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.

YOU are the HELP

Who will Help?

In a major disaster YOU (and I) are the HELP ‘til aid arrives …and that could take at least 96 hours.

Are you prepared to meet your essential needs for 4 days and 4 nights?

That would include: Toileting; 4 gallons of safe drinking water per person; first aid; your essential meds; food; hygiene supplies comfort items.  Does your kit include cash (small bills); house and auto keys; copies of your Identification; a contact list; and your important papers?

Seniors, You Need to Prepare

It is common sense – in a major disaster everyone will be impacted.  Young and old alike will suffer from: no electricity, no working toilets, scarcity of safe drinking water, food, medications and other essential supplies.  Damaged buildings and roads will affect us one and all.

There is no age we reach when we can say “I don’t have to prepare any more, the younger ones will take care of me.”  Or, “I’m too old to do the work or spend money to be prepared.”  Or, “I prepared years ago and nothing happened.”

Emergency professionals have a saying: “you are either part of the solution because you are prepared, or, unprepared, you quickly become part of the problem.”

Seniors: Don’t be Left Behind When Disaster Strikes

Disasters impact aging adults.  But there are things you can do NOW, to reduce your risk of being left behind when everyone is evacuating:

1. Consider joining a group of like-minded people and become a valuable member.  Going it alone is not a safe or practical disaster preparedness or response strategy.  That is true for people of any age, but especially for seniors.

2. Has your community identified gathering places?  If your home is no longer safe after a catastrophic disaster or you want to be with others, a gathering place is your best refuge destination.  If you don’t know of such a location, contact your city’s emergency manager and find out if there are gathering places that have been designated.  If you live in Salt Lake County, UT, you have the S.A.F.E. Neighborhoods program with its pre-selected gathering hubs.

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.

96-Hour Emergency Kit

NOTE:  I recommend carts/wagons/dollies, not back-packs, to transport a 96-hour kit on foot.  But DO pack supplies in back packs/bags instead of putting items loose in cart/wagon.

Water:  1 gallon/person/day for 4 days weighs over 33 lbs.

Sanitation: Toileting supplies for the individual and family. Vital for family and public health.

Food:  Snacks are easiest, but think how comforting a warm meal of some kind would be.

Mess Gear: Necessary if planning on meals, even as basic as cereal.  Not needed for snacks.

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.