Business Emergencies In Manchester

4/28/2017 (Permalink)

In Manchester and elsewhere, being prepared for a natural disaster is a huge factor in keeping the damage and costs down.

No business owner likes to think about disaster. But being prepared for a commercial natural disaster and having an emergency plan can save time, money, and even lives.

What if a storm severely damaged your business? Would you and your business employees know what to do? Would you act quickly and do the most important tasks first? For businesses in Manchester and the region, here are some ways you can become more prepared.

 An Emergency Checklist

SERVPRO of Manchester/Mansfield has a top line action checklist built especially for events involving severe water or fire damage. Most of the items apply to many other types of storms and disaster. All of the items are designed to keep your business employees safe and help reduce business interruption (the time your company is out of business because of the results of a disaster).  

 1. Be Out In Front: Be Alert And Stay Informed

When severe weather is approaching or other potential danger is near your Manchester business, stay tuned in to those sources that give you the latest local information. Usually, that means listening to local weather reports or news reports. Think about precautions you may want to take before the emergency hits. That could include things like moving your business vehicles to higher ground, turning off utilities, disconnecting electrical equipment, sending employees home, and other steps.

2. Safety First And Always

Make your employees’ safety your first priority. That includes items like having a business evacuation plan, identifying designated meeting places outside your building, appointing team leaders who can keep track of employees, keeping all safety equipment in good order, and more.

3. Stop Damage At Its Source

A disaster may originate in your building or on your property. If so, you may be able to reduce or stop the water, fire, smoke, chemical, or other damage with fast action. For example, if a chemical leak starts a fire, shut down the source of that chemical. Stay safe and do not hesitate to call the local fire, police, or other authorities.

4. Notify Your Emergency Contacts

Have a list of the places you need to call in an emergency and call them immediately. Depending on the situation, your emergency contacts might include the Manchester Fire Department and the Manchester Police Department. The list should be readily available throughout your facility. A small team of employees should be trained in when to call, who to call, and what information to gather before making the call.

5. Call SERVPRO

Every week, sometimes every day, SERVPRO of Manchester/Mansfield responds to residential and business emergency situations. We know what to do to keep you, your employees, and your business property safe and minimize damage. After a natural disaster strikes, our goal is to make your business fully operational again as quickly as possible.

Call SERVPRO of Manchester/Mansfield 24/7. Call 860.649.0836.

6. Notify Key Contacts

Key contacts are different than emergency contacts. Emergency contacts are community or governmental resources that will help you deal with the damage or disaster. Key contacts are people like your property manager, insurance agent, maintenance crew, and others you need to inform and who can offer restoration, clean up, repair, or other types of help after the disaster is over.

7. Secure Your Business Property

Once it’s safe to do so, secure your building and property. That might mean putting tarps over a damaged roof, covering broken windows, or doing other tasks that will protect your property from further damage.

8. Have Before Photos And Take After Photos

You will improve your ability to collect full damages from your insurance company by taking pictures of everything the water, fire, or other elements damaged. It’s also good to have pictures of how your building and property looked prior to the damage for comparison sake.

9. Write An Event Summary

Details build your case with your insurance company. Write down as many significant facts as you can: time of the damage, extend of the damage, actions you took, and more. Not only does this help advance your insurance claim, it can also help you decide what worked well and what you need to change the next time you have to respond to an emergency.

Call SERVPRO of Manchester/Mansfield 24/7. Call 860.649.0836.

10. Review Emergency Plans Frequently

Create an emergency plan and train a small group of employees in how to implement the plan. Just like fire drills are a good idea, having a mock disaster run through can help prepare people while identifying any missing elements or opportunities to improve the plan.

More Safety Information    Every month we publish educational articles on how to protect your home and business from disasters and how to deal with mold, fire, water, chemical, or other damage. 

Call On Us

The team at SERVPRO of Manchester/Mansfield has specialized training and experience in virtually all aspects of assessing and cleaning up after a natural disaster. Rely on the professionals. Call SERVPRO of Manchester/Mansfield at 860.649.0836 anytime, 24/7. SERVPRO of Manchester/Mansfield IICRC Certified Ralph DiCristofaro 540 N. Main Street Manchester, CT 06042

Call 860.649.0836 24 hour emergency service