Prepping Your Team For Weather Emergencies | SERVPRO of West Milwaukee

9/18/2023 (Permalink)

If your home or business was damaged in a storm, call SERVPRO of West Milwaukee to get you back in action.

As a business or commercial property owner in Milwaukee, it is your job to have a plan in place for virtually every situation. While the majority of your plans probably revolve around day-to-day tasks or overcoming work-related obstacles, you also need to take the time to plan out your weather response.

Severe weather in Milwaukee can pop up at any time and if your employees are not prepared, it can turn into a chaotic situation quickly. Keeping your employees safe should be a top priority no matter the situation.

Don’t let your crew become vulnerable during a weather emergency! Follow these tips to help create a solid weather emergency plan that all your staff can follow.

<h3your-risk">Recognizing Your Risk

Weather threats look different during each season. Extreme cold and blizzard conditions can occur any time from the late fall to mid-spring, and the summer heat and humidity can produce severe storms and even tornadoes here.

We are also vulnerable to flooding, so understanding your flood risk can help you prepare ahead of time. Other methods, like staying current on the weekly forecast can help you make plans in advance and communicate them with your team.

<h3your-plan">Sharing Your Plan

If poor weather is in the forecast, don’t keep that information to yourself! Communicating with your team ensures that everyone is on the same page and you can all work together to figure out what needs to happen. Be sure to have everyone’s contact information in your phone or in your email.

This can help you easily fire off a group text or a mass email if quick action needs to be taken, like moving to your safe shelter location or explaining the evacuation routes.

<h3to-stay-in-or-get-out">Plan to Stay In or Get Out

Weather situations can warrant different responses based on what they are. If you have enough lead time, evacuating your team might be the best course of action. Be sure your employees understand where the emergency exits are and what the evacuation routes are on each level of your building.

In other circumstances, staying put might be the best choice for everyone’s safety. Pick a safe shelter location in an interior room in your building and prepare it now with food, water and emergency supplies. If a weather warning is issued, ensure everyone gets there quickly and stays there until the threat has passed.

Once you have all of these plans in place, it’s time to practice! Your team will react much more seamlessly and calmly during a true emergency if they know what to expect.

Don’t let extreme weather take control! If storms strike your business, SERVPRO® can help you restore your losses.