As a business owner, it is important to take the necessary precautions to ensure that your business is prepared for hurricane season. With the right preparation, you can limit the damage to your building and property, as well as the disruption to your business operations. Hurricanes are powerful storms that can cause widespread devastation within minutes. If you're a business owner, proper disaster preparedness takes on even more importance – you need to ensure your safety and the safety of your employees, customers, and everyone else who happens to be in your facility when an emergency occurs. The best defence is a good offence. Follow these tips from the experts at ServiceMaster Recovery Management to create the best hurricane preparedness plan for your business.
Know Your Risk. Find out if your area is susceptible to hurricanes and flooding.
Insurance Coverage. It is important to make sure that you have the proper insurance coverage for your business. Most business insurance policies don’t cover damage from natural disasters, so you may need to purchase additional coverage. Before hurricane season begins, it is important to review your policy to make sure you are adequately covered.
Make An Emergency Kit. An emergency kit can be a lifesaver in dangerous hurricane situations. Stock it with non-perishable food, bottled water, batteries, flashlights, first aid supplies and medication, and anything else you may need if you leave quickly. Store all your emergency items in a waterproof and lightweight container. Then, place it somewhere that can be easily accessed during an evacuation.
Property Preparation. Take steps to protect your building and property from potential damage. This could involve installing hurricane shutters to protect windows or sandbagging around the perimeter of your building. Additionally, you should make sure that you have a backup plan in case of flooding or other water damage.
Prepare Employees. Create a communication plan for your business. This should include information on how to contact your staff, what the response plan is for different types of disasters, and how to keep the public informed.
Establish A Plan For Technology & Important Documents. While protecting your employees is paramount, ensuring your technology and documents survive a hurricane is also important. Losing your organization's technical systems and data can be costly and inhibit company productivity. Keep a record of the serial numbers of all technology devices so that you can file a claim with your insurance provider should they become damaged or destroyed.
Evacuation Plans. Create an evacuation plan for your business. Make sure your staff members know what the plan is, and how to carry it out. Make sure you have a plan for how to shut down your business operations in the event of a hurricane, and how to ensure the safety of your employees. Take that logistical planning further by running mock scenarios for a hurricane. Allow them to troubleshoot the challenges and devise an effective hurricane preparation plan. Presenting different scenarios offers another layer of preparation that will give your organization confidence should an actual hurricane event occur. The more you prepare, the safer your business will be – both during a storm and after one hit.
By taking the necessary steps to prepare your business for hurricane season, you can limit the potential damage and disruption to your business. Make sure you review your insurance coverage, create an evacuation plan, take steps to protect your building, and create a communication plan. You and your business deserve a proactive partner that will be there before disaster strikes to help you best prepare. ServiceMaster Recovery Management offers advanced, innovative processes that can handle losses of all sizes and the equipment and personnel needed to handle the largest recovery jobs. Learn more about our Pre-disaster Program or contact us at (855) 642-2444">(855) 642-2444.