“Among famous traitors of history one might mention the weather,” said 40-year Vogue editor-in-chief Ilka Chase, and she could not be more right. How many times have you flung your happy springtime thoughts out the window when you see snow after just three days of glorious, glorious spring?
Sudden weather changes are bad enough; when the weather gets worse then it is time to take action. It is a good thing that the weather can be told in advance so people can prepare for its onslaught, especially during severe conditions. It is also fortunate that people have easy access to weather forecast through desktop weather alerts.
Desktop weather alerts are very important, especially for organizations that employ a considerable amount of people. Such alerts are critical in keeping your company safe in the face of severe weather. While we have survived many disastrous weather conditions, it will still be best to be vigilant and take preventive measures.
Informed is Armed
Being prepared for the worst is the best thing you can do in the face of severe weather conditions. The kind of preparations your organization makes before the weather lashes out will surely have a huge impact on what happens during its height and after it passes. Take for example Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Yes, it caused power outages, severe floods and even fires caused about by the wind, but it did not cause as much damage as it would if people have not been informed about it. Because they were informed earlier about the hurricane attack, people were able to make the necessary preparations that allowed them to be safe.
How prepared is your organization for severe weather conditions?
A weather preparedness plan is something every organization must have, as severe weather conditions can bring about huge destruction to lives and company resources. Many areas of the country have been struck by hurricanes and tornados, so it is but right to have a plan in place about dealing with inclement weather.
When dealing with severe weather, every second counts. A tornado warning, once issued, leaves you only an average of 13 minutes to do what you need to do before the tornado attacks. Thirteen minutes is not a lot of time, so you must mobilize your people quickly to get them to a safer area.
An impending weather forecast should alert your organization about what is about to strike. Of course, you have to take the appropriate action depending on the severity of the forecast. An effective desktop alert system gives you regular updates on the weather so you can continue operations without having to monitor the weather all the time.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
It is important to communicate weather updates to your staff as soon as you receive them. Doing so gives everyone a sense of preparedness and helps increase their confidence that they are protected should something bad occur.
A desktop alert system such as the one offered by DeskAlerts increases your chances of reaching every individual in your organization, no matter where they are. It is to be expected that phone lines will be busy due to calls from concerned family and friends of your staff, so notifying them through voice calls does is not a very good idea. Luckily, DeskAlerts offers different channels of communication, allowing you to send notifications through SMS, emails, desktop screensavers, digital signage and even social media accounts.
Severe weather can pose a grave threat to your operations, and worse, the lives of your people. But with an emergency alert system like DeskAlerts, a well-written disaster plan and continued vigilance and communication, you lessen the risk to lives and property.
