From blizzards and lightning to tornadoes and floods, severe weather events can strike with little to no warning—and the safety of your organization depends on how well you’ve prepared in advance. A written plan is important, but unless it’s been tested and evaluated, you may not know whether it will truly protect your people and property.

That’s where our Severe Weather Preparedness Assessment comes in. This resource helps leaders measure their current level of readiness, identify gaps and prioritize improvements. It’s a practical tool that fits into your broader Business Continuity Management (BCM) program, ensuring your organization can weather the storm and recover quickly.

Why Use a Severe Weather Preparedness Assessment?

Plans on paper don’t always equal action in a real emergency. This structured assessment provides a scoring framework that allows you to rate each preparedness item as “done consistently,” “needs improvement” or “not done.” The process makes it clear where your organization is strong and where attention is needed most.

Key Categories of Readiness

The assessment guides you through several core areas:

• Plan Preparedness. Have you identified severe weather risks, outlined resources and reviewed your plan with local emergency responders?
• Facility Preparedness. Are utilities clearly labeled, roofs and drainage systems maintained, and emergency supplies stocked?
• Communication. Do you have an up-to-date emergency contact list, a designated spokesperson and systems to communicate with staff, volunteers, visitors and first responders?
• Leadership and Staff Preparedness. Have roles been assigned, staff trained and cross-training provided to maintain essential functions?

Evacuation and Shelter Planning

A strong plan also considers how to move or protect people when severe weather hits. The assessment looks at both building evacuation procedures and shelter-in-place strategies, including safe room signage, provisions for at least 72 hours and procedures to assist individuals with disabilities. It also evaluates whether you’re prepared for community-wide evacuation orders, with transportation and communication systems in place.

Scoring Your Readiness

Once completed, the Severe Weather Preparedness Assessment provides an overall readiness score:

• 67 or more items marked “done consistently” = well prepared.
• 55–66 items = moderately prepared, with room for improvement.
• 54 or fewer items = significant gaps that need immediate attention.

This scoring system helps organizations benchmark their current preparedness level and track progress over time.

Why Download the Full Severe Weather Preparedness Assessment?

This preview highlights only a portion of what’s inside. The full Severe Weather Preparedness Assessment provides the detailed checklist, scoring system and step-by-step guidance you need to evaluate your plan thoroughly. It transforms preparedness from a vague idea into measurable, actionable goals.