Disaster preparation and recovery resources are available as the storm’s intensity increases.
9/3/2019 10:30
ACA International urges its members to take precautionary steps to protect their businesses and homes as Hurricane Dorian – a Category 2 as of Tuesday afternoon – continues to head toward Florida.
The New York Times on Tuesday reported that the hurricane, with 110 m.p.h. winds, "was expected to start turning north near Florida's eastern coast by Wednesday."
"Forecasters said the hurricane would move 'dangerously close' to the Florida coast, beginning late Tuesday night and continuing through Wednesday evening. Then, it is expected to continue toward the Georgia and South Carolina coasts beginning late on Wednesday. By the end of the week it is expected to be shadowing the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia," according to the article.
Meanwhile, ACA International CEO Mark Neeb said, “As Hurricane Dorian bears down on Florida and who knows where else, let us all keep ACA members and their employees who may be affected over the coming days and weeks in our thoughts. Consumers residing in the hurricane's path will also need compassion and understanding—let’s pull together to help in any way needed.”
Many resources are available, including a Disaster Information Reporting System from the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau and a 24/7 emergency communications line from the FCC. More resources on Hurricane Dorian, including tips for communicating during an emergency and weather tracking are available on the FCC’s website.
Regular updates are online through the National Hurricane Center, and additional information is available at the Department of Homeland Security page on hurricane preparation.
When it comes to your business, a corporate recovery plan for use in the event of an emergency should focus on assessing the critical business functions you will need in place and protecting data and servers.
Take a step back and evaluate the people and processes that are most important to your business and identify ways to protect them. Consumer communication and collection processes may also need to be modified in times of emergency and in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Keep in mind that even if your systems are back up and running and you can restore communication with the outside world after a storm; consumers may still be facing power outages, grappling with lost homes, loss of income or costly injuries.
Your clients also have expectations for business operations during emergencies, so make sure to consult them as you develop your disaster recovery and communication plans.
Read more tips on communication strategies during a disaster here and Dealing with Weather Emergencies from the FTC here. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also has helpful tools in its
How-To Series: Protect Your Home or Business.
Additional Resources:
- The IRS and U.S. Small Business Administration and FEMA have information about disaster relief.