The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is dedicated to ensuring that America’s 30 million small businesses have the tools they need to tackle any challenge, including natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes.
Right after a disaster hits, the SBA is there to help individuals rebuild their homes and replace personal belongings. They also work with businesses of all sizes and non-profits to help them get back on track with low-interest disaster loans.
But instead of just counting on insurance or loans to rebuild after a disaster, why not have a solid plan in place? Being prepared can help your business recover quicker if you need to pause operations during an emergency.
September is National Preparedness Month, and the SBA has teamed up with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) to boost awareness about risks and aid businesses in creating continuity plans. Being prepared in advance is crucial to protecting your assets and reopening your business swiftly. Here are two upcoming online events that can help you learn more about disaster preparedness:
– On Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, the SBA, IBHS, and FEMA will host a Twitter chat about disaster preparedness tips for businesses. Follow along with the hashtag #SBAchat.
– On Thursday, Sept. 27 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, these organizations will also host a webinar focusing on creating effective business continuity plans. You can sign up for the webinar through their registration link.
This year’s National Preparedness Month theme is “Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How.” Led by FEMA and sponsored by the Ready Campaign, this initiative aims to raise public awareness about the importance of disaster preparedness. It’s never too early to start thinking about contingency plans. Here are three steps you can take now to make your potential recovery quicker and less costly:
Plan to Stay in Business: Time is money for small businesses. To reopen faster and resume operations after a disruption, create a business continuity plan. The IBHS’s Open for Business-EZ tool is a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide.
Talk to Your Staff: Your employees are your most valuable asset. Sharing your plan with them will help them return to work quicker and get your business back to normal more efficiently. Regularly reviewing and practicing your plan with your staff will help them understand their role in disaster planning and recovery.
Protect Your Investment: Know which natural disasters pose a risk to your business. Consider the following to protect your business:
– Review your insurance coverage terms.
– Store important business records at a safe offsite location and back up as much as possible to the cloud.
– Prepare your supply chain and establish relationships with alternative vendors in case your main supplier is unavailable.
These steps can also help you mitigate damages from isolated incidents, such as a flood caused by a faulty sprinkler system, which might not be covered by a federal disaster declaration.
Having a solid disaster preparedness plan will help you quickly restore your revenue streams and get your employees back to work, increasing the chances of your business staying open and recovering faster after any interruption. Planning ahead and utilizing the disaster assistance resources provided by the SBA is a crucial action to protect your business and community.
