Skip to Content
Author: The BCW

Leave a Comment

New York Medical College Offers Disaster Planning for Businesses

More than 75 Westchester community members participated in a two-day course at New York Medical College (NYMC) on December 18-19.

From flu to natural disasters, emergencies can cause businesses big problems. Even emergencies that impact employees and not the business itself an be an issue, said Dr. David S. Markenson, the director of the Center for Disaster Medicine at New York Medical College in Valhalla.

“When a disaster occurs it puts at risk both businesses and their employees during the event. Those risks are to the employees, the leadership and the people they serve,” Markenson said in a recent interview with the Westchester County Business Journal.

He added, “You can have an event that really shuts them down for days, weeks, months. You can imagine the impact that will have on a business.”

While much of the training offered by New York Medical College is targeted at community leaders and hospital emergency managers, law enforcement, school administrators and others, the private sector also is included in the target audience.

Markenson encouraged businesses to come up with disaster plans and to help their employees prepare for home emergencies. In December, New York Medical College held a program that focused on planning involving children.

“I tell every employer it is in their vast interest that every employee has a family disaster plan because that allows the employee to come to work, return to work, stay at work,” he said.

He said businesses need to examine their ability to provide space for children in the event of a weather disaster or other serious situation that closes schools and affects normal child care activities.

“Employees stay at home or, if there’s a place in the building for children while the employees work, you actually maintain productivity of your business,” Markenson said.

Markenson co-founded center in 2005. In addition to his role there and as medical director and professor of public health at the college, he serves as chief medical officer for training series and chair of the National Scientific Advisory Council for the American Red Cross.

“Fifty years ago people heard the word disaster and they thought something collapsed. Unfortunately, in recent times, people have added to that the effects of terrorism or mass casualty events and with things like pandemic flu people have added health emergencies,” Markenson said.

Businesses interested in learning more about disaster planning, should contact David S. Markenson, M.D., M.B.A., Director and Medical Director of the Center for Disaster Medicine at (914) 594-1742 or e-mail disaster_medicine@nymc.edu.

Similar News Items

The Westchester County Office of Housing Counsel (OHC) has officially opened for business to ensure that financially eligible tenants have access to resources and legal representation at no cost to themselves in eviction and related proceedings. The innovative program is the first of its kind for a county and will help stabilize communities and address […]

Read Article

State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins has announced the purchase of two mini buses by the Charter School for Educational Excellence (CSEE) in Yonkers, thanks to $215,000 in discretionary funding she secured for the school. The funds, delivered through the State and Municipal (SAM) Facilities Grant program administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State […]

Read Article

The Cappelli Organization announced this week that PickleRage, the nation’s premier indoor pickleball club, will be opening a new facility at 173 Huguenot Street in the heart of downtown New Rochelle. PickleRage will be occupying 42,000 square feet of space in a building which formerly housed New York Sports Club. PickleRage is planning to open […]

Read Article

Become A Member

Join the county’s largest and most influential business organization today.

JOIN NOW!
The Business Council of Westchester is committed to helping businesses market, learn, advocate, and grow. Over 80 events and programs are offered every year, giving our members ample opportunity to connect and meet with businesses representatives in the Westchester community and beyond.
Back to top