From Hurricane Harvey, to the fires in Oregon, California, and Montana, to the earthquake in Mexico, to the looming threat of category-4 strength Hurricane Irma, recent events have made it only too clear that, in addition to planning to protect human life during a disaster, there must also be safeguards in place to protect the businesses that allow people to make a living.

One of the first safeguards any business should have is a comprehensive business continuity plan, complete with a backup and disaster recovery strategy. This will be touched upon in a little more detail below, but in essence, such a strategy will need to address how a business will ensure that their data and resources are protected or salvageable.

Additionally, it helps to build a checklist of all the considerations you need to take into account. While what follows is by no means a comprehensive list of preparations to take, it should serve as a starting point to your preparation.

BEFORE A HURRICANE STRIKES

• Identify safety hazards and weaknesses around your building and see they are repaired.
• Update and duplicate key information
  • Employee phone numbers
  • Employee personal emails
  • Phone numbers and emails of building management and maintenance
• Ensure that you have taken a backup
  • This backup should be hosted off site, ideally in the cloud, safe from the effects of the disaster
• Prepare a business continuity plan
  • A copy of this plan should also be stored offsite
  • Prepare your office, acquiring supplies and training staff
  • Develop emergency procedures for your technology
• Test procedures on a regular basis

WHEN A HURRICANE IS IMMINENT

• Stay connected to news/weather services to remain informed
• Power down anything not managed by an Uninterruptible Power Supply or similar device
• Disconnect all devices, and move any that are located near windows
• Close doors and windows
• Ascertain that your employees are safe
  • Implement a check-in policy to ensure your employees remain safe throughout the disaster
• Brace yourself to ride out the disaster

AFTER THE HURRICANE PASSES

• Avoid hazardous conditions in and around your area
• Check for employee injuries
  • See that employees receive the help/medical attention they need
• Assess the damage to your business
• Enact your business continuity plan
• Assist the community in recovering

Key Contacts to Have Ready

• Local Hospital:_________________________
• Police:_______________________________
• Fire Department:________________________
• Insurance Company/Agent:_________________
• Small Business Administration: 1-800-3592227
• FEMA Tele-registration: 1-800-462-9029

Useful Resources

• Small Business Association Guide to Protecting Your Business: https://www.sba.gov/blogs/taking-action-can-protect-your-business-ahead-storm
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php 
• Hurricane Safety Organizations – FEMA Business Preparation Tool Kit: http://hurricanesafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/FEMA_PS-Prep_Toolkit.pdf
• Department of Homeland Security – Plan and Prepare: https://www.dhs.gov/topic/plan-and-prepare-disasters
• Ready.gov – Evacuation Guide:
  https://www.ready.gov/evacuating-yourself-and-your-family

Nature is a powerful thing, and so the best that we can do is to reinforce ourselves against it and persevere. It is important to remember that of all businesses that go through a major disaster, 40 percent never reopen, and those that do have a 25% chance of closing within two years.

 Protecting your business during these dangerous, risk-laden times is imperative.