Evaluating the Disaster Preparedness Levels of Your Business | SERVPRO® of Palo Alto

3/22/2020 (Permalink)

Plan for Workplace Emergencies

Planning ahead for emergency scenarios is a smart choice for business owners, though it may not be an enjoyable task. Being prepared for disasters and other emergencies can significantly reduce the harm they cause to your operations and can drastically reduce the damages sustained in some scenarios.

Having a plan in place is the single best thing a business owner can do to prepare for a disaster.

Because thinking through every possible scenario is an overwhelming task, we suggest that business owners instead think of three main categories when evaluating their preparedness levels. Understand your insurance coverage, your evacuation plan and your restoration roadmap to determine where you could increase preparedness and where things are adequate.

Your Commercial Insurance Coverage

The time period after a disaster is not the time when you want to be figuring out your insurance coverage. In many cases, commercial policies are not designed to handle the extensive damages a disaster can cause, often fully excluding auxiliary damages such as if your business floods or if you must pause operations for repairs. It is best to find out ahead of time what your insurance covers and purchase extra policies accordingly.

Your Emergency Plan and Supply Kit

A natural disaster often only gives those in its path moments to react, which is why having a plan in place is such a vital aspect of preparedness. Consider the types of scenarios you may be likely to experience, such as fires or earthquakes, and create plans with these in mind. In addition to planning for an evacuation, it is also smart to keep an emergency kit on the premises in case you and your staff must stay and await assistance.

Your Plan for Restoration and Recovery

Taking measures to reduce the time that your business is closed in a disaster’s aftermath is the best way to limit the negative impacts that it has on your business. Choose your commercial restoration company ahead of time so you can call immediately following a disaster and begin the recovery process. You may also be eligible for disaster recovery assistance thanks to the Small Business Administration, so it is worth looking into that as well.

If your business has been impacted by a disaster, you can contact us ²⁴⁄₇ for guidance on how to begin the commercial restoration process.