Is Your Business Prepared For Disaster?

Linda Hunt King

Is your company prepared for the next emergency or disaster? Whether natural or man-made, can your business survive a disruption or crisis if you were closed for a few days, a week or even a month? Most organizations believe they can - until a disaster occurs.

According to Linda Hunt King, PhD, MBA, the worst disaster is the one that threatens the viability of your organization directly. Even more, 40% of businesses struck by a disaster never reopen and 25% of those that do reopen close in two years following a disaster

In a recent column, she outlined the 5 things you can do to help keep your business resilient:

1. CONDUCT a Continuity Self-Assessment. Every business regardless of size, whether a for-profit or not-for-profit organization should assess its level of preparedness on a regular basis. The beginning of the New Year is a great time to assess and make adjustments to your continuity program. A quick checklist is a good place to start, but an in-depth Self-Assessment conducted with a Preparedness Expert is advisable.

2. UPDATE AND TEST Your Disaster Preparedness Program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established standards for private sector preparedness (PS-Prep), a nationally-recognized certification of preparedness that supports Public Law 110-53, Title IX. Companies who fail to certify under PS-Prep risk losing business to their competitors. Organizations that are disaster ready, gain a strategic advantage.

3. TRAIN Employees for Work and Home. One of the most common mistakes in continuity planning is the failure to insure that appropriate human resources are going to be available to implement the corporate plan when the time comes. Having a plan at home is a fundamental building block for a plan at work. Employees, who are disaster ready at home, return to work more quickly. The book, Disaster Ready People for a Disaster Ready America, is designed to help anyone prepare a disaster plan for themselves and their family. Organizations with Disaster Ready People gain a strategic advantage, as well as the good will of their employees.

4. ADD a Disaster Preparedness Expert to Your Team of Professional Advisors. You are an expert in your business. Most successful organizations have a team of valued and trusted professional advisors to help them with key business decisions. Typically that team includes a CPA, attorney, financial planner and insurance professional. Not only will the addition of a Continuity Expert help you to customize a plan that is right for your business. Also, your customers and vendors will have increased peace of mind about the stability of your business. Your organization will gain a competitive advantage as more buyers request/require suppliers to have a formal Continuity Plan.

5. DEVELOP a Culture of Preparedness in Your Organization. Fiduciary responsibility, compliance, prudence...these are the standards by which directors and officers are often measured. A culture of preparedness will help your organization to exceed the expectations of your stakeholders and outperform your competitors. Intensive identification of vulnerabilities and threats, comprehensive planning, and the training to build a culture of preparedness are an investment in good corporate governance. The result is a stronger and more resilient organization.


Linda Hunt King is the President & CEO of Hunt-King & Associates, Inc., a multi-discipline consulting firm that specializes in Insurance and Business Continuity Risk Management Consulting, and a Firestorm Principal. Firestorm is a national leader in Disaster Preparedness. To request her Continuity Checklist, email her at lhking.firestorm@gmail.com


Want more tips, strategies and resources? Purchase Dante Lee's new book "Black Business Secrets" at www.BlackBusinessSecrets.com