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(Source: www.contingencyplanning.com)

Preliminary cleanup, such as packaging water-damaged files and books in reinforced boxes, can lessen damage and business interruption following a disaster.

Select backup suppliers nationwide. Counting on local suppliers runs the risk of regional disasters' widespread disruption.

Assess personnel strengths and weaknesses in terms of knowledge, skill, and performance in order to compensate accordingly with skeleton crews.

Have all employees compose thorough job descriptions and procedures manuals specific to their responsibilities. Then, test to see if substitute personnel, guided solely by the documentation provided, can fulfill duties.

Establish a mechanism to borrow personnel from other departments/divisions or branches/facilities within the company. Arrangements can be on a mutual exchange basis, depending on who needs what when.

Arrange to consult with employees in their absence, ideally with them being accessible to answer questions at any time. Prepare a communications plan to facilitate emergency contacts.

For certain circumstances, arrange for transportation -- either company-supplied or contracted from an outside service -- to shuttle employees to and from work.

For efficient decision-making and prompt response with disaster declarations, maintain a clear-cut, functional description of what constitutes a disaster for your business.

Determine what the impact of declaring or not declaring a disaster would be on your company. This could include loss of revenue, negative publicity, or even loss of one's business.

During a recovery operation, watch for signs of excessive stress and fatigue. Even exceptionally good performers reach a point where they no longer can think clearly and are prone to serious error.

Identify "at risk" employees -- those who are deeply affected by traumatic stress. Move them to a safe environment under the care of counselors or friends, and assess the need for professional intervention.

Prioritize your company's business applications. Determine which ones the organization simply cannot be without, and which can withstand some downtime without causing lasting damage.

Determine who will be involved in a disaster declaration process. Based on the needs of your company, decide whether a committee approach or individual should be designated to make the final call.

Be cognizant of how much time your company has to make a disaster declaration decision. Premature or late declarations both can have negative effects on one's business.

To prevent equipment and furniture toppling, move heavier items to lower storage shelves; brace racks; secure cabinets and light fixtures, tall furniture, and desktop equipment including computers.

Cross-train employees in critical business processes so all personnel can perform multiple job functions when called upon to do so.

Institute employee assistance programs (EAPs) and implement succession planning for all levels of personnel.

Inventory critical supplies and establish vendor and mutual aid agreements for post-disaster operations.

Deliniate primary and alternate evacuation routes, and establish a safe personnel assembly area.

Identify piping vulnerable to snapping; provide a clearance allowance around these pipes using flexible couplings or flexible piping.

When names, phone numbers, equipment, roles, and locations change at your company, make sure plans are updated at that time, and not put off until a scheduled plan review.

Conduct background checks of all employees and periodic checks of anyone with access to sensitive information.

All employees should be educated on the effects of traumatic stress and in ways to help oneself and others who have been impacted by a crisis.

Choose direct, non-stop flights for shipments. Never have all parcels scheduled on the same flight in case they get misplaced, stolen, etc.

When selecting cellular phones, consider features that may be useful during a crisis: emergency call, dual/multiple number assignment module, and memory and speed dialing.

Prioritize critical processes and workflow. Be aware of interpersonal and interdepartmental reliances.

As part of your communications survival strategy, preplan to have local and 800 calls transferred to another number, a blank group of trunks, or to cellular phones after a disaster strikes.

Train supervisors and personnel in conflict resolution to help deter workplace violence.

For businesses located in two-story buildings or higher, evacuation and search and rescue kits are essential -- to include stretchers, light sticks, goggles, etc.

Incorporate contingency plan developments into monthly newsletters to keep all personnel informed.

Ensure that everyone - from the CEO to the temp answering the phones - knows what's expected of them during a disaster. Secure in that knowledge, people are less likely to panic.

Training is key to effective personnel response. Employees are apt to carry out assigned duties correctly if they've had time to review, question, and internalize.

Stock appropriate emergency supplies, and ensure that all employees know where to find and how to use them. Identify personnel with first aid, CPR, or other medical/emergency response training.

Be sure that your alternate site is not served by the same electrical power grid or communications center as your primary facility.

When purchasing emergency supplies, don't buy too much or not enough. Plan on serving the needs of 20 to 30 percent of your workforce for 72 hours.

Paper files take up space and can be a fire hazard if stored improperly; throw out piles of paper that are gathering dust to reduce risk.

Before fighting a fire in the workplace, be sure that the fire is small enough to be extinguished with a portable extinguisher. Do not attempt to fight a fire that is large or spreading rapidly.

Do not pinch electrical cords under or behind furniture; doing so runs the risk of fire.

Maintain current, accurate status information on personnel, facilities, and resources. In the event of an emergency, you will need these items close at hand.

Identify facilities in your area that could use hazardous materials. Determine whether an incident could affect your facility.

Do not overestimate the security features of protective products, such as fireproof safes, window film, and firewalls; doing so could leave you under protected.

Be sure to practice your recovery plans, fire drills, and emergency roles. Familiarity with procedures is key.

Increase your odds of personnel and business survival by prohibiting key executives from traveling on the same aircraft.

If your company allows smoking, limit it to designated areas. Supply large tip-proof ashtrays and make sure everything in them is cold before emptied.

Leave space for air to circulate around heaters and other heat-generating equipment such as copy machines and computer terminals.

If your computer is making an unusual noise, turn it off. There is a good chance it has suffered or will suffer a head crash. The faster it is deactivated, the better the chance for data recovery.

In the aftermath of a disaster, provide press releases detailing the "when, where, how, and why" of an incident; keep records of all information released.

Article reprinted with permission from contingencyplanning.com.