Business Disaster Planning
When I was visiting my family in Quebec many years ago, we were all aghast to see on the television the news that the roof of a very large grocery store in town had collapsed after days of heavy snow. I still remember the shocked look on the owner's face as he was interviewed, with the badly damaged building as the backdrop.
Most people, when a crisis takes place or a disaster happens, spring into action to contain the damage. But afterwards, once the adrenaline has dropped and the initial danger has passed, they collapse. They have no idea what to do next, and for a few hours, even a few days, they are unable to function productively.
But if a disaster happens to your small business, wandering around in a daze is not an option. Keeping that initial action going productively is what is needed to keep your business alive.
What kind of disasters could happen to a small business? Besides roof collapses, disasters include power failures, equipment malfunctions, storm damage, fire, floods, environmental hazards such as smoke or toxic fumes from a nearby fire, IT malfunctions, employee error, theft, and pandemics. I'm sure you can'think of many more.
The key to success is planning. Small businesses need plans – for preparations to avoid a disaster, for responding if an emergency occurs, and for recovery once damage has been done. Here are a few websites and books to get you started.
The Canadian Centre for Disaster Preparedness is a federally-funded, non-profit organization whose aim is to prepare small businesses and non-profit organizations for disasters. Their program, B-ReadyNow, takes you through a six-step process to building an on-line business disruption plan. This is a program that you subscribe to, at $250.00/year. Have a look.
The Ontario government also has a Disaster Relief Assistance Program in place for small business, farms and non-profit organizations.
As well, the Government of Canada website includes an excellent section on the types
of insurance a small business may need.
Have a look at some of the books the Toronto Public Library has on emergency preparedness for small business:
The first book, Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best, is a book by Donna R. Childs, who owned a small business on Wall Street on 9/11. Some of the advice in her book was drawn from her experiences on that day and those following.
These resources will get you on your way to knowing that your business is secure should a disaster come your way.
Comments