Hurricane preparedness doesn’t stop at home, your business also needs to be prepped and ready for whatever this hurricane season might hold. Whether you’ve got a small local business or a large corporate office, safety should always come first, and an emergency hurricane plan is a necessity. To help you stay safe throughout any storm, here’s a go-to guide and checklist for a hurricane-ready business:

Check-in with your Employees

Your business’s most important asset is its people. Make sure to openly communicate with all of your employees about the hurricane-ready business plan and be sure that everyone is able to remain safe, informed and connected. In short, make sure you have a plan to communicate with your employees before, during and after a storm.

Take Inventory

Along with hurricanes come power outages, flooding and harsh winds. Inventory and catalog all of your assets that could get damaged. This includes products, supplies, technology and data. If your business gets hit hard and your assets are damaged, having a pre-hurricane inventory can help you define the damage and help you know where to start with your repairs.

Backup your Data

Regular backups ensure that your company doesn’t permanently lose any important information. Hurricanes put your on-site servers at risk of permanent damage. Backing up all of your data to a secure, secondary off-site location is an easy way to guarantee that all of your important information will be safe and accessible after the storm.

Keep Tabs on Your Emergency Equipment

Make sure that all of the emergency equipment in your office is up-to-date and ready for use. This includes making sure any alarms are up and working and checking to make sure your fire extinguishers are not expired. Also, check up on your office’s first aid situation. Having a first aid kit fully stocked and easily accessible in your office will come in handy in case of an emergency.

Take Care of Any Repairs Ahead of Time

The heavy winds and rain of a hurricane can quickly turn a tiny leak into a major issue. If your business needs any small repairs like fixing a leak, make sure to properly take care of it ahead of time to avoid any further damage.

Unplug Electronics

In case of a power surge or any flooding, you’ll want to protect any expensive electrical equipment the best that you can. Unplug all of your electronics from outlets and move any wires up from the floor in case of flooding.

Secure Outdoor Features

Heavy winds and flooding could permanently damage or sweep away anything that you leave outside. If your business has any outdoor signs or equipment, remember to move all of it inside before the storm. For anything that can’t be moved inside, try to safely secure or tie it down to prevent as much damage as possible.

Prepare your Floors for Flooding

As a precaution against flooding, move any items that you don’t want to get damaged off of your floors. This includes furniture like chairs and couches, but it also includes important files. Any files or paperwork in low cabinets or desk drawers should be moved to higher locations to avoid permanent water damage.

Move Items Away from Windows

It’s a good idea to walk around your entire business space to make sure all of the windows are securely closed and locked. Then, move any of your business’s important items like merchandise or equipment further inside away from the windows to avoid any possible water damage.

Utilize Shutters

If your business has storm shutters, remember to utilize them for damage protection. Or, if your office doesn’t have shutters but does have glass doors and large windows, you should consider boarding them with plywood panels as an added level of protection against any wind or water entry.

Secure Your Doors

Before you close up shop and head out, secure your business’s safety by closing and locking all entrances. And, as an added level of protection, place sandbags around all office entrances and exits to act as a barrier against moving water and debris.

You can’t change the weather, but what you can do is have a plan to make sure your business is fully prepared to take on hurricane season.