Storms are an unfortunate part of life for many people and businesses in Australia and the devastation they cause can be catastrophic. Sadly, the recovery from storm damage is often not as quick as people would hope and this can have significant consequences for businesses.

We can’t prevent a storm from occurring, but we can take some simple steps to reduce the impact of a storm. The tips below will assist business owners and their staff be better prepared for a storm and better able to prevent or reduce impacts to the business. They’ll help you get back on your feet and trading again sooner.

Pre-storm planning

• Make yourself aware of the storm risk and likelihood for the location you’re in. If new to an area, engage with others who live and work there to understand the storm history of that area.
• While evacuating during a storm isn’t common, it can sometimes be necessary. Therefore, it’s recommended you have an evacuation plan and ensure all staff are familiar with this. It should include details on the likely warning timeframes and any possible shelter options. Again, engage with others in the area to assist in creating a safe plan.
• Prepare an emergency kit that allows access to important information, equipment, or tools. There’ll be occasions where the damage to a building is so great that it can’t be safely entered. Therefore, business owners must consider what they’ll need to access to both deal with the damage caused (such as insurance details and an asset register) and maintain business operations as much as is possible.
• Have a plan to minimise the spoilage of any refrigerated items in the event of power being lost.
• Have your data and any business information which is stored electronically backed up in a way that can be accessed off site. This is important if the premises can’t be accessed or if information has been lost due to power shortages. Alternatively, consider cloud hosted storage solutions to protect your data.
• Ensure your business’ asset register is up to date. A detailed asset register means the process of an insurance claim is much faster and hassle free.
• Discuss insurance cover, including business interruption, and its costs with your Guild Insurance Account Manager or insurance adviser and ensure you understand the financial protection afforded to you in the event of a storm.
• Have a maintenance program in place so your building is in an ideal condition. A building that has been allowed to deteriorate or has been poorly maintained is likely to suffer more serious damage during a storm. For example, a roof that is in poor condition is more likely to let in water during heavy rain and insurance may not cover you.
• If there are issues with your building and you lease the premises, engage with your landlord as soon as possible to discuss a plan and take action.
• Regularly clean gutters, down pipes and drains. A build-up of debris means water can’t flow as intended which can lead to water entering a roof cavity when raining.
• Trim trees that could fall on your property. Check with your local council regarding any guidelines or permits which may apply. And be sure you engage experts to do this as cutting down branches is more dangerous and difficult than it may seem.
• Develop a business continuity plan that will detail how you’ll manage your customer needs as well as your business and financial needs immediately after a catastrophic event. Thinking about this before an event can make the immediate impact and stress more manageable.
• Given there’ll likely be high demand for many services and trades, it would be wise to create a list of local services before there’s an urgent need. Utilise the knowledge of your local real estate agents; they can be a great support for putting you in touch with local trades and services.

Planning when a storm is imminent

• Have a plan for where and how you’ll access local and current advice when a storm is approaching, to be sure you can make the most appropriate decisions regarding when to evacuate if necessary and how to do this given there may be road closures.
• When there are warnings that a storm is approaching, bring inside any outdoor furniture, equipment or other items where possible. This not only prevents them from being damaged, such as by falling branches, but also stops them from being blown away. Anything that can’t be brought inside should be tied down if possible.
• When evacuating a building, where possible, turn off the gas and electricity supply. Be sure you know how to do this ahead of time.

Post-storm response

• Contact your Guild Insurance Account Manager or insurance adviser as soon as is possible to notify them of the event and any losses suffered.
• If you begin the clean-up yourself and wish to dispose of any damaged and unsalvageable items, ensure you take a photo of these items first, and keep a list of what’s been thrown out, to assist with your insurance claim.
• If you aren’t fully insured and are therefore managing aspects of the clean up and recovery yourself, it’s advisable to begin by prioritising what needs to be done and determining how you’ll do this and whose assistance you’ll need. There are restoration services available that can assist with this.

Following natural disasters, there’s often government support available to assist in the recovery. Be sure to stay up to date on what’s available from your local, state and federal governments.

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