Whether you work in government, healthcare, education, or business, organizations need to have supplies and a plan in place in the event of an emergency. Whatever types of disasters the future may hold, Safe’N’Clear recommends creating an emergency supply kit to ensure your organization is ready for anything. Beyond getting a supply of clear face masks like The Communicator™ and rations, evaluating your business’s overall emergency plan is crucial.

Because September is National Preparedness Month, Safe’N’Clear wanted to create this guide to building emergency supply kits and re-evaluating your emergency plan. Read through this guide to ensure your business is prepared! 

1. Evaluate Your Organization’s Needs and Order Supplies

In order to build an emergency supply kit for your organization, you need to take a moment to evaluate your organization and your needs. Ask yourself questions like:

• How many employees do you have in your department or organization as a whole?
• Do any employees have allergies or health conditions that you should consider?
• What is the safety plan if you need to shelter in place at your organization? 
• Do you have an emergency plan?
• What environmental or health emergencies is your place of business at higher risk? 

By thinking about all these questions, about the employees you have to support, the shape of your business, and the area you work in, you can determine what supplies you need and your emergency plan as a whole. You can know how many clear surgical masks you need, the number of rations you can order, and the volume or type of first aid kits you need. If you need an idea of what supplies to think about, the US Department of Homeland Security has a list of items to include in an emergency supply kit and worksheets to keep in mind. While this page is designed for homeowners and families, the items on this list are useful to keep in mind for businesses to support their employees in a time of crisis. 

Once you determine what materials you need and the amount you should order, put in an order for those supplies. 

2. Create an Emergency Plan 

Once you have ordered your supplies, a good idea is to look at your emergency response plan or create one if your business does not already have one. This planning includes determining evacuation routes, making a plan if your office needs to shelter in place, and establishing emergency alert systems. The Department of Homeland Security also has example paperwork to help you develop a plan for your business. 

As a part of developing this plan, perform a risk assessment to evaluate how at risk your business can be in the event of an emergency. The Department of Homeland Security also has information on handling risk assessments for companies on its website. Making this plan can help you also evaluate if you need anything else for your emergency supply kit and how to utilize the emergency supply kit in the event of an emergency. 

3. Find a Safe Location to Store Your Emergency Supply Kit 

Once you have all the items you need for your emergency supply kit and an emergency plan, you must find a safe place for all of your supplies. Safe’N’Clear recommends having everything in a secure, easy-to-access container, so supplies will not get damaged if exposed to water. All essential items must be easy to access, and multiple people in your facility need to know the location and its purpose. 

A good idea would be to send out a memo or email about emergency supplies and integrate emergency planning into future training. No one knows when disaster will strike, so your organization needs to be prepared. 

4. Regularly Maintain and Update Your Supplies 

Finally, once you have your emergency supply kit in a safe place, make sure that supplies are regularly checked, restocked, and updated as time goes on. Some items in the kit can expire, and if items like clear surgical masks are used for other events, you may need to restock items in your kit. You do not want to be in a situation where an emergency event happens, and you cannot use supplies because they are expired or out of date. 

Just as you set up points of contact and establish responsibilities in your emergency plan, you should plan on regular updates of your emergency supply kit. Members of your organization can inventory and suggest additional items as different types of disasters become more likely. Regularly maintaining your emergency supply kit can make your organization ready for anything. 

Need Clear Face Masks For Your Emergency Supply Kit? 

Of course, these are just a couple of guidelines for assembling emergency supply kits for your organization. If you ensure that your emergency supply kit has all the PPE needed for an emergency, Safe‘N’Clear hopes you will consider The Communicator™ for your masking needs. Because many people who are deaf or hard of hearing may work at your organization, you must have emergency supplies to ensure that everyone is a part of the conversation. That way, in an emergency, everyone can communicate while staying safe. 

Safe‘N’Clear markets The Communicator™ surgical face mask with clear window, which is the first FDA-approved medical face mask. The mask is 100% sourced and made in the USA and ADA-effective, allowing healthcare facilities to serve patients with accessible, transparent, and clear communication. The Communicator™ is also approved by Health Canada and Europe’s CE mark; The Communicator™ is definitely the best medical-grade mask quality-wise and communication-wise. If you are ready to get started, shop The Communicator™ mask here. You can also learn all about Safe’N’Clear here.