Can you and your technology weather a serious storm? Here on the Atlantic coast, it’s peak Hurricane season. We recently saw Matthew cause damage and destruction from Haiti to the mid-Atlantic. Technology has changed and improved the ways we prepare, weather, and recover after natural disaster since I was a child. Have your methods kept up? Over the next few weeks, this series will cover various sections of a Disaster Preparedness Plan, from communications to technology and things to be aware of before, during, and after the storm. I’ll also review ways you can keep safe from scams.
While many of my tips should be generic, I do bias toward Hurricane specific recommendations. I grew up on Long Island and still live in the metro New York area, and hurricanes are one of our most common causes of large-scale natural disasters.
No one wants to think about creating a disaster preparedness plan, or practicing it. However, having one in place long before it’s needed is important. Being able to follow a check list while other parts of life feel overly chaotic will help make sure your business weather the storm.
People first
I’m going to say it, people first. Stuff, space, work and records can be recreated. Please be smart and safe. Have a supplies kit ready for everyone! If you work in an office, make sure you and your employees have supplies and a plan.
In this (and pretty much only this), I consider pets people. Even if you don’t take both of your cats to the vet at the same time, make sure you have the ability carry both safely and securely.
Plans
There are many different disaster preparedness plans available online. These include options ready.gov, Small Business Administration, FEMA, and the CDC, among many others.
Many of the easily accessible are for either larger organizations or geared toward families. It’s tough when you are a solopreneur or micro-business, or even just part-time free-lance. It is still important to have a disaster preparedness plan.
Upcoming posts
As I review each section, I’ll cover things to think about in ways that work for your business, when you are every c-level position, entry-level, and every position inbetween.
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