| What would you do if you only had fifteen minutes | | | | • Supplier/vendor emergency contacts |
| to load your car with all the business info that you | | | | • Articles of incorporation |
| needed to ensure disaster survival? Is that a | | | | • Contracts |
| far-fetched question? No, it is frequently the reality | | | | • Business inventory records |
| for small businesses. Working in the disaster planning | | | | These records and materials must be preserved. |
| and recovery business for the past twenty-five | | | | These resources ensure access to financial |
| years, I can tell you that it is a gut wrenching | | | | information, employees, data, equipment and clients. |
| epiphany for many business owners. | | | | Sometimes these essentials are overlooked in |
| Every year hundreds of thousands of Americans are | | | | haste.Today most business owners backup their data |
| exposed to disaster situations. Yet most American | | | | on the office server. Yet how many actually take a |
| businesses have no plan to proactively respond to | | | | backup copy off site or have it transmitted to a |
| disasters. Congressional research substantiates this | | | | remote server for storage at regular intervals? |
| fact. Government documents published in support of | | | | What is the most frequently overlooked information? |
| the "Back to Business Act of 2007," report that 43 | | | | It is your client contact information. Post disaster, |
| percent of businesses that close during a natural | | | | how will you let your clients know that you have |
| disaster never again open their doors. Another 29 | | | | survived? You may be forced to relocate. Perhaps |
| percent close in the following two years. | | | | you may simply lose your phone service for a |
| Business owners without a disaster plan are often | | | | prolonged period. Do you have an alternate |
| confronted with the chilling reality that they may only | | | | communication solution? Simply being prepared for call |
| have minutes to locate and remove critical data and | | | | forwarding, switching communications from an area |
| resources.. Sometimes this occurs in advance of a | | | | with no service to another region or area code that |
| mandatory evacuation. At other times after a | | | | is still in operation can make all the difference. |
| disaster, there may be a small window of opportunity | | | | Given all the blood sweat and tears that you invest |
| to remove essential records while under the | | | | as a small businessperson, isn't worth a few minutes |
| supervision of public safety officials. If you think you | | | | to consider your fifteen-minute plan. Take the time |
| have no need for a plan or that it is simply an | | | | to prioritize your necessities. Identify how to store |
| unnecessary exercise, then you place yourself in a | | | | them and protect them. If you were out of the |
| prone reactionary mode. | | | | office would you be able to direct someone to these |
| Take the time to prepare a plan, no matter how | | | | materials? Would they be easy to locate and |
| bare bones it might appear. What would be the most | | | | identify? Commit this critical information to writing. |
| important business records or resources to take with | | | | Place copies at home, in the office, in your car, with |
| you? Consider the following options: | | | | a trusted friend, or online. |
| • Checks, bank account information | | | | Don't be caught off guard. Having a plan is as |
| • Data backup from server or desktop | | | | important as having cash in the bank or business |
| • Accounts receivable, payable | | | | insurance. Schedule the time, gather your key staff |
| • Insurance policies, broker info, claims contacts, | | | | members and create your plan. This effort can yield |
| • Employee contact info | | | | a greater return than any similar investment of time |
| • Human resources info | | | | that you have ever made. |
| • Client contact info | | | | |