Getting Your Business Ready for a Flood

7/22/2019 (Permalink)

During storm season in Chicago, IL, flooding is always a possibility. To head storm damage off at the pass, you need to be prepared to combat it. You may not be able to prevent all the storm damage, but having a plan can minimize your losses and help you get back on your feet faster.

3 Tips to Get Your Business Ready for a Flood.

Keeping an Eye on the Sky

Keep an eye on the weather, particularly if you know that storms are a frequent occurrence where your business is located. If you know a bad storm is coming, go through this checklist to improve your chances of safety:

• Turn off utilities in case of a power surge
• Check flashlights and extra batteries
• Back up important data
• Have an evacuation or safety plan so that people know where to go during the emergency

Protecting Your Equipment

To prepare for flooding, imagine what would be the most devastating items to lose. Once you have turned off the power or unplugged all the sensitive machines, it is a good idea to move them to a higher floor where they are less likely to succumb to flood damage. Barricade your building against the impending waters by placing sandbags against the doors and windows. This not only keeps the wind from blowing them open and possibly causing damage but also keeps the rising waters at bay a little longer. 

Guarding Your People

Having an evacuation plan is a must in these situations. Discuss the plan with employees on a regular basis. It is also a good idea to institute practice runs so that the day your building floods is not the first time employees are trying to stick to the plan. 

After the flood, you can contact water restoration specialists to inspect and remediate the damages and get your business back to normal. The more damage you can prevent during flooding, however, the quicker the cleanup process is going to go.