September is national preparedness month. Created in 2004, the purpose of this observance is to strengthen disaster preparedness and response capabilities across communities. This year’s theme is A Lasting Legacy: “the life [or business] you’ve built is worth protecting.”
During the month, individuals and businesses are encouraged to be proactive about preparing for a disaster. Here are some tips for how business owners in the Nashville area can do this.
Create a Disaster Recovery Plan
All businesses need a disaster recovery plan that provides clear guidance on how to act in the event of a disaster. This should outline clear roles and responsibilities for an immediate response, a communication plan, and a business continuity plan.
After creating this response strategy, it’s important that leaders share it with their teams, test it, and make revisions as needed. Once a final draft is created, it should be published, circulated, and distributed to all employees.
The key here is creating a thorough plan and ensuring that all employees are familiar with it and prepared to put it into action.
Assess Likely Risks
An important component of preparing for disasters is understanding the likely risks for your business. While you obviously can’t predict everything that might happen, there are some disasters that are more likely than others. According to ready.gov, the most likely risks for small businesses are:
- Natural disasters – for example, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes
- Health issues or outbreaks
- Acts of violence or other human-caused disasters
- Technology-related disasters – for example, a power outage
That said, every area and industry has its own risks. Whether that be flooding, cybersecurity, or violence. When coming up with a disaster recovery plan, it’s important for businesses to consider the most likely type of disaster their business might face and then specifically plan for it.
Mitigate Risks As Much As Possible
Once you’ve identified the highest risks, it’s important to take steps to mitigate risks as much as possible. For example, if you’re in an area with a high risk of flooding, move equipment from your lowest level, have sandbags ready, or install flood doors.
In addition to proactively addressing risks yourself, you’ll want to review the terms of your insurance coverage and become familiar with what your insurance plan does and does not cover. Depending on your potential exposure, it might be necessary to purchase additional coverage.
Include BHS Nashville in Your Recovery Plan
If disaster does strike, Nashville BHS is here to help you clean up and stay open. Our team of professional cleaners is always available to provide quality cleaning services and peace of mind, whether it’s through a scheduled weekly cleaning or a deep clean after a flood.
Contact us to learn more or to schedule your next cleaning.
For more information about Disaster Preparedness Month, visit this article from Ready.gov.
