Each year, fighting and recovering from wildfires cost billions of dollars and the effects on businesses can be disastrous. Learning to plan for a wildfire is essential if you run a business in a wildfire-prone area, like us here in California.
While preparing for a wildfire, knowing the dangers and hazards in the area where your business is located is essential. The patterns of wildfires that occur naturally are a bit easier to predict than fires that occur due to carelessness, neglect, or accidents. Here are some important tips our fire damage restoration experts shared with you to minimize wildfire damage to your facility:
Preparing Before a Wildfire
The most effective strategy to protect your property and employees is to prepare for wildfire season before it approaches. The following are essential things to consider in your preparedness plan:
- Defensible space, often known as fir escaping, is a strategy for designing your area’s layout and landscaping to take advantage of it strategically in the event of a fire. Keep plants well-irrigated and trimmed. If a fire breaks out, this allows the firefighters to easily navigate your structure.
- Control large, expansive spaces. Wildfires on your personal and commercial property can be pushed by the wind into alleys, beneath decks, or toward various large areas. Mesh screens are an easy, affordable solution to prevent this, particularly detachable ones. In this manner, both you and the firefighters will have access to the locations you require for work.
- Keep your organization clean. This entails cleaning your property’s exterior, including its porches, decks, alleys, roofs, and gutters. Keep in mind that everyone wins when all your employees are aware of how to plan for a wildfire and can lend a hand as necessary.
- Make a backup plan. Evaluate if you’ll be allowed to continue working until the fire damage to your premises is restored. It might not be as regular business as before. How will you handle communications, supplies, clients and vendors, and other day-to-day issues? Make a strategy to avoid wasting time and money due to poor preparation. Prepare a backup place beforehand.
Preparing During a Wildfire
No one is ever fully prepared for an emergency like wildfire damage, but if you prep beforehand it will be easier to act during a wildfire. Consider the following:
- Save all of your important papers. Contracts of business, sensitive data of family and employees, or information are examples of essential papers to keep safe. Take your backups with you when you evacuate, or even better, upload them to the cloud. Keep all of your hard copies in one place to make it easier to grab and go.
- Reach out to your clients of the business. Be prepared to stay in touch with your clients and customers. Inform them that your business is ready for a wildfire and that you will communicate swiftly after one. Promise them that you are making every effort to maintain the status quo of your business.
- Maintain your family and workers’ safety. Inform your family and staff about how to react and communicate if a wildfire is nearby. Additionally, having a strategy for your home and company can give family and employees peace of mind.
Conclusion
Preparing for wildfire damage before it approaches and even during that time is the most effective way to keep your family and employees safe along with the properties. If you require professional assistance for wildfire damage, contact ServiceMaster by Melin, as we can assist in mitigating the risk and dealing with damages and disasters.