HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

By Ana Maria Manresa

With the recent scare of Tropical Storm Ernesto, many businesses are asking themselves how to best prepare for the next hurricane.  We have put together a list of recommendations that every business should consider when preparing for a serious storm threat.

Prepare Your Office

- Follow the local government warnings and advisories.

- Modify your voicemail messages to inform anyone who is calling that your office will be closed due to the storm.

- Create an Out of Office Due to Storm E-Mail reply message and turn it on while you are away.

- Perform a back up of all your data to an external drive or media and store in a secure place like a safe or safety deposit box.

- Store any important documents and equipment in a secure place like a safe.

- Depending on the situation, protect any valuable office equipment like computers, printers, copiers, etc.

Prepare Your Employees

- Create office policies for emergency situations and incorporate them into your Office Manual.  Make sure all your employees have a copy.

- Make sure your Emergency Contact Sheet is up to date with your employee's personal contact information.

- Make sure your employees have your personal contact information should an emergency arise.

Prepare Your Clients

- Send a notice to your clients prior to closing the office to inform them of the situation and include alternate contact information.

Read More on how to prepare your business for a hurricane in The Miami Herald:

Prepare your business

Focus on priorities. ''You need to pick two or three priorities to focus on,'' advises Joe Fernandez of the Disaster Management division of the City of Miami's Department of Fire and Rescue.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/14456310.htm

Set up a clear-cut employee policy before storm strikes

BY NIALA BOODHOO
nboodhoo@MiamiHerald.com
Most companies have no trouble making plans for securing their buildings and making sure their data is backed up, but they shouldn't forget they also need a clear hurricane policy for employees, labor lawyers say.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/14456309.htm

If you're going to go with a generator, do your homework

BY NIALA BOODHOO
nboodhoo@MiamiHerald.com

This year medical software and billing company Avisena won't have to worry if the power goes out.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/14456317.htm

Consider alternative technologies before lights go out

Weeks without power have sensitized businesses to the need for keeping in touch to make sure their telecommunications and data backup plans are up to date this hurricane season.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/14456315.htm