Risk & Business Magazine Miller Insurance Magazine Winter 2018 | Page 31

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
communication infrastructure, employee
contact numbers, and the overall chain of
command. This ensures communication
can occur regardless of the disaster and
people know whom they need to report to.
• Have a plan in place for suppliers and
vendors which includes contact numbers
and information, knowledge of their
business continuity plan (so you know what
will happen to your own supply chain), and
alternative distribution plans.
• Outline what will happen with your
customers, including (if applicable)
contact information, information about
their continuity plan, and alternative
distribution plans in case you cannot get
their products to them on time.
HAVE PLANS TO PROTECT YOUR
EMPLOYEES AND YOUR BUSINESS
Finally, it is essential to have a thorough
plan in place to protect your business
and employees before, during, and after a
disaster strikes:
• Have a first aid team in place. About 10
percent of your workforce should be trained
in first aid or CPR so that they can assist
should an emergency occur.
• Have proper safety equipment on hand
and ensure that the equipment you have
actually works. This will include things
like smoke detectors, first aid supplies,
industry-specific safety equipment, and fire
extinguishers.
• Have an emergency response plan
in place which includes information
about communicating and warning
employees, consideration for special
needs of employees who have medical
issues, and provisions . This should also
contain information about shelter-in-place
locations, if applicable.
• A thorough business continuity plan.
This one is a bit complicated but starts with
designating a team to develop the plan and
outlining the procedures each department
will need to follow. Also, consider which
business functions are essential and must
stay running.
With regard to continuity, that aspect is
best discussed with a professional. There
are even business continuity insurance
plans to help make sure you don’t fall
behind while restoring normal operations
to your business. Ultimately, it all comes
down to figuring out what your essential
personnel and business functions are and
ensuring that those will remain operational
even if other aspects of your business get
sidelined during a disaster.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It is still essential to be properly covered
from an insurance standpoint even if you
have a thorough plan in place ahead of time.
Knowing how to protect yourself, your
business, and your employees isn’t going to
mitigate all the damage that could be done.
Therefore, speaking with an insurance
professional is still an important aspect of
disaster preparedness.
How about your business? Do you think
you are prepared to weather the storm (or
earthquake, or tornado, or anything else)
should a disaster strike? Remember, having
insurance to cover your potential losses is
an important step. But being adequately
prepared could be the difference between a
minor claim and a catastrophic loss for your
company.
Ready to get going on your disaster
readiness plan? Our team is here to
help. Contact us at 1-800-265-3000 or
millerinsurance.ca to get started today! +
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