After the Storm: What to Do Once Hurricane Irene Passes
August 28, 2011 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
By Monday, the worst of Hurricane Irene will hopefully be over for Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states. But what happens then? First off, power, Internet, or transportation outages could make doing business an impossibility. Then again, your workplace may have been damaged by flooding or high winds. Here’s a quick guide to getting back on your feet as quickly as possible:
- Check up on your staff: Contact your staff and make sure they and their families are OK. With schools closed and transportation disrupted, you may have to be more flexible about having children in the office or be comfortable working from home.
- Come up with a continuity plan: Ideally, you should have done this before Irene came to visit, but it’s worth sitting down and identifying the most critical parts of your business and who needs to do what to get things back up and running. Figuring out backup suppliers or contractors is also important.
- Dealing with flood damage: If your property has been damaged by the storm surge or flooded, the first two days can make all the difference to your recovery. Don’t go in unless the floodwater has receded and the authorities have said it’s safe. There may be contamination, so wear gloves and a mask. If wires are damaged or pipes cracked, turn off the electricity and water valve, and if you smell gas, get out and call the gas company. Take photos of the outside and inside of the building, and try to show the waterline, to help with filing your insurance claim later on. FEMA has more tips about what to do immediately after a flood.
- Important documents: Don’t expose water-damaged documents to high heat or harsh sunlight, as this will only make the damage worse. Instead, lay the paper on paper towels or something else that will absorb the moisture in a cool, dry space. Try and save employee and accounting records first.
- Apply for a disaster loan: If your business property has been damaged by the storm, you can also apply for a low-interest, long-term loan from the Small Business Administration. You can even apply online. If there’s Internet, that is.
More information is available on the Disaster Assistance and Ready Business websites. Good luck out there.
Get more business intelligence from Portfolio.com:
- Irene Is Bad for Business: Flooding, wind damage, and power outages are expected inland and throughout the East Coast, so firms should prepare now. Here’s what to do.
- Bernanke Stays the Course: The Federal Reserve will discuss further tools to stimulate the economy, but it won’t take the immediate action some had called for.
- Advice for Tim Cook: Taking over from a leader like Steve Jobs is no easy task, and Tim Cook faces several challenges as he steps up to the top spot at Apple.
Nicola Kean is an assistant editor for Portfolio.com.
