When developing a Business Continuity Plan, you inevitably discuss recovery locations and alternate sites, along with the types of supplies needed in each. In addition to backup computers, radios, and phones, companies also need to stock some perishable items like food, water, and batteries. But having these things also requires some manpower to make sure they stay fresh and usable.

The utility companies I’ve worked for maintain “storm centers” where they can monitor the status of their electrical system and maintain communications during storms, so we looked at these as viable alternate sites. One of my clients periodically cycles their food stocks and contributed non-expired items to a local food bank. Which got me thinking – if lots of companies are hiring people to do this, couldn’t they outsource it to a vendor?

Companies already hire vendors like Iron Mountain to rotate their records and backup tapes offsite. Vendors like PeaPod (or local grocers like Lunds & Byerly’s) deliver groceries to homes and businesses. Now Roche is offering to rotate supplies of medicine. It’s a simple combination of these business models to setup contracts to rotate companies’ emergency stocks and ensure they are kept fresh and ready for use during an event. Usable supplies that are rotated out can be donated to food banks or other charities such as Hope for the Cities so they are not wasted.