Emergency Communication and Vital Document Backup

The best protection for employees and businesses is to be prepared. Every dollar spent in preparing saves seven dollars spent on business recovery afterward. Many unprepared businesses never reopen after a major disaster. Prepare to stay in business!

 

Checklist for Vital Emergency Communication
  • Designate local staff members who will communicate to employees about emergency preparedness and strategy on a regular basis.
  • Designate an out-of-state contact number that all employees will call to check in or leave an
    I'm OK message after an emergency.
  • Create an emergency contact phone card and distribute it to all employees to carry at all times. The card should be designed to clip behind an employee ID card.
  • If your company has a website, create an emergency weblog page to communicate updates on the status of employees' well-being, questions and answers, and emergency business decisions.
  • Designate a chain of command of four or five people who can make emergency decisions. If the person at the top of the chain is not able to communicate or make emergency decisions, the next person in the chain takes on that responsibility.

 

Checklist for Vital Document Backup

Preserving vital documents is essential to the quick restoration of business. Install firewalls and security software to protect your digital information from hackers and viruses. Use a storage service or out-of-state office to store backup copies of documents such as:

  • Financial and payroll database or books
  • Insurance information
  • Contracts, reports, and proposals
  • Customer and supplier databases
  • Formulas and trade secrets
  • Employee database and personnel files
  • Architectural and engineering plans and drawings
  • Service and product lists with specifications
  • All computer systems and data

 

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