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This story is part of our Small Business Guide, where the Landing breaks down different resources and tips for starting and managing small businesses in Texas.

Houstonians across the region are no stranger to Houston’s unpredictable weather. 

Thursday’s thunderstorm with winds up to 100 mph struck the Houston region suddenly, leaving several dead and nearly 900,000 CenterPoint Energy customers without power.

The sudden storm was a reminder that a natural disaster can arrive at any moment.

With hurricane season right around the corner and the constant barrage of rain-related natural disasters Houston experiences, it’s important to understand how to keep yourself, your property, and your business safe. Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, the six-month period when most activity in the tropics generally occurs.

“Regardless of the forecast, whether it looks like a slow season or an active season, I would remind business owners that it just takes one storm,” said Francisco Sánchez, associate administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, 25 percent of small businesses do not reopen after a major natural disaster. Here are things you can do to prepare for a disaster and help keep your business safe:

Review your process for previous natural disasters

Small business owners should evaluate challenges they faced during previous national disasters over the past couple of years to understand what issues they should address, Sánchez said.

Above all, ask yourself what it would take for your business to survive a natural disaster.

“It's important for business owners to understand hurricane season is a great opportunity to review your readiness,” he said. “But when you're doing that, you're getting ready for any type of disaster that you might face.”

One Houston business had to put its plan into action when Hurricane Harvey hit in 2017.

Meadowlake Pet Resort’s emergency plan is typically reviewed before a hurricane is even named, said Laura Koch, executive manager for the company. On any given day, the company has 150 to 200 dogs at the facility, so having a plan is essential.

In 2017, the company implemented its plan when Harvey’s potential paths were announced. Streets surrounding the facility had flooded, and no one could leave or come into the company’s 288 South location for about five days. The company had to determine who would remain on-site as streets were predicted to flood.

Determine your natural disaster plan

You can create your natural disaster plan by first checking your insurance. Ensure that it’s up to date and adequately covers everything in your business, including all inventory.

Determine how to back up critical data. Make sure you have easy access to all your accounts and have multiple copies off-site of this information as well.

“I've encountered a business owner that had everything in a file cabinet or had it backed up on a thumb drive that stayed at the office that flooded, so just be thoughtful about that,” Sánchez said.

If you plan to remain at your place of business during a disaster, make sure you have enough food and water for seven to 10 days. But keep in mind you can’t put a full kit together in one day, so be sure to do it incrementally.

“You don't have to do it all today,” Sánchez said.

Stock up on extra essential items and canned goods over several weeks and store them somewhere dry that won’t be impacted by severe weather.

If you might need plywood or sandbags, you should buy those items in advance and store them as well.

For Meadowlake, once Hurricane Harvey’s path was announced, the company’s management team compiled a list of employees who would stay at the facility to take care of the animals. Sleeping cots, sleeping bags and even PlayStations were placed in a room for staff until the storm passed.

The plan was to make staff comfortable even when they weren’t working, Koch said. The staff alternated employees’ schedules and made sure people had days off even when locked in. Additionally, they provided bonuses and higher wages during this time since they were asking more from their employees during the disaster.

They also review inventory, order extra supplies and make sure they stockpile water on-site.

Meadowlake’s generator company typically does regular maintenance checks twice a year, but right before the hurricane season, the generator company will do an additional check. That additional check pays off. Right before Harvey hit Meadowlake, the company checked its generator a couple days before landfall. Meadowlake does the same for its air-conditioning service company.

Communicate your plan to employees, customers

Your emergency plan should also include how you plan to communicate with your employees and customers. Be sure to communicate with your suppliers and vendors, too. Make sure you have multiple ways to contact your supplier or vendor, either by email or phone.

Small business owners should have multiple ways of communicating with their employees to let them know whether they should come in or stay home.

Business owners should explain their plan to employees consistently and make it easily accessible, Koch said. It’s important for employees to know the plan and what is expected of them in an emergency.

In Meadowlake’s case, management and employees made calls to clients once a plan was determined. Clients could pick up their pets or have an emergency contact pick them up. Some pets remained at the facility throughout the storm. The company also had admin and staff organize and manage things from home.

When it comes to your customers, it’s important to have a social media presence to communicate outside of normal operating hours. You can let them know about changes in your operating hours or relocation if that is needed. 

Meadowlake’s staff communicated with its customers almost daily during Harvey. 

“We're doing a lot of proactive calling to the clients, which normally we don't do,” Koch said.

Items to purchase in case power outages occur

Be sure you have backup batteries or generators to power your building or work space, Sánchez said.

“A crisis never comes scheduled,” he said. “It never comes at a time that's convenient. It always comes at a time that is there to disrupt your life.”

You may also want to consider these items, typically used for camping:

• Generators
• Flashlights
• Lanterns
• Propane camp stoves for cooking (make sure to use in well-ventilated areas)
• Water storage containers or bottled water
• Shelf-stable foods (packaged and dehydrated)
• Solar battery charger for phones

In the aftermath of a hurricane

Experts say you should take pictures of properties before and after a disaster for insurance claims.

If you evacuate, keep in mind that you may return to damage and little-to-no utility services.

In the wake of a natural disaster, Sánchez said business owners should also remember their purpose to the community. As a business owner, it can be difficult to recover after a hurricane or natural disaster. But the community may depend on you for your services or goods.

“People want to come out, they want to go to their favorite coffee shop, they want to go to their favorite restaurant, especially after a traumatic event like that,” he said. “I think it's important for them to understand they're not just businesses. They're part and parcel of what this community looks like.”

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