Businesses Taking Action

Some businesses are taking measure of the Coronavirus and creating plans to minimize possible impact on business, customers and employees.

Below is a public letter from Eric Smidt, Owner and Founder of Harbor Freight Tools.

“As communities begin to feel the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), I want to share with you the steps we’re taking at Harbor Freight Tools to help protect the health and safety of our customers and associates, which is always our top priority.

12 Points of Business Continuity Planning

The Utah Department of Emergency Management (DEM) has many tools for businesses.  While most large corporations have emergency prepare and resilience departments with plans in place, many small businesses are not sufficiently prepared to respond to disaster and get back to business in the short term.  Unprepared companies may never open their doors again.

The DEM has education and training resources to create or support business preparation, response and recovery plans.  Resiliency is the key point.  The list below outlines topics covered in their free Business Preparedness Series.  Contact them at BeReadyUtah.gov.  Don’t put it off.

Financial Preparedness for Businesses

Warm relationships are fundamental in day-to-day business -- In disaster, they are vital.  Nowhere do relationships count more than between business owners and their bankers. 

It is not enough to have a business checking, reserve account and even a loan, if you are merely an account number to your banker.

Insurance for Business Resiliency

Insurance premiums present challenging decisions for business. There are so many certain, reoccurring expenses that press the bottom line, making it very difficult -- especially for smaller businesses -- to spend for “maybes.”

We are accustomed to paying auto premiums as the most practical way to provide required financial responsibility, in order to operate a motor vehicle.

Employee Training

Trained employees can be the difference between life and death in a disaster – particularly one of catastrophic magnitude.

In such an event, first responders – police, fire fighters and EMTs – are not available to residences or individual businesses.  Their priorities are pre-determined to help hospitals, infrastructure, care facilities and the like.  We are on own until additional help arrives – most of the time from out-of-state.

Workplace Emergency Supplies Cache

It is not unlikely that a major disaster, strong enough to interrupt infrastructure – including our roadways -- could strike during the workday, requiring that you and your employees, shelter-in-place for a period of time. 

What can you do now to prepare for that eventuality?  Approach your planning from the viewpoint that all utilities will be 100% unavailable.