Washington Business Spring 2017 | Washington Business | Page 45
7. take steps to protect vital records
Storing backup files at an offsite location will help in case of
a disaster, said Phillips, ensuring files are easily accessible
and organized in case of an emergency.
“The very first place business owners should go is
their insurance company. People need to know what
coverage they have.”
— Lucianne Phillips, Private Sector and Tribal Liaison, FEMA Region 10
8. develop and test emergency evacuation and
shelter-in-place plans
Knowing where to go, how to get there and who to contact will
lower tension when a business owner is faced with an emergency.
“When you think of emergency management — what does that
entail?” is a question George asked after her experience. “I think
that’s a question every business owner needs to ask themselves.”
after the fire: small steps paid big dividends
After the fire and sprinkler flood, George spent the next three days on
her phone with various local connections she had made throughout
the years. Close ties with city planners helped with permits and
relationships with nearby electricians who could construct a new
electric panel helped speed the restaurant’s rehabilitation process.
Her business was closed just two-and-a-half days, missing St.
Patrick’s Day, a quick turnaround according to Phillips. “That quick
of turnaround usually doesn’t happen. Some businesses would have
been closed for months if that were to happen,” she said.
All-in-all, the fire cost George approximately $25,000, including
loss of business during the brief closure. Insurance covered a portion
of the cost.
Allen said that George’s situation is a good example of how a small,
non-formal planning style can have major impacts on the resilience
of someone’s business.
“Having those baseline preparations will help business owners
for those less common things as well as the worst-case scenario.
Having some preliminary and basic plans will help them know
what their priorities
need to be and the steps
they need to take to
Business Preparedness
open their doors as soon
bit.ly/BizEmergencyPrep
as possible,” he said.
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