The SBA sponsored the website PrepareMyBusiness.org, with worksheets to help businesses prepare to re-open after an emergency. The worksheets include:
Information for these types of disasters:
Review Insurance Coverage - Find out what records your insurance provider will want after an emergency and store them in a safe place.
Prepare for Utility Disruptions - Examine which utilities are vital to your business' day-to-day operation. Identify back-up options such as portable generators to power the vital aspects of your business in an emergency.
Secure Facilities, Buildings and Plants - Identify what production machinery, computers, custom parts or other essential equipment is needed to keep your business open. Plan how to replace or repair vital equipment. Store extra supplies for use in an emergency. Plan what you will do if your building, plant or store is not usable.
Back-up Financial Records - Back-up financial records and other vital information stored on computer hard drives. Store them at least 500 miles away.
The US Department of Homeland Security has a publication called Every Business Should Have a Plan and a website on disaster preparedness at http://www.ready.gov/business/index.html.
Open for Business - Continuity Plan
The Institute for Business and Home Safety has a publication titled Open for Business which helps businesses create a business continuity plan. The publication includes forms to develop your own plan. Click here to download this publication.
The Institute also has an online system to store your business continuity information off-site, which is only available if you are a customer of one of their insurance members. Click here for a list of their members. If your insurance company is on the list, contact that company and request the passcode for the Interactive Open for Business sponsored by the Institute for Business and Home Safety.
