, floor mats and carpets, and even signage for wet floors or slippery areas. Make sure the safety supplies you order are Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-compliant. Your specific business needs may vary, but safety standards don’t, so make sure everything you’re purchasing is up-to-date and safe to use. Products available from Yardi Marketplace™ can help your staff prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and natural disasters.  Get your property ready...

Assessing risk and planning ahead can help property managers and owners safeguard their assets, employees and tenants in the event of a disaster. Yardi® clients have an invaluable resource for creating and executing business continuity strategies—the procurement solution known as Yardi Marketplace™. Yardi Marketplace is a source for more than 1 million discounted MRO products and building supplies, including items for disaster preparation and recovery.  Yardi Marketplace is part of Yardi Procure to Pay™, a centralized procurement, invoice processing and vendor management platform. “Yardi recognizes the importance our clients place on having appropriate solutions in place.  Adequate disaster preparation includes having access to sufficient types and quantities of supplies before, during and after an event. We can help source those items quickly at competitive pricing,” said Tom Jennings, senior operations manager for Yardi Marketplace. The Yardi Marketplace team helps tailor emergency supplies and services to a client’s disaster and emergency planning program. After identifying potential threats at the local, regional and portfolio levels and establishing response plans, clients can stock the appropriate equipment and supplies from an online catalog.  A pre-approved personal shopping list makes purchasing the items fast and easy. Along with protecting assets and minimizing liability, adequate emergency planning is also critically important to attracting and retaining tenants.  Property managers can complement Yardi Marketplace’s resources with a handbook produced by BOMA International.  “Emergency Preparedness Guidebook: The Property Professional’s Resource for Developing Emergency Plans for Natural and Human-Based Threats” highlights the importance of emergency preparedness throughout the leasing process.  The guide, which covers emergency, evacuation and recovery plans, may be purchased at http://store.boma.org/products/emergency-preparedness-guidebook.  A list of “50 Items Every Emergency Tool Kit Should Have” is available here. The guide includes a checklist for disaster management that includes: Procedures for reporting an emergency Instructions...

One nerve-wracking decision many facility administrators face during an emergency is whether to keep residents on site, or begin evacuations. When both options appear equally risky, it helps to take stock of the current locale and determine whether you have the necessary resources to provide adequate care for your residents. Make sure the facility’s security has not been compromised, and that backup power supplies are functioning properly. Review supplies, inventory medications, and make an account of all medical equipment. Survey staff to make sure you have enough hands on deck to meet all resident needs. Finally, consult with local agencies, including fire and police, to determine whether it is safer to stay or go. In some cases, the safest course of action is to transport residents and staff to another location. It is essential to establish in advance how relocation will be coordinated. Prioritize resident evacuation so that those with special needs can receive adequate medical attention during the move. Keep your list of relocation sites regularly updated, including transportation routes and contact information for ambulance and security services. Equally important is providing alternative transportation for offsite staff in the event an emergency restricts public transportation. Teri Marinko, senior vice president of customer engagement at Boston-based Benchmark Senior Living faced just that situation during the Boston Marathon Bombing when the city shut down public transit. As she told Caring.com, the takeaway lesson was clear, “During an emergency, it’s particularly important to make sure there is a plan to transport staff to the facility.” Keeping Contact It’s always a good idea to make the residents and their family aware of your safety procedures so that during times of crisis everyone understands what’s happening and how to make contact or gather additional information about residents. Mitigate...