OneBeacon Insurance Offers Business Owners Tips for Handling Power Outages
Wildfires currently raging in southern California threaten that
area's power grid as well as commercial buildings, homes and other
property. Because power outages can significantly affect commercial
operations, OneBeacon Insurance urges businesses in California - and
across the U.S. - to prepare for a potential long-term loss of power bytaking the following steps:
- Develop a plan to limit losses and continue business during and after a power outage.
- Develop alternative means for communicating with employees and customers, and for them to communicate with the business, in case primary communication methods are disrupted; take advantage of SmartPhones, cell phones, etc.
- Make certain IT power-down and backup procedures are adequate to preserve business data.
- Keep generators and other alternative power sources on hand for critical devices; these power sources would include cell phone batteries, hand-cranked flashlights and radios, extra batteries for radios, extra laptop batteries, etc. If generators are unavailable to purchase in the middle of a crisis, they may be available to rent.
- Encourage employees and their families to refill medications before they run out in case pharmacies are affected by an outage.
- Stockpile drinking water and nonperishable foods. Also, keep coolers and a supply of ice ready to store perishable food.
- Fill vehicle gas tanks and (safely) store extra fuel, if possible
- Know the locations of gas shut-off valves in buildings, and how to use them.
Additional recommendations are available at the Web site of the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS): www.disastersafety.org.
IBHS is an independent, nonprofit, scientific and educational
organization supported by the OneBeacon Charitable Trust and other
members of the property-casualty insurance industry. Business owners
can find more resiliency planning information at www.onebeacon.com.