The past few wildfire seasons have been some of the most damaging ones on record. Americans have watched in horror, annually, as flames have left people watching their homes and businesses go up in smoke. This is why it is important for businesses like yours to get involved to be proactive when it comes to preparing for wildfire season.
In this short blog, we will walk you through what wildfire season truly means and what you can do to ensure that your business and employees are prepared ahead of this year’s wildfire season.
Know What it Means to Be Prepared
When many of us think of wildfires, we think of the fires that have previously engulfed acres and acres of vineyards in California’s wine country. But a wildfire does not have to be that extreme to cause unthinkable devastation, and California is not the only state affected by them. As you read this, wildfires are being contained in Minnesota and other western states.
So, what is a wildfire exactly? To put it simply, a wildfire is just that: an uncontrolled fire in the forest and/or grasslands. When they get started, they are often difficult to contain, and can burn anywhere from hours to days, even with the around-the-clock assistance of fire departments, police departments, and even local citizens.
Therefore, it is imperative to have a continuity plan for your business on how to handle a wildfire situation — before it happens. Trying to figure out what to do in the heat of the moment is going to prove challenging, stressful, and sometimes even impossible. Doing so will save businesses, agencies, and facilities like yours a lot of heartache and money in the long run. Plus, the sooner you can get back to business, the greater your impact will be on your community at large.
Have a Plan for the Unexpected
Perhaps more crippling than wildfires themselves are the costly messes that they leave behind. After the smoke of a wildfire clears, a business could be looking at a devastating amount of property and equipment losses, not to mention the possible loss of employees due to misplacement or other variables. Therefore, it is critical that businesses have a preparedness plan that outlines what to do in the case of a wildfire (or any other disaster for that matter).
Here are two main aspects to start with:
- Create an emergency plan that includes preparedness plans for disasters of all kinds (wildfire, flood, earthquakes, etc.) and share those plans with your people. (Contact your area’s local fire agency to see if what poses as the most potential disaster threat for your region.)
- Identify all of the critical items needed for an evacuation and know various routes for your location — ensuring the safety of your employees and/or customers. (Planning multiple evacuation routes will prove useful in case primary exits are blocked or are inaccessible.)
Rebuild After a Disaster
Navigating in the aftermath of a wildfire can understandably take months. Yet, like any business owner will tell you, time is money. So how can you get back to business while managing the damages?
The first thing to do is look into companies that specialize in providing the necessities needed to navigate a disaster. You’ll want to find an expert team to turn to for lodging and catering options, as well as for the industrial tenting you’ll need to set up temporary shop before getting back to regular business operations.
Don’t let wildfires take you by storm. Remember to outline the best ways to get to safety, if necessary. Also, have all important materials packed and ready to go, such as insurance information. And in the event that damages are more than expected, learning on the expertise of a renowned disaster relief company can prove to be a crucial first step in the rebuilding process.