Sometimes bad things happen and we have no control over it. Fires, floods, lightening strikes, tornados, hurricanes, theft these are but a few of the disasters that can befall an organization and threaten the very survival of a business. And while we can’t control these types of events, we can control how well prepared we are to deal with them.

Being prepared means having an emergency plan in place. Emergency planning done today will have a direct impact on how quickly your business can recover after an emergency situation. Nobody likes planning for disaster, and it may sound daunting to even try, but there are many resources available than can help make it more manageable.

FEMA has a website packed with information about how to put a plan in place. We encourage you to check it out.

A few points to remember:

• Don’t forget to consider all of your vital information when developing your plan. Having access to those records after a disaster can be crucial to maintaining business continuity. Plan ahead for proper storage, whether on-site or off-site.

• Communicate your plan to all stakeholders. Drafting the plan is only the first step. Make sure that your key employees know the plan and are ready to implement it.

Emergency planning and preparedness can be a complex issue that isn’t much fun to think about, but proper planning makes good business sense, and it can make all the difference.