The Red Cross Ready Rating Go and Advance Assessment tools are the result of a comprehensive review of preparedness recommendations conducted by the American Red Cross National Office of Preparedness and Health and Safety Services, the American and Canadian Red Cross’ Scientific Advisory Council, and the Canadian Red Cross Disaster Risk Reduction Program. All Ready Rating program steps and recommendations are grounded in scientific research, best practices and/or expert opinion from respected professionals representing multiple disciplines and perspectives.
Participation
This step indicates your commitment to increasing your business’ or organization’s level of emergency preparedness during the course of the calendar year. You will be working to make your business or organization more prepared and to enhance overall community preparedness. Key actions for this step include:
- Having your business or organization prioritize preparedness by involving senior leadership.
- Appointing a Ready Rating liaison dedicated to completing the ReadyGo or ReadyAdvance Assessment
Emergency Planning
This step involves gathering information about possible emergencies that could impact your business or organization and your facility’s capabilities to respond to and recover from a disaster or other emergency.Key actions for this step include:
- Knowing your region and the types of disasters most likely to impact your business or organization
- Obtaining a Hazard Vulnerability Assessment from your local emergency management agency
- Considering which hazards your facility is most likely to experience, based on proximity and past events
- Knowing your business or organization’s current capacity to prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster
- Assessing the physical capacity, supplies, equipment and human resources of your facility to limit damage during a disaster
Develop an Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
An Emergency Action Plan describes the steps your business or organization will take to protect your personnel before, during and after an emergency. Key actions for this step include:
- Identifying an emergency planning committee that is responsible for developing and implementing an Emergency Action Plan.
- Developing a written plan describing how your business or organization will respond during a disaster or other emergency. Ready Rating Members have access to a powerful EAP template generator which will assist you in developing an EAP.
- Creating a Continuity of Operations Plan
Implement your EAP
This step involves continuing to work with your planning committee to implement your Emergency Action Plan with your personnel. The key to implementing the plan is to make preparedness a part of the corporate culture. Key actions for this step include:
- Training personnel on a regular basis about what to do during a disaster or emergency.
- Acquiring and maintaining needed safety equipment and emergency preparedness supplies.
- Showing personnel how to be prepared at work and at home so they are better equipped to help your business or organization respond to and recover from an emergency.
- Conducting and assessing regular drills and exercises to determine the readiness of your personnel.
Help your Community get Prepared
Now that your business or organization and personnel are prepared, make at least one additional commitment to ensure that the overall community is prepared for a disaster or other emergency. Key actions for this step include:
- Contributing supplies and/or services to emergency response efforts.
- Adopting a local school or school district and support their disaster and emergency preparedness programs .