Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce | Member Resources | Hurricane Information Center

Hurricane Information Center - Preparing for a Storm

Catalog your business items

Review insurance coverage

Meet with your insurance provider to review current coverage for such things as physical losses, flood coverage and business interruption.
Understand what it covers and what it does not.
Understand what your deductible is, if applicable.
Consider how you will pay creditors and employees.
Plan how you will provide for your own income if your business is interrupted.
Find out what records your insurance provider will want to see after an emergency and store them in a safe place.

Secure your equipment

Conduct a room-by-room walk-through to determine what needs to be secured.
Attach equipment and cabinets to walls or other stable equipment.
Place heavy or breakable objects on low shelves.
Move workstations away from large windows, if possible.
Elevate equipment off the floor to avoid electrical hazards in the event of flooding.

Prepare for utility disruptions

Plan ahead for extended disruptions during and after a disaster. Carefully examine which utilities are vital to your business's day-to-day operation. Speak with service providers about potential alternatives and identify backup options.
Learn how and when to turn off utilities. If you turn the gas off, a professional must turn it back on. Do not attempt to turn the gas back on yourself.
Consider purchasing portable generators to power the vital aspects of your business in an emergency. Never use a generator inside as it may produce deadly carbon monoxide gas. It is a good idea to pre-wire the generator to the most important equipment. Periodically test the backup system's operability.
Decide how you will communicate with employees, customers, suppliers and others. Use cell phones, walkie-talkies or other devices that do not rely on electricity as a back up to your telecommunications system.
Plan a secondary means of accessing the Internet if it is vital to your company's day-to-day operations.
If food storage or refrigeration is an issue for your business, identify a vendor in advance that sells ice and dry ice in case you can't use refrigeration equipment.

Secure facilities

Identify what production machinery, computers, custom parts or other essential equipment is needed to keep your business open.
Plan how to replace or repair vital equipment if it is damaged or destroyed.
Identify more than one supplier who can replace or repair your equipment.
Store extra supplies , materials and equipment for use in an emergency.
Plan what you will do if your building or store is not usable.
Consider if you can run the business from a different location or from your home
Develop relationships with other companies to use their facilities in case a disaster makes your location unusable.
Identify and comply with all local, state and federal codes and other safety regulations that apply to your business.
Talk to your insurance provider about what impact any of these steps may have on your policy.

Have disaster supplies on hand

Cyber security. Protect your data and information technology systems. Back up your computer data.

Develop an emergency communication plan