Flooding is one of the most common and destructive natural disasters that dominates in the United States. Extremely high rainfall, hurricane weather, as well as record snowfall and ice melt bring on serious floods each year. The sad reality is that flooding is becoming more and more common as the issue of global warming worsens.
Flooding repair and restoration is not only expensive, but it’s time-consuming and disruptive. Business flooding means only one thing: loss of production.
Here’s how to prepare your business for natural disasters and when flooding strikes…
1. Purchase Insurance Against Natural Disasters
Your best line-of-defense as a business is to purchase flood insurance if your region is susceptible to flooding. Even if it’s not, freak accidents can happen and a flooded office without insurance is an expensive nightmare to take on.
It’s best to take out flood insurance ahead of time, as most policies do not go into effect right away. It’s also wise to go with a company that is tried, tested, and reliable — check out this article for more on that.
2. Safely Store Important Documents
In order to prepare for flooding or any other natural disaster, it’s crucial that you store all of your business’s most important documents safely. This includes documents such as legal contracts, employee files, insurance documents, etc.
Store them in a dry place that cannot be penetrated or damaged by water, such as a metal filing cabinet or watertight safety box. If you can keep it elevated, this is an additional bonus.
3. Anchor and Elevate Critical Utilities
Keep your company’s most important and critical utilities safe from flooding. A good way to do this is by ensuring they are both anchored and elevated.
This includes filing cabinets with important documents, your IT servers, air-conditioning units, wiring, electric panels, and other expensive appliances.
4. Install a Flood Shield System
If your region is prone to flooding, it’s a good idea to install water-tight barriers, known as flood shields. The most vulnerable areas include doors, windows, and other areas of ventilation. Flood shields protect against unexpected passages of water and can help to minimize the damage that floodwaters can cause.
It’s also a good idea to build watertight walls around areas that contain your most expensive equipment, such as server rooms and work areas.
5. Have a Clear Disaster Plan in Place
In order to keep your employees safe, and not just your equipment, a flooding disaster plan is crucial. This plan should clearly identify evacuation routes and points of safety for your employees to gather.
Make sure to factor in the special needs of handicapped employees. Carry out emergency drills for your staff at least once every 6-months to ensure they are well-informed.
6. Always Stock an Emergency Kit
One of the most important items to keep in an emergency kit is fresh drinking water as floodwaters can contaminate your drinking system. It can also be impossible to reach freshwater if you need it. The same goes for basic food stores, such as tinned goods. Other handy items include flashlights, batteries, a first-aid kit, basic medication, blankets, and a battery-operated two-way radio.
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The reality is that natural disasters don’t just happen out-of-the-blue. Today, we have the technology to forewarn us if sinister weather is brewing. Nevertheless, it’s important to be prepared when you least expect it by implementing the above-mentioned tips.
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