The goal of the FEMA Ready Business Program is to assist businesses in developing a preparedness program by providing tools to create a business continuity and preparedness and mitigation plan that addresses the impact of many hazards.
The program consists of three steps outlined below.
Complete a Back-to-Business Self-Assessment to determine the specific areas your organization needs to address to prepare, mitigate risk, and return to operation following a disaster.
Based on the information in the Back-to-Business Self-Assessment, develop a Preparedness and Mitigation Project Plan to identify preparedness and mitigation actions needed to ensure safety and business continuity.
Review the Quick Reference Guide in the toolkits to determine which preparedness and mitigation actions you want to take based on the potential impacts to your organization.
Now that you’ve created your Preparedness and Mitigation Project Plan, make sure the building owner approves it if you are leasing or renting your building. (Note: Be sure to check with your local building department to secure required permits prior to performing any retrofitting or other mitigation activity.)
Perform preparedness and mitigation activities as prioritized in the Preparedness and Mitigation Project Plan. Document your actions as instructed in the applications with signatures, photographs, receipts, or letters from a company or organization manager, professional engineer, or design professional, where applicable.
Submit your application to become a Ready Business.
The goal of the FEMA Ready Business Program is to help businesses and organizations develop effective preparedness and mitigation programs. The Ready Business Program accomplishes this goal by providing tools to create a business continuity and preparedness and mitigation plan with a focus on the impact of relevant, local hazards.
Through a two-part process, the program combines state-of-the-art information along with presentations, panel discussions, and a scenario-based discussion to move organizational leaders through a step-by-step process to 1) Identify Your Risk, 2) Develop a Plan, and 3) Take Action.
The two components of the Ready Business Program include a series of hazard-specific Ready Business Toolkits, and in-person Ready Business Workshops.
The first program component, the Ready Business Toolkit series, includes multiple peril-specific versions addressing earthquake, hurricane, inland flooding, power outage, and severe wind/tornado. Toolkits provide organizations with information needed to develop a business continuity and Preparedness and Mitigation Project Plan, provide an application for Taking Action, and a protocol for organizations who want to secure recognition as a Ready Business.
The second program component is the Ready Business Workshop. Workshops introduce participants to the program resources, including Toolkits, and the many benefits businesses and organizations gain by emphasizing the above-mentioned core steps.