PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS
Planning before a hurricane or other distaster arrives is key to business survival. These guidelines will help businesses develop a strategy to minimize damage, lost time and money.
Develop a Business Continuity / Disaster Recovery Plan
o Establish a disaster-recovery team of employees who know your business best, and assign responsibilities for specific tasks o Identify your risks (kinds of disasters you’re most likely to experience) and make a detailed plan for how you would respond to each type of disaster o Prioritize critical business functions and how quickly these must be recovered o Establish a disaster-recovery location where employees may work off-site and access critical back-up systems, records and supplies o Obtain temporary housing for key employees, their families and pets o Update and test your plan at least annually o Communicate and meet with key stakeholders (banks, trading partners, vendors) of your company o Include contact information (for employees, customers, vendors, etc.) within the plan Alternative Operational Locations – Determine which alternatives are available: o A satellite or branch office of your business o The office of a business partner or even an employee o Home or hotel Backup Site – Equip your backup operations site with critical equipment, data files and supplies: o Power generators o Computers and software o Critical computer data files (payroll, accounts payable and receivable, customer orders, inventory) o Phones/radios/TVs o Equipment and spare parts o Vehicles, boats and spare parts o Digital cameras o Common supplies o Supplies unique to your business (order forms, contracts, etc.) o Basic first aid/sanitary supplies, potable water and food
Safeguard your property – Is your property prepared to survive a hurricane or other disaster? o Your building? o Your equipment? o Your computer systems? o Your company vehicles? o Your company records? o Other company assets?
Contact Information – Do you have current and multiple contact information for: o Employees? o Key customers? o Important vendors, suppliers, business partners? o Insurance companies? o Is contact information accessbile electronically?
Communications – Do you have multiple, reliable methods of communicating with your employees? o Emergency toll-free hotline? o Cell phones? o E-mail? o Two-way radios? o Website? o Satellite phones?
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