Storms can wreak havoc on businesses, causing thousands and even millions of dollars’ worth of damage. Hurricanes, fires, floods, wind storms, and tornadoes can all destroy important business assets including merchandise, building structure, and computer hardware such as company computers and backup servers.
• Building structure: To prevent building structure damage, there are several factors that should be considered.
• Building level: If the level the building is currently at or close to the ground, go higher if possible. For instance, if you have a two or three story building, keep all computers and hardware with sensitive data on the higher floors. This will help protect against a massive flooding incident.
• Materials: Think about replacing carpeting with hardwood or tile, as they are less susceptible to water damage. Have a contractor check the floor level of the building for cracks or holes, and have them repaired and sealed.
• Electrical: Use of surge protectors and water barriers around electrical equipment and outlets can greatly reduce the chances of fires, surges or other electrical incidents. Replace any electrical outlets that are close to floor level and raise them if possible.
• Company Data: Company data is possibly the most important company asset which can be destroyed by a storm. If a storm destroys company computers, data is lost. But if a storm destroys company computers AND all the backup servers, it can destroy a business. Contracts, confidential customer/client information, financial records, and many other types of sensitive data are pertinent to a company’s survival. The best solution to prevent this type of business loss is cloud backup.
Cloud backup is the utilization of a cloud storage provider such as Google Drive or Dropbox to store company data in the cloud. If a storm destroys all on-premise data, there is always a backup in the cloud. Cloud data is typically stored on three different servers, so even if the storm destroys all on premise data, be one or more copies of your data will still be securely stored on a cloud server.
• Create an emergency plan: An emergency plan should detail exactly what employees should do in case of storm damage that shuts down parts of the business or even the entire business. From the manager in charge, to team coordinators, locations of medical kits, locations of exits, backup power generators, and more, the emergency plan should be a comprehensive and detailed outline of what employees should do when faced with any natural disaster incident.
The toughest part of defense against a storm incident is staying prepared, especially for a business that experiences years with no incidents during that time. It’s hard to stay prepared for something that is completely unexpected, which is why all businesses should have quarterly meetings for the sole purpose of going over the emergency plan. All new employees should be given copies of the emergency plan, and should confirm a reasonable understanding of the process. Even if there hasn’t been an emergency incident in years, keep the meetings current, because one incident can change everything. Being prepared is the key to prevent a business from going under due to storm damage or a data loss incident.