Pennsylvanians have been paying much closer attention to hurricanes in recent years. Though we may not suffer the same level of damage as southern coastal states, Southeastern PA has certainly seen its fair share of damaging winds and flooding. While homeowners have taken a greater interest in hurricane preparedness lately, small business owners may not be as up to date on this kind of disaster planning.
If a hurricane were to impact your business, how many days could you shut down operations before you face serious obstacles to recovery? The answer to this question will be different for every business owner, but it’s the first one to ask when creating your business hurricane readiness plan.
What Do I Need to Do to Protect My Business in a Hurricane?
Obviously, the first priority in protecting your business in the event of a hurricane is making sure all of your employees are safe. The good thing about hurricanes as they relate to Pennsylvania is that they are never a surprise. When dangerous weather is expected, make sure all of your personnel can leave the building with plenty of time to get home safely. Keep in mind that members of your staff may live in higher risk areas, and they may need to time their travel based on where they live and not where they work.
Your physical building is the next priority. Go over your policy with your insurance agent so that you know what kind of damages will be covered in extreme weather. Your agent may also help you determine if certain equipment should be relocated within or away from the building prior to damaging wind or flood scenarios. In the aftermath of a hurricane, conduct a thorough evaluation of your business property and take pictures of any damage you find to report to your insurance company. Check closely for evidence of water damage and leaks that could cause mold or foundation problems if not addressed quickly.
Your actual work assets are another category of preparation. Some companies maintain off-site back up servers so that they can recover files and get back online even if the building doesn’t have power. Contact your IT service to go over cybersecurity issues and data recovery procedures to make sure your files are secure and will not be lost. If employees will need to work from home for any length of time, set strict protocols for accessing company information from off-site. If you have a business that does not allow for remote work, provide every employee with a paper copy of your written procedures for communication, returning to work, and how compensation will be handled during closure.
Don’t Let a Hurricane Close Your Business Forever
If you can’t get your business back up and running quickly after a hurricane, you could be in danger of closing it permanently. Thorough planning and preparation will help you prevent this, and so will a solid insurance policy. Even if you can’t get fully operational right away, make a list of things you can do to stay afloat, and get to work on those first. As recovery moves along, you’ll gain momentum and get back to business as usual. Keep in mind that your vendors or customers may also have been impacted, which could cause disruptions outside your control.
If you need help preparing your business for extreme weather, just call us! Smyrl Insurance has been helping small businesses for over 65 years. We can go over your existing policies, help you develop checklists and contingency plans, and refer you to local businesses that can help you prepare or help you recover. We educate, nurture, and empower our clients to feel confident in how their assets are covered personally and in business. We serve clients for personal, business, and property insurance in Hatfield, Lansdale, Souderton, Harleysville and throughout Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
