Is Your Business Prepared for a Storm?

4/10/2019 (Permalink)

When you’re running a business, there are many things to focus on; whether It’s an upcoming delivery, hiring staff, or the “simple” day-to-day operations, there are many things to worry about. Natural disasters and emergencies usually end up close to the bottom of that list. Unfortunately, all of the hard work and energy put into growing and maintaining your business can end up being for nothing without appropriate storm preparedness. The stark reality is that around 50% of businesses that suffer a disaster never recover; the doors close for good and that chapter comes to an end.

Disaster preparedness is extremely important for every business. With that being said, here are a few tips to help you get ready:

Identify Potential Problems

Is your business located in an area that regularly floods? Are heavy snowfall totals a regular occurrence? Identifying which natural disasters and weather events are more common will help you determine what your business’ risk factor is.

Perform a Business Impact Analysis

While every potential possibility or outcome can’t be foreseen, performing a Business Impact Analysis can help you predict the potential effect a disaster could have on your business. When done properly, a BIA can help you forecast lost or delayed income and sales, delayed implementation of business plans, and increased expenses due to repair work. Creating a BIA can help you identify possible holes in your current preparedness plans and refine your response to emergencies.

Develop an Emergency Response Plan

Developing an emergency response plan is crucial; it is the tool your business will utilize in the event of a disaster. There are many questions that need to be answered during an emergency situation: Who do you or your employees need to contact? How easy is it to exit the building? Where are fire extinguishers located? Fortunately, SERVPRO of Bangor/Ellsworth has the solution: The Emergency READY Profile.

By developing a SERVPRO Emergency READY Profile for your business, you minimize business interruption by having an immediate plan of action. Knowing what to do and what to expect in advance is the key to timely mitigation and can help minimize how water and fire damage can affect your business.

• A no cost assessment of your facility.
  This means there is no need to allocate funds, giving you a great value at no cost.
   
• A concise Profile Document that contains only the critical information needed in the event of an emergency.
  It will only take a little time to complete and will not take you away from current projects. But it will save a lot of time if ever needed.
   
• A guide to help you get back into your building following a disaster.
  This can help minimize the amount of time your business is inactive by having an immediate plan of action.
   
• Establishes your local SERVPRO Franchise Professional as your disaster mitigation and restoration provider.
  You have a provider that is recognized as an industry leader and close by.
   
• Identification of the line of command for authorizing work to begin.
  This saves time so we can begin the work of mitigating the damage which can save you time and money.
   
• Provides facility details such as shut-off valve locations, priority areas and priority contact information.
  Having a quick reference of what to do, how to do it and who to call provides solutions in advance of an emergency so that during the emergency you are "Ready for whatever happens."

Ready to Get Started? Call us today, (207) 947-0400.