Preparing Your West Palm Business For Hurricanes

5/9/2022 (Permalink)

With a vigorous hurricane season ahead, it is important for business leaders to ensure their West Palm Beach business is prepared. Hurricane preparation goes beyond protecting the physical dwelling and belongings within a business. Detailed communications, reinforcements and adjustments are needed to recover from a natural disaster event. Below are some ways to assist your business operation to continue through storm intervention.

Protecting Property

Does your staff and business have the capability to operate remotely from another location? While it may be difficult to rely on a hybrid or remote workforce if there are power outages in the area, consider a plan for conducting tasks and teams remotely if the restoration of the office is delayed. Other tips surrounding the physical office include:

• Backup any data offsite to protect information including tax, payroll and other valuable information stored for your business.
• Store electronic equipment in a safe room on elevated areas that could keep the devices safe from flood waters.
• If operating under more mild storm conditions, like a tropical storm, consider hiring a qualified licensed electrician to perform surge protector installation.
• Make sure that inventory is accurate for any equipment and technology in the office. This will make insurance claims process simpler should damage occur.

Anticipate Needs of Employees & Customers

Navigating a storm and its aftermath is tough on the entire community. Consider procedures that would support your team through that time.

• Consistently check in on the health and safety of employees.
• Delegate tasks and assignments to team members who may be unaffected by storm impact
• Consider leniency on customer policies surrounding returns, payments, or applications which could be impacted by electricity or internet access.

Create A Disaster Plan for Disasters During Hours of Operation

If employees are on the premises during an emergency, ensure that they have access to a plan to respond.

• Keep checklists and kits available on site.
• Review commercial insurance policies with insurance agents.
• Predetermine a certified, qualified restoration company, like SERVPRO of West Palm Beach, to be the responder.
• Share a disaster plan with the team. The Emergency Ready Profile from SERVPRO of West Palm Beach can be used to clearly guide any member of your team through disaster response.