Running a business can be an uphill task, especially for entrepreneurs. It’s even harder when you have to rebuild due to disasters such as hurricanes, floods, fire, or theft. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take the necessary precautions to prepare for disasters. By preparing early enough, your business will have a better chance of making it through any challenges. Here are our top disaster preparedness tips for 2022.
Tips for Disaster Preparation
Entrepreneurs can use several disaster preparation tips to protect their businesses. These include:
1. Identifying the Risk
As an entrepreneur, identifying your risks is critical to ensuring disaster preparedness for your business. You can assess various aspects of your business to determine your most vulnerable chances. For better results that comply with the set Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards, you should hire a certified risk assessment agency to do it for you. The agency will help you identify the different types of disasters your business faces and recommend the best solutions for protecting your business.
2. Develop a Plan
After identifying the disasters, you should establish a plan to help you prepare for disasters. You can consult a disaster management agency, especially if there are legal compliance issues to address. Ensure your plan is actionable and practical to protect your business from disasters. Also, inform your team about your development plan to stay ready. Your employees need to be aware of evacuation plans to prepare adequately for possible disasters.
3. Implement the Plan and Train People
After identifying the most effective disaster preparedness plans for your business, your next step is to execute them. Again, ensure your disaster preparedness plan is actionable and one you can follow through on in the event of a disaster. Doing this ensures entrepreneurs are well-prepared for disasters.
For better preparation, it is advisable to train the team. Training ensures that your team/employees understand what they are supposed to do in case of a disaster. It prevents confusion and chaos that happen when a disaster strikes unexpectedly.
As an entrepreneur, you must prepare your business for disasters that can cause immeasurable damage to your business. Here’s a quick rundown of the top disasters entrepreneurs should prepare for:
1. Hurricane
In recent years, hurricanes have become quite a common occurrence, especially in coastal cities. When they occur, hurricanes destroy buildings, cars, and other inventory for businesses and can lead to incredible losses. As an entrepreneur, preparing your business for a hurricane disaster is essential.
You can start by ensuring that your business buildings are constructed using resilient materials that withstand harsh hurricane conditions.
The most vulnerable areas of your commercial property include the roof, rain flashings, roof-mounted elements, skylights, signs and accessories, Packaged Terminals Air Conditioners (PTAC), commercial doors, and the windows/shutters. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure your business is well-equipped and patch up vulnerable areas in your commercial building.
2. Fire
Fire can leave a devastating blow to any company. Depending on its intensity, a fire could result in the loss of a building, raw materials, merchandise, computers and computer files, and business records. Besides, fires could lead to severe injuries or death of employees or customers.
For these reasons, it is crucial to prepare and protect your business from fires. You start by installing fire control and suppression systems in your commercial properties. These systems include foam or water sprinklers, fire alarms, smoke detectors, and fire safety & evacuation plans.
Ensuring that all flammable material is stored carefully away from fire sources can also help protect your business from fire hazards and other potential fire accidents. It would help to have fire exits accessible to save people’s lives during emergencies.
3. Flood
Floods pose a severe risk to businesses. When they strike, floods can cause a lot of damage to your commercial property, merchandise, raw material, and electronics. Therefore, taking the proper steps to protect your business from floods is crucial.
You can prepare your business for floods by knowing your flood zone. Use the FEMA flood Map Service Center to determine if your business is in a high-risk area or not. It would be best if you also took some time to learn your commercial property’s base flood elevation (BFE). This will allow you to determine the height of your building’s lowest sections in relation to the BFE standards. If it is below the standard, consider elevating it to reduce the chances of flooding.
Floodproof technologies such as waterproof walls and gasket shields can help prepare your business against flood disasters. You can also buy flood insurance and protect your assets. Floodproofing all electrical equipment also increases the chances of your business surviving a flood disaster.
There you have it, the top disaster preparation tips, types of disasters your business is likely to face, and how to protect your investments. Our Business Quad Squad can provide you with the necessary guidance and resources to ensure your business is appropriately prepared for possible disasters that may befall your company. Get in touch today. Learn more about how you can prepare your business for disasters while complying with the legal and acceptable disaster preparedness standards.