As the owner, manager, or representative of your organization, you have taken some steps to prepare your business for an emergency. You have joined the Red Cross Ready Rating™ program and raised awareness of the importance of implementing an effective business continuity program. You may have also completed the Hazard and Vulnerability Assessment. The next step is to prioritize business continuity strategies, which may include completing a simplified cost-benefit analysis.

Review recommendations from the Next Steps Report and prioritize recommendations based on available resources and probable implementation challenges. Refer to the simplified cost-benefit decision-making matrix below to help prioritize activities.

It is highly recommended that your organization assign specific individuals as Preparedness Champions. These individuals are responsible for ensuring that the organization is adequately prepared to deal with emergencies and for supporting emergency response actions. By appointing Preparedness Champions, your organization can ensure that it is always ready to respond to any crisis with a well-coordinated and effective plan.