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Below is a free Disaster Recovery Checklist for businesses recovering from Hurricane Milton’s landfall in Florida.
1. Ensure Employee Safety
- Check in with all employees and confirm their safety.
- Provide resources or assistance to employees who may have been affected.
- Communicate clearly about when and how the office will reopen or transition to remote work.
2. Assess Damage
- Conduct a thorough assessment of the physical premises for any structural damage.
- Document all damages with photos and videos for insurance claims.
- Contact your insurance provider immediately to start the claims process.
- Evaluate any equipment or IT systems that may have been damaged.
3. Activate Your Business Continuity Plan
- Review your business continuity plan and prioritize critical business functions.
- Assign key personnel to take charge of specific recovery tasks.
- Communicate with employees about next steps in the recovery process.
4. Recover Critical Data
- Verify the integrity of your data backups and begin restoring any lost or damaged data.
- Ensure that backup systems and cloud services are functioning properly.
- Notify IT teams to inspect servers, databases, and cloud systems for damage or security risks.
5. Maintain Communication
- Keep open communication with clients and customers about any changes to your operations.
- Update stakeholders on the timeline for recovery and any potential service disruptions.
- Provide clear internal communication to employees about their responsibilities during recovery.
6. Work with Vendors and Partners
- Contact key vendors and suppliers to assess their operational status.
- Collaborate on alternative arrangements if supply chains have been disrupted.
- Update or renegotiate contracts if needed to account for delays or changes.
7. Financial Assessment
- Review the financial impact of the disaster on your business.
- File insurance claims for damages, and track all recovery-related expenses.
- Assess the need for financial assistance or disaster relief programs to support your recovery.
8. Prepare for a Phased Reopening
- Create a plan for safely reopening your business, including employee return and customer engagement.
- Assess whether a partial reopening or remote work is necessary while the office is being repaired.
- Ensure all safety protocols are in place to protect employees and customers.
9. Debrief and Improve Preparedness
- After recovery, review the effectiveness of your disaster response and recovery plan.
- Identify areas for improvement and update your business continuity plan accordingly.
- Conduct training or simulations with staff to enhance preparedness for future events.
10. Evaluate and Strengthen Cybersecurity
- Assess cybersecurity risks that may have occurred during the disaster.
- Review your security systems for vulnerabilities, particularly if remote work was implemented.
- Ensure all systems are secure before fully restoring operations.