Five Actions to Take When Preparing for a Disaster

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. According to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, up to 25 percent of small businesses never reopen following a disaster. Being prepared and having a plan that you’re able to execute will ensure that your business is back up and running quickly so you can provide products and services to your customers, regardless of the type or scale of interruption.

Here are 5 actions you should take when preparing for a disaster.

1. Plan for Power Outages
   
   During a disaster, over half of businesses experience extended power loss. It’s important that you know your power requirements for business continuation for things such as onsite, satellite offices, offsite locations that your business depends on (e.g., sever room), employees working from home.
    
2. Address Core Business Functions
   
   Identify and prioritize your core business functions. Core business functions are the activities, tasks, processes, and systems critical to your daily operations. Assess and prioritize threats to your core business functions.
    
3. Determine Communications Strategies
   
   Identify internal and external audiences. Convene crisis communications team. Establish key messages. Develop a response plan.
    
4. Review Insurance Coverage
   
   It’s important that you ask yourself the following questions. Are your coverage needs and deductibles adequate for your risks and assets? For what types of disasters are you covered? What is excluded? Is your documentation current and sufficiently detailed? Have you reviewed your coverage with a professional insurance advisor within the past year? Answer all these questions and address anything you cannot answer.
    
5. Prepare Your Employees
   
   When preparing your employees ask yourself the following questions. Do your staff members have a personal emergency plan? Are employees familiar with your company’s plan? How will you assist employees personally affected by a disaster? How will employees communicate with each other and your main office in a disaster? Make sure you can answer all these questions.

Follow all these steps and you will have a great plan and be prepared for a disaster so your business will be able to rebound effectively. For more information about what to do before and after a disaster go to: https://www.myrtlebeachareachamber.com/businessinterruptionplanning