September is National Preparedness Month, and here in Alaska, we know the importance of being ready for anything. Our unique climate and remote locations make disaster planning even more critical. This year, the Alaska SBDC wants to empower small businesses to weather storms and thrive through disruptions with Resiliency and Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP).
A COOP plan outlines your business’s steps to minimize downtime and ensure critical operations continue during an emergency. From natural disasters like earthquakes and floods to power outages and cyberattacks, having a plan can make all the difference.
Why Prepare?
-
Disasters Strike Fast: Earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and power outages can unexpectedly disrupt your business. Being prepared minimizes downtime and gets you back on track quicker.
-
Protect Your Investment: Your business is your livelihood. A disaster plan safeguards your employees, property, and critical data.
-
Peace of Mind: Knowing you’re prepared reduces stress and allows you to focus on recovery when a disaster hits.
Why is a COOP Plan Important?
Imagine a power outage, a winter storm that shuts down roads, an earthquake, or even a cyberattack. These disruptions can cripple your business and impact your employees and customers. A COOP plan outlines steps to keep your business running, even during interruptions. It helps minimize downtime, maintains customer service, protects assets, and ensures a smooth recovery.
Best Practices for Business Continuity Planning
-
Identify Your Risks: What disruptions are most likely to affect your business? Earthquakes, flooding, winter storms, power outages, cyberattacks? Knowing your risks is the first step to creating a mitigation plan.
-
Develop a Communication Plan: How will you communicate with employees and customers during a disruption? Establish clear channels and protocols for keeping everyone informed.
-
Embrace Telework and Remote Operations: Can your employees work remotely? Investing in the technology and processes for remote work can be a lifesaver during disruptions.
-
Backup Your Data Regularly: A cyberattack or hardware failure could devastate your business if your data isn’t backed up securely.
-
Disaster Supply Kit: A basic kit with essentials like first aid supplies, non-perishable food, and water can be a lifesaver during a power outage or other disruptions.
The Alaska SBDC Can Help!
With almost 40 years under our belt, the Alaska SBDC understands Alaskan businesses’ unique challenges. We offer a variety of resources and programs to help you prepare, including:
-
No-Cost Advising: Get personalized guidance from our experienced business advisors.
-
No-Fee & Low-Fee Workshops: Learn about disaster planning, business insurance, and cybersecurity with on-demand workshops like:
-
Online Resources: Access valuable tools and templates to help you build your plan.
Don’t wait until you need a plan to think about one. Start preparing your business today. Contact your Alaska SBDC to learn more about our disaster planning resources.