Disaster Recovery Journal Summer 2024

is characterized by a balance between the warmer El Niño and the cooler La Niña conditions. As we move into summer, La Niña begins to take hold, typically peak ing around August to October. This shift has a substantial influence on the Atlantic Hurricane season. The cooler sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean associ ated with La Niña tend to enhance hurri cane activity in the Atlantic Ocean Basin, leading to more frequent and potentially more intense storms. Understanding these patterns is crucial for predicting severe weather events and implementing effec tive disaster management strategies. Preparing Your Business with Less Lead Time Spring’s unpredictability brings storms such as tornadoes and flash floods that are notorious for their sudden onset. To prepare for these short-lived yet high impact events, it is crucial to maintain up to-date emergency response plans and to create drills that simulate these scenarios. Regular practice of these drills can help communities respond swiftly and effec tively when real events occur. Updating emergency response plans every season is key to successful risk miti gation. Ensure all steps and communica tion is clear and reviewed by a team before each season starts. Each plan should be detailed and contain contingency plans for

each type of weather event, as every event can include different risks. Businesses can implement a variety of drills tailored to different weather scenar ios. Tornado drills, for instance, involve practicing taking shelter in a pre-desig nated location within the building, away from windows and exterior walls. Fire drills are essential for preparing employ ees for wildfires or lightning-induced fires, teaching them the quickest and safest evacuation routes. Earthquake drills, or “drop, cover, and hold on” drills, prepare employees for seismic events. Flood drills focus on evacuation procedures to higher ground. Businesses in hurricane-prone areas should conduct hurricane drills, which include securing the premises and evacuation. Site-Specific Alerts Ensuring the safety of employees during severe weather events is paramount. This involves implementing granular, site specific alerts for different locations and general alerts for employees, consider ing factors such as their distance from the office and whether they work from home. Site-specific alerts allow businesses to maintain safety and business operations at the most efficient levels. Understanding how weather will impact your exact loca tion can guide business decisions more effectively. These site-specific forecasts

can also include custom warnings and alerts for each location. Aftercare is Key to Future Mitigation The aftermath of severe weather events can be just as challenging as the events themselves. Designating the office or a temporary headquarters for employees to gather supplies if they were impacted is a vital part of the recovery process. If employees are caught at the office during severe weather, it’s important to ensure the office is well-stocked and prepared to pro vide shelter and resources. Lessons from the aftermath of weather events can shape future business emer gency response plans. The process of after care reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the existing plan, highlighting areas that require improvement. For instance, if communication channels were ineffective during the event, businesses might con sider implementing more robust systems or backup options. If certain resources were insufficient or quickly depleted, future plans could include stockpiling more sup plies or identifying alternative sources. By analyzing these experiences and incor porating the lessons learned, businesses can continually refine their emergency response plans, enhancing their resilience to future severe weather events. As businesses navigate the challenges of severe spring weather in a changing climate, preparedness, adaptability, and resilience are key. From understanding the impacts of El Niño to La Niña transi tions, to implementing site-specific alerts and drills, businesses can take proactive steps to mitigate risks. The lessons learned from each weather event serve as step pingstones towards creating more robust emergency response plans. Bracing for the unpredictability of spring weather, it is good to remember that every challenge presents an opportunity for growth and innovation. v

Staci Saint-Preux is a senior industry man ager and meteorologist for StormGeo. As part of the sales team, she has a crucial role in serving current and prospective clients in many different industries. Prior to her time

at StormGeo, Saint-Preux worked as a flight planner and meteorologist for a private aviation company in Houston.

22 DISASTER RECOVERY JOURNAL | SUMMER 2024