Debt Free

The latest projections for tropical storm Chris show it’s likely to miss the majority of Florida and stay closer to Cuba (may be some other type of storm there soon too). There’s some doubt as to weather it will even be much of a storm, with its recent downgrading to a tropical depression. Is this a weather report blog now? Not bloody likely, but it brings up an interesting point. 

Experts strongly advise preparation for emergencies of  all types, weather it is an earthquake, storm or terrorist attack. This preparation goes beyond what you see on the nightly talking head shows. You should have at least 3 days of supplies, but a couple of weeks is more likely to keep you and your family feeling warm and fuzzy, while the neighbors bemoan the fact Safeway and Starbucks are still closed.

Your supplies should include plenty of drinking water, non-perishable food, any prescription medications you may need, toilet paper (go without it and you’ll see how nice it really is), plenty of warm clothes and blankets(if the climate warrants it), spare batteries, a radio and flashlight to use up said batteries, a good first aid kit, waterproof matches and a lighter, and a bit of cash (banks and cash machines may be closed for a while and checks may not be accepted by everyone). You should keep your emergency kit in a safe and easily accessible location. Go through it and replace the food and water every so often to ensure its freshness. Some experts advise you actually have enough food and water to last 3 to 4 weeks in case of severe disaster or disease pandemic.

A more controversial recommendation, and one I personally subscribe to, is that you should have some type of firearm for both self defense and, if necessary, providing food. You should also be trained on its use and practice with it regularly to ensure your proficiency and safety (and that of others). As victims of many disasters and riots can attest, when society breaks down, law enforcement is overwhelmed, and a mob mentality is in effect, personal and property protection is often necessary. Law enforcement officers will be severely overtaxed (they are now, in more ways than one), and may not be able to keep the peace. You may have to.

You should also give some thought as to how such a disaster or attack could affect your job and employer. A report in the SF Business Times indicates “[M]ore than 25 percent of businesses that close after disasters never re-open, and 40 percent go out of business within five years.” In addition, it’s been found that if a business stays closed for more than three days after a disaster, it has a 40% chance of never opening its doors again. Obviously that has a potential impact on your financial situation. This is even more problematic if you work for a small company, as those statistics are an average of all firms, including offices of large national and multi-national corporations. If you work for a small business, the odds are less in your favor that your employer will survive a major disaster. Make sure your business has an evacuation plan in place, especially if you work in a large structure. This plan should include a point of assembly after the evacuation, and an accounting to ensure all employees have gotten out safely.

There will, of course, be opportunities after a major disaster, especially in business tasked with rebuilding and recovery. Construction and supply related businesses tend to do particularly well in post disaster periods. Just as you have a plan for riding out and recovering a disaster, your business or employer should as well. There should be a business continuity plan developed and in place to ensure a smooth transition to post disaster operation. The plan should include a risk analysis and an in-depth list of activities necessary for recovery. A team should be in place to implement the recovery plan. If your business or employer doesn’t have such a plan, it is incumbent upon you to either see one is initiated or, at the least, make your own post disaster employment plans. Let’s hope we never have to test the efficacy of our disaster planning.