American Red Cross-NMI chapter executive director John Hirsh who was a guest at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Pacific Islands Club yesterday said businesses should have an evacuation plan for disasters including fire, earthquakes and tsunami.
“Is your business ready for emergencies?” Hirsh asked the business community.
He said businesses should see to it that they have identified an alternative worksite and keep up-to-date plan for the continuity of operations. This means that businesses should already have planned for protection of mission critical supplies such as computers, data files, confidential files, personnel records, and others.
Hirsh stressed the importance of being prepared all the time because disasters like the tsunami and earthquake in Japan can occur in the CNMI.
“The ring of fire is in our neighborhood, and we need to be ready anytime,” Hirsh said.
He also urged not only the business owners but the whole community to be alert and use common sense during times of emergency.
“In the CNMI, earthquakes occur frequently but if you feel the earth starts to shake out of control, don’t wait for announcements from the Emergency Management Office or radio stations. Use your intuition and move toward safety,” Hirsh said.
