In light of recent world events, where major cities have been hit by earthquakes, we are reminded of the importance of preparing for natural disasters—especially for those of us in California. While earthquakes cannot be predicted, businesses can take practical steps now to protect their employees, operations, and customers when disaster strikes.
All businesses should have an up-to-date, actionable Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery policy. If your organization does not have one, Hybridge can help you create it. The policy should be reviewed and updated at least annually, and every critical component should be tested regularly. Confirm that backups can actually be restored, secondary work locations remain available, remote-access systems function properly, and key employees understand their responsibilities. A plan is only valuable if it works when you need it.
Use this checklist to review your company’s preparedness:
- Emergency supplies are stocked, accessible, and not expired.
- Evacuation routes and assembly areas are clearly marked.
- Employee emergency contact information is current.
- A reliable process is in place to communicate with employees during an emergency.
- Contact information for employees, critical vendors, clients, insurers, and emergency services is readily available.
- Employees understand their roles and responsibilities during a disaster.
- Plans address power, internet, phone, transportation, and facility disruptions.
- Remote-work systems and secondary work locations have been tested.
- Data backups are current, secure, and regularly tested for successful restoration.
- Evacuation drills and preparedness training are conducted regularly.
- The entire plan is reviewed, tested, and updated at least once a year.
If you need help crafting your policy, thinking through the redundancy from a technical perspective, or testing components of your plan, reach out to us: support at hybridge.com, we are here to help.
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