Hurricanes are extremely dangerous weather events that can lead to injuries, property damage, and major disruptions in business operations.To best minimize your risk, it’s important to be proactive and take the time to prepare your business for a hurricane.Being well prepared can help alleviate fear and confusion, keep your personnel safe, and enable your business to continue operations off-site.

Here are some key tips on how to help prepare your business for a hurricane and protect it should one occur.Preparing for a hurricane Develop a business continuity plan Before a hurricane occurs, you should have a robust business continuity plan with written procedures that clearly outline what to do, where to go, and how to stay connected.It’s important to train employees on this emergency plan and conduct test runs to familiarize them with evacuation procedures and safety protocols.

Your business continuity plan should include the following, but is not limited to: Backup your data In the event of an evacuation or temporary closure of your business location, having data readily available at an offsite location or on the cloud will ensure that your business operations are still able to run smoothly.To assist with this, consider following these guidelines: Secure your property and equipment Identify areas on your property that may be vulnerable to the effects of high winds, heavy rain, and flooding.You should also seek professional advice from construction experts and structural engineers on the best ways to strengthen the interior and exterior of your building.

In addition to the above, consider these best practices when securing your property and equipment: Create an emergency storm kit When preparing for a hurricane, it’s important to have a well-organized and adequately stocked emergency kit.Here’s a list of items you can include in your emergency kit: You will want to ensure that your emergency kit is in a place that’s accessible to your staff.You’ll also want to make sure that your employees are trained and briefed on what’s in the kit.

To learn more about what to include in your emergency kit and for additional tips on how to prepare for a natural disaster, visit the Government of Canada’s Get Prepared Webpage.Stay informed and have a communication strategy Visit Environment Canada’s Canadian Hurricane Centre to find out if your business is situated in a high-risk area for hurricanes.Here you can access valuable resources such as hurricane tracking information, weather warnings, and in-depth knowledge about the nature of hurricanes.

You can also stay informed by setting up weather alerts on your mobile phone.Weather apps, such as the Government of Canada’s WeatherCAN app, send you real-time alerts on current and forecasted weather in your vicinity.You can also tune into local radio stations and news channels for weather alerts and updates.

What to do during a hurricane A hurricane can be an extremely frightening situation, but staying calm is crucial.Upon receiving a hurricane warning, follow authorities’ advice and evacuate your employees if instructed.It’s important that you follow your business continuity plan, take your emergency storm kit with you, and use your emergency contact list.

If you are evacuating by vehicle, drive carefully and remember to maintain a safe following distance.In some situations, evacuation may not be an option, and you may find it safer to shelter in place.Here are some tips to follow if you decide to stay put during a hurricane: During a hurricane, it’s important to continue to monitor the weather forecast and local media.

Make sure to keep your employees connected and informed of any alerts and action plans concerning the storm.Use multiple communication channels, such as email, text, and your company website, to ensure your staff is aware and prepared.Returning to your business after a hurricane Once the storm has passed, it’s natural to want to return to your business and assess the damages.

However, do not return to your building until it is confirmed that the hurricane has passed, and the local media or authorities inform you that it is safe to do so.Here are some inspection and safety tips that you should consider after returning to your business: Protect yourself and your business You may not always have control over what happens to your business, especially when it comes to extreme weather.But you do have the power to be proactive and prepared.

Having the right protection in place can make all the difference to you and your business.To learn more about how the right coverage can help, visit our Business Insurance page today.