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With the start of the 2010 hurricane season, MIR3, the innovator of real-time global notification and response technology, is urging employers to review their current business continuity and disaster recovery plans to keep employees safe and operations running should a hurricane or tropical storm hit.

According to researchers, the 2010 hurricane season is forecasted to be an above average season, with eight hurricanes and 15 named tropical storms likely to form in the Atlantic basin, with four of the storms expected to develop into major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. Employers along the eastern and Gulf coasts of the Atlantic must prepare for risks associated with these storms that can negatively impact business operations including mass power outages, property damage and potential harm to employees.

New advancements, like sophisticated mass notification systems, provide organizations a means to communicate with employees, partners, and customers during operational interruptions due to natural disasters like hurricanes. Additionally, these notification systems can alert company officials when IT systems fail and backup is necessary.

In an effort to reduce the impact of natural disasters in the workplace, MIR3 executives are currently offering enterprises the following tips on best practices to follow when examining BC/DR plans:

• Understand BC/DR needs—In the wake of an emergency, it becomes imperative for companies to maintain clear and effective channels of communication in order to quickly assess damages and coordinate recovery efforts. Because essential business operations can be affected by any stage of interruption, companies must realize the importance of investing in important message delivery systems in bringing, two-way, essential communication to employees and first responders 
• Choose notification systems that offer a range of choices—When selecting a notification system, research its capabilities and consider systems that allow two-way communication over a variety of channels, including land line, fax, mobile, SMS, Blackberry PIN-to-PIN, e-mail, and more. These advanced features become very useful in the delivery of important and urgent information 
• Ensure systems are up-to-date—Companies should regularly check their recipient lists to ensure that all contact information is up-to-date so when a disaster occurs, business continuity planners are confident that notifications are being delivered to the right person on the correct device 
• Create escalation plans—Crisis situations demand immediate response from key “decision makers” across the organization. Today’s most intelligent notification systems include integrated mechanisms that support a call escalation process. For example, if the first decision maker contacted does not immediately respond, the notification software automatically escalates calls, texts or e-mails to the next appropriate executive until a response is finally achieved. Once an executive responds, an automated notification is sent out again to all decision makers verifying that a response and an appropriate action have been made to address the situation at-hand. 
• Train personnel and test systems—When creating BC/DR plans, it is essential to properly train personnel on how to use intelligent notification systems so they are able to send and monitor the entire alert process. This not only manages communication more effectively, but studies show that companies who educate their employees correctly achieve significantly greater response rates. Also, be sure to test alert systems during normal business hours and address any glitches to be certain notification deliveries are successful when needed. A rule of at least two system tests per year is a recommended industry standard to follow
• Incentivize all employees to sign-up for notifications—When a notification system is installed, it is critical that all user contact information is saved within the system’s files so that staff can be alerted immediately during an urgent situation. Various incentive methods may be used—such as drawings, prizes, and awards—to persuade all required personnel to register. This ensures the accurate delivery of important messages at the right time, to the right person, on the right device.
• Establish reactive steps to follow after the disaster—When proactive measures fail, business continuity management programs must specify reactive procedures. These reactive measures will enable organizations to return to normal operations as quickly as possible and will help them better prepare for future crises