Are You Prepared For A Disaster

Have you thought about doing the following?
1.    Take checkbooks, withholding tax forms, deposit slips with you out of harm’s way.
2.    Take all insurance papers with you out of harm’s way.
3.    Get the phone numbers of the claim centers for all of your insurance companies.
4.    Be sure batteries to your digital camera(s) are charged. If you need to send info to your insurance company, you may not be able to get regular film processed. Even if you can, mail service may be spotty and you won’t be able to mail them. It will be easier to send digital pictures to your insurance company.
5.    Take cash. If electricity and/or phones go out, most businesses will not be able to process credit cards.
6.    Create a contact list that includes cell phone numbers for all of your key people. Establish a chain of contact for all of your employees. Lower levels report to supervisors, supervisors report to managers, managers report to you.
7.    If you don’t know how to text message, learn today. Even if cell phone service is spotty, text messaging still seems to work.
8.    Bring a portable computer with you. If you have one with a broadband cell phone card, all the better.
9.    Be sure you know all of the user id’s and passwords of the banks you do business with. Physical locations will probably be closed after a disaster; however, Internet access will probably be possible.
10.    Disconnect all important electrical equipment from outlets. Even if a computer is turned off, if it is still connected to an outlet and there is a power surge, the computer can be fried.
11.    Let your people know if they are going to be paid while they are evacuated. Also, let them know how long you will pay them after the evacuation if they can’t get back.
12.    Have postage stamps available along with letterhead stationary and envelopes.

Yours in confused retailing, Bruce