Make a Plan, Disaster Planning for Your Business
New England is far from immune to natural disaster. From winter storms to flooding and hurricanes, it is important that you have a disaster plan in place to protect your business from this type of uncontrollable inclement weather. A business struck by a natural disaster that is unprepared can be devastated, even beyond the point of recovery.
During some of Mother Nature’s wild weather, your business should have a disaster plan in place. Having a plan in the event that a weather emergency impedes your business’ ability to operate will help to minimize the damage and disruption to your operation.
Communications Plan
One very important step to pre-disaster planning for your business is to create an emergency operations plan. This written plan will outline who is in charge in the event of an emergency and what the responsibilities each employee will have. This plan should also document how you will contact employees and customers to keep everyone apprised of your business’ current situation. Once finalized, the plan should be shared with all employees so that they have a good understanding of how to proceed in the event of a weather emergency.
Take an Inventory of Your Assets
Take the time now to make an inventory of your business assets. This includes all of the equipment that your company owns, rents and has in your possession. This can include computers and servers, vehicles, and anything else of value that is kept on-site. This inventory should be shared with your insurance agent. This is also a good time to review the policy and coverage for your business, to confirm that you are covered in the event of a natural disaster.
Just as important as your assets, your company’s data may be at risk. Important business paperwork should be secured in a water-tight location. It is suggested that for the most critical documents, a copy should also be kept off-site. This type of important paperwork includes insurance documents, payroll information and tax forms.
Emergency Kit On-Site
It is useful to create an emergency kit for your business. This kit should be stored on-site in an area that is easy for employees to get to. The kit should contain items needed if a natural disaster occurs during work hours. This includes bottled water, non-perishable snacks, a flashlight with extra batteries and a first-aid kit. You may also want to include a solar cell phone charger and portable back-up generator.
If your area is struck by a natural disaster, and your business is affected, know that there are relief organizations that can help to get you back on your feet. FEMA can provide support to businesses in disaster areas. There are also disaster assistance loans that may be available and can offer support during a difficult time.
The experienced team at Soil-Away can work with your business to develop emergency response protocols. Planning means that if your area is hit by a natural disaster, you will be prepared.
Contact Soil-Away for disaster planning for your business at 603-641-6555. We are here to help you prepare for, respond to and recover from property disasters.
