Earthquake Preparedness and Business Continuity – Are You Prepared?
A Guest Post from Firestorm Partner MHP
Earthquake Preparedness and Business Continuity – Are You Prepared?
Possible Effects of Southland Earthquake
According to an article in the June 22, 2011 edition of the Los Angeles Times, an earthquake such as the M7.8 scenario used during the Great California ShakeOut (a yearly exercise held statewide organized by the Earthquake County Alliance) will likely have a devastating effect on businesses and the economy.
In 2008, the United States Geological Survey indicated that the probability of a M6.7 or greater earthquake affecting the Los Angeles and Southern California regions was 67% and 97%, respectively.
This earthquake magnitude was actually experienced during the 1994 Northridge
earthquake. Effectively, the question becomes when will the earthquake occur, not if it will occur.
While government agencies will provide logistic support regionally after a disaster, it should be the responsibility of enlightened business owners and managers to equip their staff to be self-reliant and their own “first responders.”
By understanding that Every Crisis is a Human Crisis, businesses can empower employees at all levels to prepare at home and at work, so they may quickly return to ensuring the strength and recovery of the business. (Read rest of the article here)
Firestorm business partner MHP is a diversified structural engineering company offering a broad range of services, including traditional design, seismic risk assessment, blast and progressive collapse mitigation and forensic / expert witness services.