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Have You Created a Disaster Plan for Your Business? | SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz
1/11/2019 (Permalink)
You'll be able to roll with the punches by creating a disaster plan for your business.
Everything from floods, hurricanes and tornadoes to wildfires and hurricanes are in the news almost daily, proving Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with. In the event your business should fall victim to one of these, the key to being able to roll with the punches, so to speak, is being prepared in advance for a multitude of worst-case scenarios.
Preparation for those scenarios involves creating a natural disaster plan for your business. Let’s take a look in this blog at some aspects to consider when designing that plan.
So, what exactly will you need to consider when designing a disaster plan for your business? There are many factors to include from employees to your equipment and assets.
Considerations to include should be:
- Providing protection for your employees
- Safely securing your assets
- Getting your business up and running again
There have been many checklists made available to us by sources like the Red Cross, FEMA and Ready.gov that will assist you identifying areas that need to be included in your natural disaster preparedness plan. These sources will also help you see just how prepared you truly are.
If a disaster were to strike without warning, a plan needs to be in place that lists procedures and safety measures for employees and visitors to follow.
Make sure evacuation routes and exits from your facility are all clearly marked, mark a shelter space within the building for people to use as a shelter, consider installing emergency lighting, and have designated volunteer “safety wardens” who are properly trained and ready to guide and assist with all emergency efforts.
When you are looking for a shelter space, ideally a basement or storm cellar is where it should be in case of tornadoes or other high-wind situations. If you have no basement space, select a small interior room, closet or interior hallway on the lowest level of the building.
If the business is located in a brick and mortar location, you’ll have to make educated choices about protecting the assets inside it. There are thousands of dollars of equipment and merchandise at risk when a natural disaster strikes.
Do you have a comprehensive and up-to-date inventory of your equipment and merchandise or perhaps photographs taken prior to a disaster whenever possible? This is always helpful if insurance claims will have to be made. If you use a computer server to store assets, take steps necessary to ensure that the backup system completes regular backups and that the storage system cannot be damaged.
If you own your building, you can ask a contractor to help you identify areas where the structural integrity may need improving. The contractor can walk you through possible safety upgrades and advise on any areas that may not stand up to certain weather situations.
When a natural disaster does occur, it is possible that your business will have to be closed due to damage. Each day you remain closed is another day of lost profits. It is wise to have a “disaster” fund set aside to cover any additional costs that are not covered by your insurance.
Establish relationships with contractors who would be available for construction concerns, and know who to call for cleanup and restoration services that will be available to quickly respond to your emergency situation.
With SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz, you can count on us to get to the disaster faster and make it "Like it never even happened." Our training and expertise have prepared us to help with water damage, storm damage, fire damage and mold remediation quickly and effectively.
Knowing what to do when disaster strikes your business is of the utmost importance. When it comes to the cleanup and restoration aspects, depend on SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz to be there for you. Call us no matter the emergency, we're here 24/7 at 845-255-4334.