FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE BUSINESS SURVIVAL AFTER A WINDSTORM
by Doug Henderson
For many businesses, windstorms present A worst-case disaster scenario. In addition to disabling or destroying business assets, as a community-wide disaster, a windstorm can disable employee homes, disrupt transportation,
power and communication infrastructure.
To mitigate damage and downtime to your business, I’d recommend these guidelines:
1. Protect the business building. In addition to facility location, consider the controls to put in place. Look for buildings with storm shutters or “storm-proof “glass. Consider the condition of the roof and the ability of roof equipment to withstand high winds. Beware of such structural weaknesses as large overhangs, large flat outer walls/gables or wood frame construction.
2. Protect your business assets. Be prepared to cover or encase and secure building contents with sheets of plastic or large plastic garbage pail bags. Make sure that you have emergency supplies in place. Move your business assets off the lower floors – and bear in mind note that wind-driven rain can create some “flooding” on upper level floors). Consider moving these assets to a higher level or even to another building at a higher elevation.
3. Prepare for a loss of communications and power. Because a windstorm will disable or destroy most communications infrastructure, be sure to have some communication alternatives in place for employees, customers, clients, key suppliers, and subcontractors. Have telephone numbers (landline and cell) and e-mail addresses. Businesses that need to communicate with distant locations should secure a couple of satellite phones. To ensure post-disaster availability have a voicemail system with support from a vendor with communication equipment at an alternate location.
At a minimum, consider electrical power needed for communication devices. Have extra batteries and charging devices that can be plugged into in a 12-volt automotive electrical system. Identify employees who have backup electric generators for their homes. If possible, have a backup electric generator for the entire office / business facility.
4. Have alternate sites available. After a windstorm strikes, there’s a fairly good chance that your place of business will be disabled or possibly destroyed. To make matters worse, other potential buildings in the immediate area where your business might be able to relocate will probably face the same physical predicament.
Consider which business operations you can conduct outside the immediate area, at least on a temporary basis. Although some businesses will have considerable latitude in this area, others might have more limited relocation options. Businesses that have limited temporary relocation options might consider permanent relocation if building damage is severe. In this worst-case scenario, you’ll need enough insurance for your business to survive.
For small businesses, mutual aid agreements often provide the only cost-effective alternate site alternative. When structuring your mutual aid agreements, select partners located far enough away to minimize the possibility of multiple building and community infrastructure damage. Some service-based businesses might be able to work from distant hotels and motels – exponentially increasing alternate site options.
5. Consider pre-positioning. Effective pre-positioning plans can virtually guarantee uninterrupted critical business services.
Conclusion
How applicable are these guidelines to your situation? If your business is manufacturing or you can’t relocate easily out of the area on a temporary basis, you’ll need to emphasize business building and business asset protection.
Businesses that primarily provide services or informational consulting will probably be able to relocate many, (if not most) of their operations, at least temporarily. Pre-positioning personnel and using alternate sites will probably be effective. However, bear in mind that these strategies require a great deal of logistics planning to succeed.
Douglas M. Henderson is president of Disaster Management, Inc., 1531 SE Sunshine Ave. Port St. Lucie, FL 34952, telephone (772) 337-2985; cell (954) 465-4373; fax (772) 337-2740; e-mail [email protected]; Web site www.disastermgt.com.