How to Prepare Your Home and Your Business for Hurricane Season

Hurricane season is officially under way and hurricane forecast research experts at Colorado State University have predicted an above-average 2010 hurricane season, one that is expected to far surpass the nine tropical storms spawned last season.

Preparing for a hurricane can help mitigate damage to your home or even your business and is the best thing you and your family can do to help stay safe. When it comes to preparing your home for an impending hurricane, there are some very important ‘must-do’ safety tips that also apply to small business owners.

First, you should have a well-stocked home emergency kit, with important supplies including: a two-week supply of non-perishable food and water, a flashlight, batteries, First Aid kit and more on hand at home and at your place of business.

Families should create a disaster plan—determine the safest room or place in your home to seek shelter and know that safest place to seek shelter may be outside your home. Identify all possible escape routes from your home and practice your escape plan often. If you have pets you will need to plan for their transportation and care in case an evacuation is ordered.

Check your homeowner’s insurance, in many cases, flood damage is not covered. This tip is especially important for small business owners, who should take time now to make sure their businesses are properly insured for disasters like hurricanes—this may include adding flood insurance and “business interruption insurance” which may cover expenses during recovery efforts.

Small business owners especially, should create their own disaster plan. The plan should include a strategy for temporary relocation of business operations and a plan for how to stay in touch with employees, including an out-of-area phone number to call if phone service is interrupted.

If a mandatory evacuation is ordered, it’s important to know what role your business will play in your area’s re-entry plan. Businesses that aid in clean up and banks may be allowed to restart their operations first, followed by grocery stores, gas stations, hardware stores and health care providers. All other businesses may only be allowed to return to the affected area once it’s been deemed safe.

Whether you’re preparing your home, your business or both for disasters like hurricanes, it’s important to secure specialized emergency supplies such as First Aid kits and generators as soon as possible. Essential items like these could potentially be hard to find when a hurricane is approaching, or after one has passed.

Hurricanes can cause sudden, devastating damage to homes and businesses, but a little bit of planning and preparation can help mitigate that damage and most importantly, keep family, friends and employees safe.

 

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