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Natural Disaster Preparation

Disasters require their own mindset and preparations. Proper, well-thought out planning is key to mitigating downtime and lost revenue.

Disaster Preparation and Response

Here is a checklist to get you started on your journey of Disaster-Prepping your business. 

• Be sure to discuss terrorism and applicable natural disaster coverage with your commercial insurance specialist.
• Keep copies of insurance policies and other critical documents in a safe and accessible location (e.g. a fireproof safe).
• Evaluate which disasters are most likely to occur in your area, remembering to include the possibility for terrorist activity. Be sure you are prepared for all of the risks you identify.
• Develop a Disaster Recovery or Business Continuity Plan. If you already have one make sure that it is up-to-date. This entails preparing for anything that disrupts your business operations and planning for a backup option. You may consider identifying backups for essential operations, supply chains, personnel, business functions, data processes and communication channels.
• Review your policy for off-site backup of EDP records. Ideally these records should be backed up and transmitted or sent off-site on a daily basis.
• Have telephone call lists available (including cell phone and pager numbers) for all key personnel so required staff members can be contacted during non-working hours from any location. Review procedures for notifying employees that your facility is closed. Remind employees that they should never attempt to enter areas that are closed by police or other emergency responders.
• Consider establishing an alternate method for your phone service if the switchboard becomes unusable (e.g. forwarding incoming calls to a cell phone or remote number).
• Check available emergency supplies such as flashlights, batteries, emergency generators and fuel, patching materials such as plastic sheeting, wood 2x4s, duct tape, spare fire extinguishers, first aid kits, etc.