NOAA forecasts an above-average occurance for 2021
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2021 (to be precise, they have forecasted a 60 per cent chance of an above-normal hurricane season).
With the pandemic already wreaking havoc among supply chains, extra prep will be required by businesses and organizations to ensure business continuity – and ensure the safety of their workers.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30 – with months left, now is a better time than never to prepare.
Ensure that you have adequate PPE
“AR/FR rainwear is a vital piece of your PPE package,” said Scott Margolin, Vice President of Technical at Tyndale in a video.
Margolin says that because there is usually so little warning time for a storm, you simply can’t be waiting around to purchase PPE. Furthermore, supply chain disruptions may mean that rainwear may be harder to get ahold of.
“Make sure your rainwear is serviceable and if it’s not, replace it now,” he says.
You may also want to purchase (ahead of time) and keep non-perishable emergency supplies on hand such as extra batteries, candles, drinking water supplies, a weather radio and first aid supplies, says the Red Cross.
Prepare to evacuate (and plan your route ahead of time)
The Red Cross also says that it is key to prep your evacuation route ahead of time – and even make a trial run is possible. For businesses and organizations that are likely to be affected by hurricane season, it is essential to create an emergency business response and continuity plan.
“Your response plan has to be able to anticipate all of the different things that can happen, and then the right way to respond to it,” told Sean Stinson, Chief Revenue Officer, Blackline Safety, to COS in a recent feature.
In the event that you cannot evacuate, create an action man to secure the workplace (e.g. investing in hurricane shutters. Once the storm is over, you should also ensure that the workplace is safe to reenter before workers return.
Know what to look out for
If you’ve never had to deal with hurricane season before, prep can be daunting! The NOAA has a number of resources available on their website to help educate on hurricane safety.
This list is not exhaustive by any means, but a good first step in adequately prepping for the dangers of hurricane season.
