Prepare Your Business

Within 3 years after a natural disaster impact, 75% of businesses without a continuity plan will fail.

Planning ahead helps ensure that your business and employees can stay safe during and recover from an emergency.

You can start by assessing what hazards your business may face.

  • Seasonal hazards like severe weather.
  • Accidents or acts of violence.
  • Health hazards like a widespread and serious illness like the flu.
  • Technology related hazards like power outages and equipment failure.

Once you’ve identified the possible hazards, develop a plan.

Items to consider when planning for disasters and emergencies:

  • How do you want your employees to react to different hazards? 
  • How will you receive emergency alerts and warnings? Ex. Cell phone, weather radio, public warning system, etc.
  • What is your shelter plan? Where will employees take shelter in case of severe weather? Or an active shooter scenario?
  • What is your evacuation route and designated emergency meeting place? Make sure employees know all the emergency exits, identify multiple routes in case one in inaccessible, and make sure everyone knows where to go and how to get there.
  • What is your communication plan? How will you contact employees if phone service is down or spotty? If you don’t have access to your phone?
  • Do you have a physical contact sheet of all employees phone numbers?
  • Build an emergency supply kit for your workplace. Check all items with an expiration date, use, and rotate out snacks, food, and water (suggested every 6 months)

Check out these ReadyBusiness toolkits today!

For a disaster that receives a disaster declaration:

After a declared disaster, the Small Business Association (SBA) can provide low-interest disaster loans to help businesses and homeowners that qualify to recover. SBA loans can be used for expenses not covered by insurance or funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for both personal and business.

  • Physical damage loans
  • Mitigation assistance
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans