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Is Your Business Ready for Disaster?

 


Answer These 10 Questions to Find Out

SB Informer
Thursday, May 11, 2006; 04:04 AM

TAMPA, Fla. - Communities survive disasters only if their businesses survive. But many small business owners are so busy running day-to-day operations that they don't dedicate any time to prepare for an event that could shut down their business for days, weeks or months at a time.

And it's not just large-scale disasters that can cause a business to close. Power outages, fires or even gas leaks could limit access to your facility and cause a major disruption.

To help small business owners do a quick self-assessment, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) developed "10 Questions: Is Your Business Ready?" By taking the short quiz and then ranking preparedness based on "yes" answers, business owners will learn how disaster-ready they are.

Visit the IBHS web site http://www.disastersafety.org/ and click on the Open for Business(SM) logo to take the 10 Questions quiz.

After completing the quiz, site visitors will be directed to the Institute's free disaster planning toolkit that will help them take the next step toward developing property protection and continuity plans. The Open for Business(SM) Toolkit helps businesses reduce the potential for loss should disaster strike and reopen more quickly if forced to close.

The Open for Business(SM) Toolkit includes materials to help organize the business's critical information and review its essential operations. This guide can be downloaded from the site or free single copies in booklet/CD-ROM format can be requested by writing [email protected] or calling toll-free 1 (866) 657-4247.

The Institute for Business & Home Safety works to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses by conducting research and advocating improved construction, maintenance and preparation practices.

10 Questions: Is Your Business Ready?

Your answers could determine how you handle disaster

1. Are you concerned that your normal business operations might be interrupted by a natural or human-caused disaster? __Yes __No __Unsure

2. Have you determined what parts of your business need to be operational as soon as possible following a disaster and planned how to resume those operations? __Yes __No __Unsure

3. Do you and your employees have a disaster-response plan in place to help assure your safety and to take care of yourselves until help can arrive? __Yes __No __Unsure

4. Could you communicate with your employees if a disaster happened during or after work hours? __Yes __No __Unsure

5. Can your building withstand the impact of a natural disaster, and are your contents and inventory sufficiently protected? __Yes __No __Unsure

6. Are your vital records protected from the harm that could be caused by a disaster? __Yes __No __Unsure

7. Are you prepared to stay open for business if your suppliers cannot deliver, your markets are inaccessible, or basic needs (e.g., water, sewer, electricity, transportation) are unavailable? __Yes __No __Unsure

8. Do you have plans to stay open for business even if you cannot stay in or reach your place of business? __Yes __No __Unsure

9. Have you worked with your community, public officials, and other businesses to promote disaster preparedness and plan for community recovery? __Yes __No __Unsure

10. Have you consulted with an insurance professional to determine if your insurance coverage is adequate to help you get back in business following a disaster? __Yes __No __Unsure

Self-Assessment Results

Your score indicates how well-prepared you are for a disruption.

7 - 10 Yes answers: You are well on your way.
4 - 6 Yes answers: You have lots of work to do.
1 - 3 Yes answers: You should get started immediately.

To download the free Open for Business(SM) toolkit, visit http://www.ibhs.org/ and click on the "OPEN for business" icon.

Website: http://www.disastersafety.org/
Website: http://www.ibhs.org/

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