Don’t wait until it’s too late: Emergency preparedness for businesses
During blue skies (normal operations), the last thing any business owner wants is to think about is preparing for a hurricane or other serious weather event. But when it happens, and your business isn’t prepared, just having insurance isn’t enough.
When a hurricane occurs, a business owner that knows their employees, customers, vendors, facility, and business information are well and secure can focus on getting through the storm and getting back open for business. That’s the advantage of being prepared!
Businesses may have different priorities depending on the type of business they operate. Professional services firms may focus more on data protection. Retail and manufacturing companies will also need more robust plans to protect physical equipment and inventory and to provide safety guidelines for their workforce. With proper planning and protection, you can help ensure that you get back in business as quickly as possible.
So where does a business begin to prepare for inclement weather?
There are two great websites available to assist in creating a plan and being prepared:
Both websites are easy to navigate and will walk businesses through completing a preparedness plan.
Don’t wait until it’s too late
Seven of the top 10 costliest natural disasters in the United States were hurricanes. Three of the top five costliest natural disasters occurred in 2017: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, which cost a combined $278 billion in property losses.
For business and property owners living in a region that is prone to destructive hurricanes, there is no time like the present to start thinking about how to protect yourself, your employees, your property and your business from the risk of hurricanes and tropical storms. Establish a plan now!
For information about business recovery after an emergency, visit www.mymanatee.org/businessrecovery.
