24/7 Emergency ServiceA Natural Disaster Plan Can Help Keep Your Business Prepared | SERVPRO® of Santa Clarita Valley
8/12/2019 (Permalink)
Have you ever stopped to think about how Mother Nature can prove to be quite a formidable foe, throwing everything from floods, hurricanes and tornadoes to wildfires and earthquakes at us? The key to being able to handle it is preparing in advance.
Being prepared for those scenarios involves creating a natural disaster plan for your business. Some aspects to consider when designing that plan are laid out in this blog.
There are many factors you will need to consider when developing a disaster plan for your business. Items to consider include:
- How to protect your employees
- How to secure your assets
- How to get business up and running again
Thankfully, we have at our fingertips many checklists made available from sources like the Red Cross, FEMA and Ready.gov that can help you identify areas that need to be included in your natural disaster preparedness plan. These sources will also highlight areas that may need more preparation than you have already completed.
Because a disaster can strike without warning, it is extremely important to have a plan that lays out procedures and safety measures for employees and visitors. Clearly and properly mark all evacuation routes and exits from your facility, choose an area that can be used as a shelter space, consider installing emergency lighting, and have designated staff called “safety wardens” properly trained and ready and able to guide or help with all emergency efforts.
When deciding on a shelter space, ideally a basement or storm cellar is the best location in case of tornadoes or other high-wind situations. However, if you have no basement space available, locate and mark a small interior room on the lowest level of the building, such as a closet or interior hallway.
In a brick and mortar location, there are still mindful choices that you’ll have to make about how to protect the assets inside the building. From equipment to merchandise, there are thousands of dollars at risk when a natural disaster strikes.
Keep a comprehensive and up-to-date inventory and pictures of these items in a safe place as they will be helpful during the insurance claim process. If your assets are kept on a computer server, take the steps necessary to ensure that regular backups are being performed and the storage system cannot be damaged.
As a building owner, take the time to work with a contractor and uncover any areas that could need structural integrity improvement. The contractor can also show you possible safety upgrades and advise on any areas that are not up to code for certain weather situations.
In the event of a natural disaster, it is possible that your business will have to close for repairs as a result of damage incurred, but every day you remain closed is another day of lost profits. That is why it is a good idea to have a “disaster” fund set up to cover any additional costs that your insurance will not cover.
Put together a list of contractors who will make themselves readily available for any repairs needed, and know who to call for cleanup and restoration services that will be available to quickly respond to your emergency situation.
With SERVPRO® of Santa Clarita Valley, 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 Santa Clarita Valley to be there for you.