September is National Preparedness Month, and is an opportunity to assess and strengthen your independent community pharmacy’s disaster preparedness.
Although you hope to never use it, the more preparation you devote to disaster preparedness, the quicker your pharmacy can overcome damages in the aftermath of a disaster.
Use these 10 resources to learn what safety measures your pharmacy might be missing, and how to construct a plan to protect your assets, staff and patients during and after a disaster.
1. Preparemybusiness.org
Preparemybusiness.org is a program, co-sponsored by Agility Recovery and the U.S. Small Business Administration, designed to help small businesses put a recovery plan in place. Preparemybusiness.org provides tools to test your pharmacy’s current safety plan and to create a stronger one to prepare for a disaster.
2. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Ready by FEMA is a program that can help you learn what measures your pharmacy should take before, during and after a natural disaster to keep your doors open, or to rebuild as soon as possible. Ready offers information specifically for businesses about natural disaster preparation.
3. American Red Cross Ready Rating
The American Red Cross Ready Rating™ is a self-guided program that helps businesses—like your pharmacy—better prepare for emergencies. Access preparedness assessments, emergency-planning forms, customized feedback and recommendations for improvements and helpful videos with membership to this free program.
4. National Weather Service
Access weather and water forecasts using the National Weather Service, so you’ll know when it’s time to put your pharmacy’s safety measures in place.
5. Pharmacists Mutual Companies
Pharmacists Mutual is a specialized insurance company that offers insurance coverage designed specifically for pharmacies. Pharmacists Mutual can help your pharmacy manage risk, identify liabilities and minimize costs if losses do occur. It also offers information on preparing for natural disasters to policyholders.
6. The Disaster Recovery Institute
The Disaster Recovery Institute is a nonprofit that helps organizations prepare for—and recover from—disasters. The institute also provides resources and education that can help your pharmacy develop a continuity plan to continue providing patient care and services following a disaster.
7. Elements magazine
Read about other pharmacy owners’ real-life experiences with natural disasters, including tornadoes and hurricanes, and what they learned from them. They offer helpful tips on what pharmacists can do to better protect their pharmacies against natural disasters.
8. The U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers an online disaster recovery course for small businesses. You’ll watch a brief, self-paced video to learn about assistance programs, resources, tips and regulations provided by the SBA in the event of a disaster.
9. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety offers a free business continuity tool to help you minimize disruptions to your pharmacy in the event of a disaster. The program will take you through eight modules to develop a plan specifically for your pharmacy.
10. Disaster Recovery Journal
Learn what elements you need to include in your disaster recovery and continuity plans by viewing templates and examples from the Disaster Recovery Journal.
Use these resources to create, evaluate and enhance disaster preparedness and business continuity plans for your pharmacy.
