Emergency Preparedness

Natural disasters and emergencies may happen at any time. Even a burst pipe can spell disaster for a home-based business. Planning for disasters in advance and keeping those plans updated may help ensure the survival of your business. The following resources will help you plan for emergencies and natural disasters, and recover your business after a disaster strikes.

Before an Emergency

• Small Business Disaster Preparedness Guide
  The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides various types of loans for businesses of all sizes and homeowners and renters in the event of a disaster, including physical disaster loans, economic injury loans, military reservists' loans and home and personal property loans. This guide reviews how to prepare for a disaster and the process of applying for assistance. Includes contact information for SBA field offices, customer service centers.
• Ready.gov Business
  Common sense measures business owners and managers can take to prepare their business in the event of a national emergency or disaster.
• Standard Checklist Criteria for Business Recovery
  This FEMA checklist will help you create a business recovery manual for your business.
• Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry.
  This FEMA guide provides step-by-step advice on how to create and maintain a comprehensive emergency management program.
• Protect Your Business from Disaster
  This FEMA guide provides extensive information on how to protect your property from natural disasters.
  

After an Emergency

• Economic Injury Disaster Loans for Small Businesses
  If your small business has suffered substantial economic injury, regardless of physical damage, and is located in a declared disaster area, you may be eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• How Do You Apply for an SBA Disaster Loan?
  The SBA provides a step-by-step guide to applying for disaster relief, if you are in a declared disaster area and have suffered any disaster-related damage.
• National Flood Insurance Program
  Information for the insurance professionals, including claims adjustors and lenders.

Management Tips

• If you aren't sure whether your business is at risk from disasters caused by natural hazards, check with your local city engineering offices, Red Cross chapter, or planning and zoning administration. They can tell you whether you are in an area where hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, or tornadoes are likely to occur.
• Talk to your local insurance agent to make sure your business is covered for fire, theft, personal injury (yourself and your clients), and liability.
• Create a plan in advance for dealing with an emergency and keep the plan updated. Know what business records will need to be preserved and what you will need to bring your business back.
• Consider off-site storage for important business records and documentation. A contractor kept all his records in a fireproof safe in his office. The offices were gutted in a fire. When the safe was opened, everything inside had melted, due to the extreme heat.