Protecting Your Business in a Natural Disaster

Many of us have family emergency plans in place for the home, but many might not think about how important a business disaster plan can be for your business, also. According to poll conducted by the National Federation of Independent Business, natural disasters have affected more than 30% of all small businesses in the United States. [bctt tweet=”Make sure you, your employees and your business have the tools necessary to get back to work once the threat of damage is over. ” via=”no”]

Protect Your Business with a Disaster Plan

Whether you are starting a new business or already a small business owner, it is never too late to protect your business by creating a disaster plan. Below are some easy steps you need to do in order to protect your business when disaster strikes.

Risk Assessment

Consider which disasters might affect your business to evaluate your preparedness level. The American Red Cross offers free risk assessment tools to check the level of risk in your area, as well as tips to help improve your level of preparedness. Make sure to ask yourself if you are up to date and have spoken to your insurance agent recently? Is there emergency equipment available? Are any of your employees trained in medical care or emergencies?

Backup Data

One of the most critical issues for small businesses during natural disasters is whether their data is backed up. It can be disastrous if your intellectual property is lost. If you are using cloud-based services, you are a step ahead, because your data can be accessed from anywhere. Those without cloud-based data storage need to make sure to have backups of all data, including contracts, business licenses, and other corporate data in a safe place.

Continuity Plan

Make sure you can continue operating during or after the disaster. Review all business operations to assess which aspects are more critical for operation and business survival. Keep a list of all suppliers and customers and it can be a good idea to contact them after the emergency. It is also wise to have a secondary location available for temporary work so the business can continue to run.

Protect Your Property

Protecting your property should be a top priority when you own a business. Floods, tornadoes, wind storms and other natural disasters can wreak havoc on your business. Be prepared with tools like a Water Inflated Property Protector (WIPP). A WIPP will drastically reduce the amount of water that enters your building or property, keeping things safe and dry.

Insurance

Always make sure to stay in communication with your insurance agent. Talk with them about your coverage and inquire about disaster insurance. Not all plans have disaster situations covered, and it is also good to consider business interruption insurance, as well. Business interruption insurance pays you lost income when your building or property is damaged due to natural disasters.

Emergency Plan

Make sure to discuss with your employees what to do in case of an emergency or natural disaster. Have a building evacuation route in place, and have emergency kits available with water, flashlights, a fire extinguisher food, and first aid items. Set up a shelter in place area that workers can retreat to if not leaving the building. Make sure to review and rehearse your plan often to ensure the safety of your employees.

Protecting Your Business

You never know when disaster will strike, so it is important to have a disaster plan in place for your business. How quickly your company gets back on its feet again depends on a seamless plan with risk assessment, property and data protection, and the proper insurance.

To learn more about how you can protect your business during a natural disaster, Contact Us.