Preparing for Floods When You Own a Business | SERVPRO of North Kenosha County

10/22/2019 (Permalink)

A flood can happened when you least expect it. If your business experiences any water damage, contact SERVPRO of North Kenosha County.

Preparing for Floods When You Own a Business | SERVPRO of North Kenosha County 

When most people think disaster, they likely think fires or thunderstorms, but planning for a flood is just as important for business owners. Because of the high amount of flooding during natural disasters, even those not in commonly known flood-prone areas should be prepared.

Planning specifically for a flood is also a great way for business owners to keep their employees safe, thus reducing liability, and decreasing the timeline in which they can reopen. Advanced planning will help you know exactly what to do when a flood occurs so you can overcome it.

How to Prepare Your Business for a Flood

When planning for flooding, it is important to make sure you are not overlooking anything, which is why we have assembled some must-read tips for flood preparations:

• Access the Flood Map on FEMA’s website in order to find your location and understand any specific geographic struggles you might face at your business.
• Have copies of all your important documents stored securely in another location, such as a safety deposit box or in a waterproof safe.
• Utilize OSHA’s guidelines to draft an official emergency action plan as a way to educate employees.
• Host regular evacuation drills to ensure everyone knows exactly what to do.
• Research your insurance options—many business policies do not include coverage for water damage and flooding.
• Make room to store office emergency kits in case you must await help.
• Consider elevating electronics if flooding is imminent and there is time.

Preserve Important Documents Before a Flood

It is better to preserve as much as you can than to discover you have forgotten something after a flood. Some of the best documents to copy are:

• An outline for your plan to reopen and steps to get there
• Any supply companies, vendors and other parties that need to be contacted quickly
• Your business insurance policy and flood policy, if applicable
• Recovery instructions for digital files
• Any loan agreements, leasing documents and banking files that could be relevant

If your business has experienced a flood, we are always here to help. Call us ²⁴⁄₇ to get our team of professionals to your business quickly so you can get back on track.