When severe weather strikes—a tornado, hurricane, blizzard, or thunderstorm—businesses need to be ready to protect their most valuable resources: employees, clients, and critical assets. Proper preparedness efforts can help mitigate damage, minimize business downtime, and, most importantly, save lives. Below are key steps and strategies for implementing an effective severe weather preparedness plan in your workplace

Understand Your Risks – Identify Common Regional Threats

Every business faces unique weather risks based on its geographic location. Some workplaces contend with hurricanes or tornadoes; others battle heavy snow or flooding. Start by assessing the most likely threats in your area:

Hurricanes (coastal or near-coastal regions)

Tornados (the Tornado Alley region, but can also occur in many parts of the country)

Snowstorms/Blizzards (northern regions or higher elevations)

Floods (coastal or low-lying areas near rivers or lakes)

Thunderstorms (nationwide, with varying severity)

Extreme heat or cold (various regions, depending on climate)

This risk analysis helps you tailor your preparedness efforts to the hazards you will most likely encounter.

Develop a Written Emergency Plan

Outline Responsibilities

Create a detailed emergency action plan (EAP) documenting the roles and responsibilities of key staff members. Designate a crisis management or emergency response team to oversee critical tasks, such as:

  • Communicating evacuation or shelter-in-place orders
  • Accounting for all employees
  • Shutting down essential infrastructure (like electrical panels or IT systems)

Establish Communication Protocols

Communication is critical during an emergency. Identify how you will inform employees, vendors, and customers about closures or emergency measures. You might use:

  • Text or email alerts
  • Messaging apps or intranet channels
  • Automated phone trees
  • Public address (PA) systems

Make sure each team member knows where to find updates or instructions.

Create Evacuation and Shelter-in-place Procedures

Depending on the type of severe weather, you may need to evacuate or shelter in place. Outline the evacuation routes and designated assembly areas outside your facility. For tornadoes or hurricanes, identify safe rooms or interior spaces with no windows, ideally on lower floors or basements.

Prepare Emergency Supplies and Equipment

Assemble Emergency Kits

Prepare emergency kits that are easily accessible, well-stocked, and ready for rapid deployment. Essentials may include:

  • First aid supplies (bandages, antiseptics, pain relievers)
  • Flashlights and batteries
  • Battery-powered radio or NOAA weather radio
  • Non-perishable food and bottled water
  • Basic tools (wrenches, pliers, duct tape)
  • Blankets or space blankets

Store Extra Materials Onsite

If possible, keep backup items, such as tarps, sandbags, or plywood, to address potential damage from wind or flooding. For winter weather, store salt and shovels to clear entryways and walkways.

Train and Educate Employees

Conduct Drills

Schedule regular training exercises—such as fire or tornado drills—so employees know exactly what to do in an emergency. Drills help build muscle memory, reduce panic, and reveal gaps in your plan that can be fixed in advance.

Provide Refresher Courses

Weather threats can change with the seasons. Offer seasonal preparedness sessions on topics like winter driving tips, hurricane preparations, or lightning safety. These refreshers keep safety top-of-mind and reinforce the importance of following emergency procedures.

Encourage Personal Preparedness

A prepared workforce is safer both at work and at home. Encourage employees to develop personal emergency plans for their families, create home emergency kits, and stay informed about local weather alerts.

Safeguard Business Operations

Protect Critical Infrastructure

Power outages and floods can disrupt business. Consider installing backup generators or uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to keep vital systems running. Safeguard important data and equipment by moving servers and electronics away from ground floors or flood-prone areas.

Back Up Important Data

Natural disasters can damage computers, servers, or data centers. Regularly back up files to secure offsite or cloud-based servers. Create a disaster recovery plan to ensure business continuity if onsite systems fail.

Review Your Insurance Coverage

Check your insurance policies to ensure your business is covered for severe weather events relevant to your area. This can include flood insurance, rain insurance, windstorm coverage, or business interruption insurance.

Establish a Post-Storm Recovery Plan

Account for Personnel

Immediately following a severe weather event, focus on employee safety. Have a procedure for confirming everyone’s whereabouts and well-being—this could be through phone calls, text messages, or a designated check-in app.

Assess Damage

Conduct a thorough inspection of your facility. Enlist professionals to examine structural damage, electrical systems, or mechanical components. Document damages with photos for insurance claims.

Communicate with Stakeholders

Notify employees, customers, and vendors about your operating status, any expected closures, or adjusted business hours. A clear recovery timeline and regular updates keep everyone informed.

Stay Informed and Adaptive

Monitor Weather Alerts

Encourage employees to download weather apps or sign up for text alerts from local emergency management agencies. Staying aware of changing conditions is the first line of defense.

Update Your Plan Regularly

Regularly revisit and update your EAP. Lessons learned from drills or past weather events can help you refine procedures, address new vulnerabilities, and maintain a culture of safety.

Final Thoughts

Severe weather can happen almost anywhere, and preparedness is the key to protecting your people and your business. By identifying risks, creating a solid emergency plan, training your employees, and setting up clear communication channels, you can face these potentially devastating events with confidence. Consider this an ongoing process—plans should evolve as your organization grows and as weather patterns shift. With thorough planning, smart training, and proper equipment, your workplace will be better equipped to weather any storm that comes your way.

If insurance is in place, whether or not or to what extent a particular loss is covered depends on the facts and circumstances of the loss and the language of the policies as issued. Actual coverage is subject to the language of the policies as issued.  Policy benefits vary by carrier.