Terrorism: How to Prepare and Protect Your Business
by Marilee Crocker /Last week’s thwarted attack on two Chicago-bound airplanes was a stark reminder that the terrorist threat is all-too real. In this climate, business preparedness is as essential as air travel security.
Businesses of all sizes, including travel agencies, should have a business continuity plan in place, terrorism expert Audrey Heffron-Casserleigh told Travel Market Report.
“What we’re talking about is business survivability. How do we keep small businesses healthy and viable and competing?” said Heffron-Casserleigh, who is director of the Center for Disaster Risk Policy at Florida State University.
A business doesn’t have to be the target of terrorism to feel its impact, Heffron-Casserleigh said. “9-11 taught us that even if you’re not the primary victim, you can still be a secondary victim. Even if your building isn’t bombed, your business can be affected.
“Terrorist events are manmade disasters. We can make some assumptions. We can probably say that transportation will be affected. It’s possible that communication will be affected. You can plan for those two factors. What do I do if I can’t move easily from A to B? What do I do if communication facilities are down?’”
Assess. Prepare. Practice.
Following are Heffron-Casserleigh’s five steps for business preparedness, followed by links to online resources.
Step #1. Identify your hazards. “Assess the threat. A business is going to know if they are in a state prone to hurricanes or earthquakes. The question is how does your business survive if something like 9-11 changes people’s perceptions and behavior to such a degree that you could become a secondary victim? The No. 1 question to ask is: What is the one thing that could really affect my ability to keep my business open? That’s going to be different for everybody.”
Step #2. Determine your priorities. “What is the most important aspect of your business? How do you come up with a Plan B if the worst case happens? If you’re a business that has a very strong storefront presence and the worst thing that could happen is that your location is no longer viable, where else could you do business? Plan for where you could go in the event that you can’t get to the office.”
Step #3. Protect your data. “Always back up and maintain your data and have alternate access to the information you need to conduct business. That means stored offsite. For some small businesses, it can be putting all your files on a backup hard drive that is kept somewhere else; it could be kept in the trunk of someone’s car.”
Step #4. Reestablish vendor contacts. “The best thing a business can do is resume conducting business as quickly as possible. Reestablish contact with your vendors, and if your vendors aren’t available, establish contacts with alternate vendors. Time is of the essence. Maintain your relationships. That’s key for small businesses in an ongoing way. It doesn’t hurt to let your partners know what your [continuity] plan is.”
Step #5. Do a dry run. “Practice how you would respond. We do it at least once a year.”
Another recommended measure, Heffron-Casserleigh said, is to create an employee call tree. “That call tree system says you have not notified that person unless you have actually talked to them. You can’t just leave a voicemail.”
RESOURCES:
Small Business Administration. Disaster preparedness tips and resources.
Nonprofit Risk Management Center. Free online business continuity planning training course contains a comprehensive list of resources.
American Red Cross. Guide to Business Continuity Planning CD-ROM, available through local chapters.
Institute for Business & Home Safety. Open for Business continuity training program.