The issues
at the Howard Hanson Dam threaten to have an immediate impact in the
communities and businesses downstream along the Green River, but even if you do
not live or work in the flood zone, you should be prepared for the effects a
flood event in the Green River valley could have on your job or your business.
If you live in Bellevue and work in Kent, or live in Auburn
and work in Seattle,
it is important to consider how a flood could affect you and your business.
If the
levees on the Green River are overtopped or
breached, we can count on localized or regional flooding. The problem does not
end once the rain stops, rather, it is estimated that standing water will
remain in the flood plain for up to 3 to 4 weeks. This will cause a disruption
in traffic patterns, mobility of goods and freight, and potential displacement
of many people.
Here are
some recommendations to help you better prepare in the event of a flood.
Prepare a Business Continuity Plan
Ready.gov
provides a sample Business
Emergency Plan on their website which serves as a great starting point. It
includes elements such as establishing how to stay in business, emergency
contacts, a critical operations list, and much more.
As part of
preparation and continuation plan, your employees are the most important
component. Ensuring the well-being and safety of your employees and co-workers
will benefit them and your company. Be sure they are aware of the plan and
familiar with its contents. Communicate regularly with employees before, during
and after an incident. Here are some tips to keep them informed:
Involve co-workers from all levels in emergency
planning.
Use newsletters, intranets,
staff meetings and other internal communications tools to
communicate emergency plans and procedures.
Set up procedures to warn
employees. Plan how you will communicate with people who are
hearing-impaired or have other disabilities or who do not speak English.
Consider setting up a telephone
call tree, password-protected page on the company website, email
alert or call-in voice recording to communicate with employees in
an emergency.
Designate an out-of-town phone
number where employees can leave an "I'm
Okay" message in a catastrophic disaster. Remember to minimize
your calls and keep them short so others can get through.
Encourage employees to have
alternate means and routes for getting to and from work, in case their
normal mode of transportation is interrupted.
Keep a record of employee
emergency contact information with other important documents in your
emergency kit and at an off-site location.
If you rent, lease or share
space with other businesses, it is important to communicate, share and
coordinate evacuation procedures and other emergency plans.
Plan for Long-Term Recovery
The scope
of the flood can have a lasting impact on the community. How long will it take
the area to dry and become stable? In the event that the Howard Hanson Dam is
breached, experts estimate that it will take 3-4 weeks for water to dissipate.
Utility
Disruptions – Plan ahead for long-term disruptions in service during and after
a disaster.
Obtain Insurance Protection
Insurance
can give you protection and peace of mind that your assets are protected from
disaster. Visit http://www.floodsmart.gov
for information from the National Flood Insurance Program. Remember: there is
typically a 30-day waiting period, so don’t wait to obtain it at the last
minute.
Know the Risk of Secondary Impacts
Even if
your business is not located in the flood zone, many roads could be affected,
and road closures could affect your employees or the transportation of goods
and services across Western Washington. The
Washington State Department of Transportation provides announcements on road
closures. Learn more here or follow them on Twitter for real-time updates.
Disaster Assistance
The U.S.
Small Business Administration can make federally subsidized loans to repair or
replace homes, personal property, or businesses
that sustained damages not covered by insurance. To learn more about these
loans, visit
the SBA’s website.
Much of
the information included here can be found at www.ready.gov/business or call
1-800-BE-READY.
