CERT Professionals services includes training, planning, business continuity, equipment and computer network and data protection. Some of our many services include:

Disaster preparedness
Response and recovery
Hazard analysis
Risk Assessments
Terrorism planning
Command and control
Business continuity planning
Computer system and data continuity of operations
Search and Rescue
First Aid CPR and AED
Emergency Response Planning
Documentation Workforce Accountability
Building damage recognition
Organization and management
Triage and casualty management
Disaster first aid
Response to Natural Disasters
Response to Hazardous Material Emergencies
Response to Terrorism

We are also expert emergency planners. Our full service "all hazard" integrated approach provides you a plan and preparations that you can actually use to prepare for any hazard.

Every year, emergencies of all sizes cause many deaths and untold economic hardship and disaster to businesses throughout the United States.  It is possible however for businesses to limit injuries, save the lives of employees, and return to normal operations more quickly if they plan ahead.

FEMA defines an emergency as related to businesses as “any unplanned event that can cause deaths or significant injuries to employees, customers or the public; or that can shut down your business, disrupt operations, cause physical or environmental damage, or threaten the facility’s financial standing or public image.”  Obviously, there are many events that can be classified as emergencies. Of primary importance is creating a plan for dealing with various types of emergencies that may happen to your business. While you may not initially plan for every type of emergency, it is prudent to at least plan the likely scenarios and always try to improve your emergency response to other scenarios over time.

Disaster recovery planning is a clear step in the process of making sure your business can survive an emergency event. Disaster recovery planning includes risk assessment dealing with people, processes, infrastructure, and systems. Disaster recovery planning should be in the context of providing the plans necessary to handle any emergency in which the business could suffer a loss of productivity, office space, equipment, data, or staff.

One of the more obvious omissions from most disaster planners and business continuity “experts” are any plans to deal with the safety and survival of employees during an emergency event. Having an evacuation plan is only part of what’s necessary. It is likely that during a disaster there will be persons injured and possibly even trapped among debris. Rendering care, extricating, and evacuating these employees should be a company’s top priority. Obviously, without employees, having a great business continuity plan does the company no good since no one will be able to implement the plan! Relying on the fire department or other first responders is myopic at best and negligent at worst. Any large scale disaster will likely have the limited resources of the professional emergency responders unavailable for hours or possibly even days. Therefore, we recommend creating more than just a disaster recovery plan. We recommend creating an Emergency Response Plan. This plan encompasses everything that is necessary to handle a disaster as it unfolds, render aid to those that need it, as well as get your business back up and running quickly.  Just as important, we also offer training to make sure the plan works and your staff is effective.

We can assist you with your emergency planning, training, implementation, equipment and supplies purchasing, and ongoing drill practices. Our emergency planning process is simple and effective. It is done by experts in the emergency response field and provides you a written plan as detailed as you need. The consultation process is defined through the following steps:

1.     Executive Management Approval and Executive Authority

The first step in the process is upper management approval for a corporate culture of putting employees first during a disaster.  This approval must outline corporate commitment by placing tactical authority to the Emergency Response Team members. During a crisis, the Emergency Response Team Incident Commander will have authority over and tactical control of all employees and visitors.

2.     Planning Team and Emergency Response Team Selection

Selecting the team to make the plan and those that will be part of the Emergency Response Team is a step that has great importance to the success of the team and safety of all employees. Not all personalities are suited to be on the Emergency Response Team. It is important to select the proper staff as well as making sure all functional areas have input. Choosing the right person for the job is much more important than the pay grade or internal rank of the staff person.

3.     Internal Critical Products, Services and Operations Identification

This process will determine what items of the business need to be protected, backed up, and replicated and the infrastructure and persons necessary to accomplish this so that the business can function after an event.

4.     Code and Regulation Identification

Identify applicable Federal, State, and local regulations such as OSHA regulations, fire codes, building and electrical codes, and corporate policies.

5.     Hazard and Risk Analysis

Assess the probability and potential impact of various risks and hazards that may occur. Using a Vulnerability Analysis Chart to guide the process, probabilities, possibilities, risks and assist in making recommendations to deal with the various threats.

6.     Schedule and Budget Plan

Creating a schedule and budget is necessary to create the systems, training, plans, equipment, and processes necessary to deal with the risks outlined.

7.     Insurance Review

Review all insurance policies to determine if coverage is adequate for the various risks.

8.     External Resource Identification

Knowing what external resources are available may be desirable based on the risks as well as internal processes of a business. Items such as hazardous materials, Emergency Medical Services resources in your office building, the nearest defibrillators, capabilities of local hospitals, fire department response, and more.

9.     Disaster Recovery Plan

This plan will is the main people, process, and systems recovery plan to assist your business in recovering from an emergency event.

10.    Data Continuity

Determine the best method of handling data continuity based on your existing IT infrastructure, associated risks and hazards, and internal critical processes.

11.    Infrastructure Continuity

All businesses require some infrastructure continuity. Depending upon the risks, these will be identified and addressed.

12.    Training Plan

Training plans will provide a set of course goals, terminal and enabling learning objectives, and lesson plans to provide the necessary training to meet the needs and training problems identified.

13.    Training Delivery

Delivering the training is one of the most important aspects in the plan. It is necessary to teach new knowledge and skill sets necessary to change behavior to be able to react to disasters and emergencies without hesitation.

14.    Drill Exercises

Didactic and table top training is ineffective for promoting real world action during a crisis. Hands-on training by experienced emergency response instructors provides the best methods for learning and retention.

15.    Refresher Training and Exercises

All of us forget skills and knowledge that we don’t use often. With emergency response, refresher training is necessary and a great motivator to employees.

We can assist you with all or some of these steps in order to provide you with emergency event plan and business continuity process that works best for your company.  Deciding on how much you want to do can be determined during an initial assessment meeting where a customized proposal can be accomplished. The range services above can span from a single overview report to the full process outlined above.

We can also provide a speaker for up to an hour onsite for your lunch sessions. Our expert and dynamic speakers bring everything necessary to speak at your office. Here are our most popular sessions.  

1. Backing up your data offsite so you can actually use it! (the fallacy of offsite tape backup)
2. Corporate Disaster Recovery that everyone forgets – Protecting your most valuable asset – your employees!
3. Direction and Control and the importance of “looking cool” during an emergency.
4. Emergency Event Supplies. Everything you need to have for an emergency at home or office.
5. Shelter in Place. What it’s for and what it’s not.

Customized lunch sessions on any emergency response subject are also available. Please contact us for pricing.