Emergency - Be Prepared
Natural and manmade disasters can happen when you least expect them. Taking steps now to prepare for a fire, earthquake, storm, flood, landslide, explosion or other disaster will help you protect lives and your business. In fact, many of the recommendations below will help you protect your family and your home as well. For information about specific disasters, please visit http://www.berkleyassetpro.com. Start by learning about your community’s emergency response plan and local resources to assist you in creating your plan.
Before an Emergency:
Create a disaster business continuity plan. We know time is precious and always in short supply. But, taking time to create the plan now will help you respond to a disaster and recover faster. It’s the old adage: a stitch in time saves nine.
Review this template to get started, or visit ready.gov for more information.
https://berkleyassetpro.com/property-emergency-business/
The Key Elements of Your Plan Include:
- Identify and assess the risks for your business: Tornado/high winds, lightning, flooding, extreme heat or cold, snow/ice storm, fire, hurricane/storm; intentional acts such as robbery, burglary, vandalism, workplace violence, cyber attack.
- Identify mission-critical space, inventory, systems and tools: Retail space, manufacturing space, work space and storage, inventory for sale, customer goods, manufacturing or repair inventory, computer system (including payroll, accounting, purchasing and inventory), security system, internet connection, telephone, copier, machines, office supplies, business supplies.
- Create a plan: For each threat identified in #1, determine the possible consequence to the items in #2, and determine mitigation actions you can take. This section should include data backup, protective systems, substitutions, alternative services & location and insurance.
- Review and revise your plan annually
Resources: Berkley Asset Protection Loss Prevention Department: http://www.berkleyassetpro.com, Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety: www.disastersafety.org, Ready.gov: http://www.ready.gov/business, National Flood Insurance Program: www.FloodSmart.gov, American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/hurricane
Be proactive! Develop a plan and execute!
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