• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Big Ideas for Small Business logo

Barbara Weltman

Big Ideas for Small Business, Inc.

Whitepaper download

Subscribe and download our eBook, "150+ Tax Deductions for Small Business A to Z."

This field is hidden when viewing the form
Get the:

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Big Ideas For Your Business
    • Idea Of The Day ®
    • SMB Legal
    • SMB Taxes
    • SMB Financial
    • Small Business
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Services
  • Books
  • Blog
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Radio Shows/Podcasts
  • Be a Guest Blogger

Prepare for Disasters and Emergencies

September 2, 2021 / By Barbara Weltman

Be Prepared for Disasters and EmergenciesSeptember is National Preparedness Month, an observance created by the Department of Homeland Security. This year’s theme: “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” The theme for week one is “Make a Plan.” With the hurricane season underway as demonstrated by Hurricane Ida and disasters in Tennessee and North Carolina in recent memory, now’s the time to take action.

While the information on Ready.gov is geared to preparedness by individuals and families, it’s a good reminder for businesses to make plans too. The following information is drawn from several prior blogs on this subject.

Why you need to prepare now

It’s been repeatedly reported (and attributed to the American Red Cross or FEMA) that 40% of small businesses never reopen after a disaster. Unfortunately, disasters can strike any business anywhere. While hurricane season is on my mind (because I’m in Florida), there are many other disasters, including wildfires (in the West), flooding (in many Gulf states and along the East coast), and riots and civil unrest (as seen this year in cities such as Portland, OR, Chicago, and Minneapolis).

Use a 4-step approach

I’ve created this approach by cobbling together information from various resources. Much of this is common sense and giving considerable thought to “what if’s.” The key to the 4-step approach is actually doing it. Adapt the steps to your situation.

Step 1: Protect your people.

Educate your staff about your disaster plans and be sure they are included in necessary actions. Advise them about contact information (e.g., a non-public page on the company website) for special instructions during a disaster. Suggest they make disaster preparedness plans for their family. And think about special needs in your workplace. For example, be sure there are arrangements to assist employees with disabilities (e.g., helping a wheelchair-bound employee out of the building when there’s no electricity for an elevator).

Also consider training staff (those who want to do so) on CPR and basic first aid—and do practice drills simulating disaster situations.

Step 2: Protect property.

Do what’s needed for your property. This may include having a generator to keep electricity going so that food (e.g., for a deli or convenience store) does not spoil. One business owner I know put his copiers and other equipment into shrink wrap when a hurricane was imminent.

Check the extent of your property coverage under your business owners policy. Since you last obtained coverage, you may have acquired new, expensive, equipment, machinery, or other property. Be sure this and other needs are adequately insured. Review flood insurance coverage for your business. FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program provides coverage for businesses up to set limits for a building and contents. Private coverage may be desirable for greater protection.

Step 3: Protect important documents and information.

Information that isn’t stored in the cloud should be backed up regularly (as if you didn’t know this). Paper documents should be protected in waterproof containers (e.g., ziplock bags); scan images of these documents for extra protection in case the originals are nonetheless destroyed.

Step 4: Keep a preparedness checklist handy.

This avoids the need to “think” in the midst of confusion caused by an incident; you just follow the actions in your checklist. Also be sure to have key numbers in your contact list, including:

  • Small Business Administration (SBA): 800-359-2227
  • FEMA: 800-621-3362
  • Your insurance company and agent’s contact information

Tap into numerous resources for help in planning

Many government agencies, organizations, and private companies offer templates and other guidance on crafting your own disaster preparedness (and recovery) plan. Some of these include:

  • American Red Cross
  • Business.com
  • FedEx
  • Insurance Information Institute
  • IRS
  • Nationwide
  • OSHA
  • Ready.gov
  • SBA
  • SCORE
  • The Hartford
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce
  • Ventiv

Final thought

On a personal note, I can attest to the trauma of a disaster and have since followed the steps listed above. I’ve had some serious hurricane experience. I was at my mom’s house in 1992 during Hurricane Andrew. And I experienced Hurricane Sandy up close and personal (I was without power and out of business for 11 days, and I also broke my foot the day after the storm when I went out to see the damage). Hurricanes are no fun, but they—and other disasters—happen. Again, be prepared.

 

Tags disaster preparedness disaster preparedness plan emergencies hurricanes small business

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • General Business (497)
  • Guest Blog (108)
  • Homepage (18)
  • Small Business (987)
  • SMB Financial (322)
  • SMB Legal (65)
  • SMB Taxes (324)

Barbara’s Recent Posts

  • The Numbers Are Up for Sole Proprietorships May 22, 2025
  • New Business or Project Crowdfunding: What To Know May 20, 2025
  • Old-School Estimating vs. Smart Solutions: What’s Really Holding You Back? May 19, 2025
  • Employees Getting Called to Public Service: What to Know May 15, 2025
  • Not Too Late to Prep for Summer Now May 13, 2025
  • How Will the Next Generation of Learners Affect the Workplace May 12, 2025
  • Moms Know Best: Lessons for Entrepreneurs May 8, 2025
  • Mental Health Challenges in the Workplace May 6, 2025
  • Let’s Celebrate Small Business! May 1, 2025
  • Scaling Your Business: Adding a New State Location April 29, 2025
  • What to Do about Waste Management in Your Warehouse April 28, 2025
  • Restrooms: Not Front Office but Just as Important April 25, 2025
Awarded Top 100 Small Business Blog medal (link will open in a new window or tab)
Marquis Who's Who 2023 Badge
Top Small Business Blogs (Link will open in a new window or tab.)
8 Financial blogs small business Owners Need to Read. Invoice home.  (link will open in a new window or tab)
Best Small Business Blog, Expertido.org
Top 50 Small Business Blogs 2018
Best Small Business Blogs
BizHumm Top 100 Business Blog Award to Barbara Weltman
FitsSmallBusiness.com: Award for Best Small Business Blog 2017 (link will open in a new window or tab)
FitsSmallBusiness.com: Award for Best Small Business Blog 2016 (link will open in a new window or tab)

Footer

Big Ideas for Small Business logo

Small business ideas, business tax news and small business consulting from Barbara Weltman to provide business owners with the information they need to succeed. Visit our small business blog, Idea of The Day®, small business books and articles on small business taxes, small business finance and small business legal advice.

Contact Us

[email protected]

(772) 492-9593

gacor maxwin situs slot thailand terpercaya situs slot gacor situs gacor akun pro thailand slot bandar togel terpercaya

Latest Tweets

bigideas4sb Big Ideas for Small Business® @bigideas4sb ·
May 22

Federal Independent Contractor Rule: Back to Square One - details in #IdeaoftheDay https://bit.ly/4kug5ui #workerclassification #selfemployed #smallbusiness #legislation #contractwork

Reply on Twitter 1925695949210288278 Retweet on Twitter 1925695949210288278 Like on Twitter 1925695949210288278 Twitter 1925695949210288278
bigideas4sb Big Ideas for Small Business® @bigideas4sb ·
May 22

A comprehensive list of 2025 tech layoffs https://tcrn.ch/3H7hXes #tech #jobs #economy

Reply on Twitter 1925673131210854628 Retweet on Twitter 1925673131210854628 Like on Twitter 1925673131210854628 Twitter 1925673131210854628
bigideas4sb Big Ideas for Small Business® @bigideas4sb ·
May 22

Should Your Business Be on Bluesky? An Industry-by-Industry Breakdown https://bit.ly/3EOVdit #socialmedia #Bluesky #smallbusiness

Reply on Twitter 1925628278955487497 Retweet on Twitter 1925628278955487497 Like on Twitter 1925628278955487497 1 Twitter 1925628278955487497
Load More

Copyright © 2008–2025 Big Ideas for Small Business, Inc  |  Designed by Hudson Fusion

  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap