USF offers free hurricane planner

Businesses around the state now can create their own customized hurricane emergency management plan, free of charge. USF SafetyFlorida recently unveiled the Hurriplanner, a free online planning tool to help Florida businesses prepare for a storm, stay safe and in contact during the storm and cope with its aftermath.

"We found that many businesses just don't have a plan of action if a storm or natural disaster occurs," said Charlene Vespi, Program Director of the USF SafetyFlorida consultation program. "Consequently, their employees, data, and physical assets are at risk. With the Hurriplanner, they can enter their information and download the finished document with a few simple steps."

The Hurriplanner is an easy-to-use yet far-reaching tool that can be tailored to fit any business. Employers can go to www.HurricaneBusinessSafety.com, fill in their businesses' personnel information, and then choose the appropriate emergency management options. By downloading the document to the hard drive, employers can customize their Hurriplanner document to suit their company's unique operations.

The Hurriplanner uses the company-provided information to automatically create a log containing detailed instructions, useful resources and instructions on management procedures throughout all stages of a storm. Available information includes emergency checklists, employee rosters, Florida county emergency management contact information, disaster assistance steps, and damage assessment plans. The log also contains helpful reference information regarding all types of natural disasters.

USF SafetyFlorida is a free and confidential statewide workplace safety consultation program of the University of South Florida College of Public Health.

USF Health is a partnership of the University of South Florida's colleges of medicine, nursing, and public health. It is a partnership dedicated to the promise of creating a new model of health and health care.