Business Owner

Plan ahead for emergencies to make sure your business is resilient.

Make a Business Continuity Plan

• Organize a small team to create your plan
• Identify hazards and potential disruptions to your business
• Identify and prioritize your business' most important operations and processes
• Gather critical documents and information needed for decision making
• Keep it simple: design a plan that is easy to understand and implement
• Create a communication list and strategy. Plan to use it post-emergency. Maintain up-to-date emergency contact information for employees, vendors, suppliers, and other key stakeholders to your business

Build a Kit

A Business Emergency Kit is a collection of basic items your workplace may need in the event of an emergency. In addition to having an emergency kit for your business, you should also have emergency numbers and procedures clearly displayed throughout the facility, evacuation routes planned and communicated, and special accommodations for those with disabilities.

• Emergency Kit Checklist for Business Owners
• Back up and store vital records and data at an off-site location

Be Informed

• If you oversee a large facility, we recommend registering your business through Rave Facility and consider purchasing the Panic Button
• Sign up for Smart911 and register to receive Boone County Ready Alerts
• Download PulsePoint to register any AEDs available in your building and to become aware of all Fire & EMS calls that may occur near your facility
• Create relationships with other businesses around you and in your community. Discuss, share, and brainstorm emergency preparedness and response as a group

Get Involved

• Test and evaluate your plan
• Define different types of exercises and learn how to conduct them
• Use results from the exercise to evaluate the effectiveness of your plan and make updates as needed
• Recruit and train your employees and/or volunteers to effectively respond to the hazards identified
• Take action to mitigate the potential impact on equipment, buildings, facilities, inventory, and storage
• Consider your insurance options and make sure you have the most well-rounded coverage for your business
• Exercise, test, and update your plan at least once a year

Additional Business Preparedness Resources

• Disaster Resistant Business (DRB) Toolkit
• FEMA Ready for Business
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Small Business Preparedness
• Preparis: Crisis Communications Checklist
• Small Business Insurance Options
• Small Business Disaster Recovery Planning
• Planning for Business Continuity
• American Red Cross Ready Rating Program for Workplaces & Organizations
• OSHA Fact Sheet: Planning for and Responding to Workplace Emergencies

Students & Individuals

Talk to those in your house about what everyone will do during an emergency before it happens.

Make a Household Emergency Plan

Go over what to do during emergencies that could happen in Boone County.

• Plan a meeting spot in case you get separated during an emergency or cannot reach each other
• Pick the same person for everyone to call, text, or email
• This template can help you to build your plan.

Review your Schools' Emergency Preparedness and Safety Information

• University of Missouri Student Preparedness
• Stephens Alert
• Columbia College Campus Safety

Families and Children

Talk to your kids about what to do during an emergency and practice your plans together as a family.

Make a Family Emergency Plan

Go over what to do during emergencies that could happen in Boone County.

• Plan a meeting spot in case you get separated during an emergency or cannot reach each other
• Pick the same person for everyone to call, text, or email
• Use this template to help you build your plan.
• Help your kids by filling out a contact information form. Keep a copy in their school bookbag and another copy in their emergency kit along with a family photo and a comfort kit.

Know the emergency plans in place at your child's school or daycare.

• Ask about emergency plans for evacuation and early closing
• Keep the school's contact information with you

Community and Faith-Based Organizations

As a community or faith leader, you can help your community members prepare for emergencies

Spread the Word

Before, during and after an emergency, help disseminate information to people in your network. Sign up for emergency alerts and notification from Boone County Ready Alerts so that you are able to stay up to date with what's happening around you. Assist members of your community or congregation who are elderly, have medical conditions, or are without internet access to sign up for the Special Needs Registry and create a Smart911 profile.

Receive and Offer Emergency Training

Consider receiving additional training such as CPR, Stop the Bleed, or Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). You can also encourage those in your community or congregation to receive life-saving training as well be hosting a training locally. Request a training from the Boone County Office of Emergency Management.

Improve your organization's emergency preparedness by utilizing these resources:

• Read about the hazards we face in Boone County
• Make emergency plans for your house of worship
• Strengthen your facility's security

Pet Owners

We understand that your pet is part of your family and want to enable you to plan for them, too.

During Severe Weather, Tornado, Lightning

Shelter in place with your pet

• Bring your pet in your safe place with you
• Gather at least 3 days of supplies for your pet
• Ready more about sheltering in place

During Extreme Heat

Don't leave your pet outside or in the car for extended amounts of time.

During a Boil Water Advisory

To be safe, give your pets bottled or boiled water.

During or After Flooding

If you must evacuate your home, bring your pets with you.

• Include where you would go in your plans. Find out ahead of time which hotels, shelters or relatives will allow you to bring your pet(s)
• Ensure you have all your pet's current medical records gathered and in your pet's emergency kit
• Have a photo of you and your pet together to prove ownership
• Have an ID collar, leash, medications and a carrier for your pet(s)

View our printable Are You P.E.T. Ready? Brochure and print a checklist for your pet's emergency kit.

If you have large animals, such as horses, there are additional tips for you available here.

Visitors

Welcome to Boone County! Stay connected while you are here.

Follow Boone County Ready Alerts

Sign up to receive Boone County Ready alerts to your phone or email.

Not familiar with Missouri weather? Here's an overview of the various risks that exist in Boone County throughout the year.

Spring

Severe Weather (Tornadoes, Rain, Thunder, Lightning, Hail, Strong Winds)

Flooding

Earthquakes

Summer

Extreme Heat

Severe Weather (Tornadoes, Rain, Thunder, Lightning, Hail, Strong Winds)

Flooding

Earthquakes

Fall

Severe Weather (Tornadoes, Rain, Thunder, Lightning, Hail, Strong Winds)

Earthquakes

Winter

Freezing Temperatures

Freezing Rain

Ice and Snow

Earthquakes

You will most likely need to shelter in a safe place during any of the above weather, so it's important to:

• Know and understand your hotel's emergency plans
• Follow the instructions provided by your hotel and local authorities

Seniors or Persons with Special Needs

As a senior or person with special needs, there are special considerations you need to make during an emergency.

1. Be informed by signing up for a Boone County Ready Safety Profile, powered by Smart911. Choose which local and subscription-based alerts you want to receive, by opt-ing in you can ensure you have at least one way to receive emergency notifications. Opt-in to share your information with the Office of Emergency Management. By sharing your profile information, you are helping first responder know you may need extra assistance during an emergency or disaster.
2. Build an emergency kit with your important supplies in case you need to shelter in place or evacuate your home.
3. Make a plan so you know what you will do in various emergencies.
4. Get involved by practicing your plan and talking with your support team about your plan.

Include important information in your safety profile, for instance if you:

• Use a life support system, like oxygen, respirator, ventilator, dialysis, pacemaker, or are insulin dependent
• Have trouble walking, moving around quickly or have a prosthesis
• Are blind, deaf, hard of hearing or have trouble seeing
• Have speech, developmental, or mental health disabilities
• Use a service animal

Learn more about supported decision-making and emergency planning for individuals with special needs and disabilities.

For assistance in setting up, or updating, your Boone County Ready Safety Profile review our step-by-step guide, reach out to your support team, or contact our office.

Boone County Ready, powered by Smart911, Safety Profile

Boone County Ready, powered by Smart911, allows you to create a safety profile where you enter your household's information. Having a completed safety profile that includes each member of your household, including pets, is critical in the event of an emergency at your home. If first responders need to respond to an emergency at your residence, having a completed safety profile can not only decrease response time but also assists in reducing the anxiety surrounding the incident.

Furthermore, Smart911 is recognized nationwide. That means, no matter where you are traveling - your information in your profile travels with you and will be available anytime you call 911; no matter where you are! *

• Create a Smart911 Safety Profile
• Update my existing Smart911 Profile

*Smart911 is a trusted public safety and first responder partner. The Smart911/RAVE Mobile platform is available nationwide. Current Smart911 profiles and user information will only be available in current Smart911/RAVE Mobile participating jurisdictions

Boone County Ready Alerts and Notifications

Opting in for Boone County Ready alerts and notifications allows BCJC and the OEM to communicate to your cell phone, landline or email to keep you informed of severe weather, traffic alerts, emergency notifications and preparedness messaging. You can customize which alerts you want to receive and where you want to receive the alerts by using the Smart911 app for Android or iOS.

Boone County Ready Facility, powered by Rave

Emergency calls come from within large facilities or campuses every day, from landlines and mobile phones. Whether it is an employee, customer, student, or visitor in that location; having the information to reach their exact location within the facility as well as access points, points of contact and maps, can shorten response time. A Boone County Ready Facility profile powered by Rave can help to protect both people and places. This feature is how Boone County Joint Communications (BCJC) can obtain additional premise information for facilities, campuses and other large structures in our community during an emergency call. When a 9-1-1 call, landline or mobile, comes from within the geographical boundaries of that location (as determined by the facility profile), the profile will by immediately displayed to the 9-1-1 dispatcher. In addition, authorized individuals can search for the profile of a facility by name.

Profile Components

A Facility profile can include:

• Multiple buildings within a campus
• Point(s) of contact on-site
• Fire alarm contact
• Security alarm contact
• Property owner contact information
• Gates or access codes
• Geographical boundaries including parking lots
• Floor plans of each building
• Landline phone numbers within a building
• Locations of fire extinguishers, AEDS, and First Aid stations

Think about it

Emergency calls come from within large facilities or campuses every day, from landlines and mobile phones. Whether it is an employee, customer, student or visitor, having the information to reach their exact location within the facility as well as access points, points of contact and maps can shorten response time. A Rave Facility profile can help to protect both people and places.

• Create a Boone County Ready Facility Profile

Specific Cases

• Active Shooter - A profile can contain exits, floor plans, on-site contacts and surrounding parking lots and roads to assist in locking down or evacuating a location quickly
• Medical Emergency - A profile can contain access points to the location, location of AEDs nearby, and who to contact on-site
• Fire - A profile can contain evacuation routes, exits in a building, stairwells and elevators, on-site contacts and the closest hydrants in order to safely evacuate and respond to a fire or other hazard on-site

Community Partners

• Schools
• Senior centers
• Hospitals
• Medical centers
• Retail stores
• Office buildings
• Hotels
• Churches
• Tier II facilities

Benefits

• Shortened response times
• First responder safety
• Civilian and employee safety
• Informed dispatchers
• Informed citizens
• Socially responsible
• Rave Panic Button addition

Panic Button

Under Facility, another tool exists - the Rave Panic Button. This app is available for facilities to purchase for their students and/or employees and staff. The app offers more than just emergency call buttons. Upon the activation of any of the buttons, a preset notification is sent to all necessary on-site staff and safety personnel. The notification is also received by 9-1-1 in addition to details about the location of the incident, facility profile data, and more. This tool aids first responders before arriving on scene to determine the best approach to the situation.

Features

The Staff Assist feature enables authorized employees to communicate with on-site groups or individuals without initiating an emergency call to 9-1-1.

Once a button has been activated, 9-1-1 can initiate customizable check-ins with those on-site to see who is injured, get their locations and current status of the situation to better direct first responders arriving on scene.

Benefits

• Additional functionality integrations
• Efficient messaging
• Incident management

Credentials

This FirstNet-listed platform is fully interoperable, connecting devices, 9-1-1 systems, and multi-jurisdictional local and state first responder agencies across a single platform. For school safety efforts, the Rave Panic Button also meets and exceeds the requirements of "Alyssa's Law" and has been certified by the United States Department of Homeland Security under the SAFETY Act (Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technology).

Tell me more

Interested in setting up a demo or learning more? Contact the Office of Emergency Management.

Sign up for Smart911 online or to download the Smart911 app Text SMART911 to 67283

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

As the nation's nonprofit clearinghouse and comprehensive reporting center for all issues related to the prevention of and recovery from child victimization, NCMEC leads the fight against abduction, abuse, and exploitation - because every child deserves a safe childhood.

Whether you are a parent or caregiver, teacher, first responder or mental health professional - NCMEC has resources available to you.

NCMEC is committed to providing training, technical assistance, education, and resources at no cost to child-serving professionals, including law enforcement and other personnel who assist with missing and exploited children cases. View their online training courses.

NCMEC provides safety and prevention resources for families and professionals focusing on child abduction, child sexual exploitation, and internet safety.

• KidSmartz Personal Safety Program: A child safety program that educates families and children about how to prevent abduction and that empowers elementary-aged students to practice safer behaviors
• NetSmartz Online Safety Program: An educational program that teaches children ages 5-17 about online safety and digital citizenship. NetSmartz offers free, age-appropriate resources including videos, games, presentations, and classroom lessons to help children learn how to protect themselves and their friends online
• Code Adam: A program, named in honor of Adam Walsh, that is designed to help businesses and other establishments ensure that they have safety protocols in place to respond quickly and effectively to situations involving a missing child
• Safe to Compete: Guidelines for youth-serving sporting organizations and the parents of child athletes to help protect children from sexual abuse

Complete list of resources available at NCMEC's webpage.

Pulse Point

Building informed communities.

PulsePoint is an app that connects citizens with lifesaving information that is already available in the community. This app allows for the community to share where AEDs are located so that if someone calls 9-1-1 for a heart emergency dispatch can connect them with that tool while they wait for first responders. In addition, others in the nearby area who are CPR certified will be alerted in the event that someone calls 9-1-1 for an emergency that warrants CPR. Furthermore, anyone with the app can be alerted to all Fire and EMS calls automatically at the same time dispatch receives them.

Download the Pulse Point app for free today. To learn more about PulsePoint, visit their webpage.

Suicide Prevention

As of 2019, suicide was the 10th leading cause of overall deaths in Missouri. Teen suicide is currently the third leading cause of death in youth under 15 years old. Suicide is preventable. By recognizing, talking about and treating mental health, we can work together to prevent suicide. Our community is fortunate to have a vast network of resources, many of which are listed below. This list changes as more resources become available or unavailable. Please contact our office if you see any information that is not current or to add a resource.

ONE (Our Networks Engaged), a community-wide campaign to prevent suicide launched by Burrell Behavioral Health, offers free training on recognizing mental health warnings signs, how to talk about suicide with loved ones and connect them with resources to help.

Mental Health First Aid helps you assist someone experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis. In the Mental Health First Aid course, you learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies for how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help. To view training available near you, visit mentalhealthfirstaid.org.

The STU22 Crew Foundation was created in 2010 to promote awareness for the prevention of teen suicide. For more information, view their webpage.

NAMI Ending the Silence is a presentation that helps audience members learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition.

Children's Grove of Columbia is a non-profit that's works to offer support for the social, emotional and mental well-being of youth. They have several Mental Health resources for children as young as preschool.

Requiem Alliance is a newer non-profit created to increase focus on mental health concerns in the service industry.