Fire drill

No one really saw this coming. The coronavirus pandemic that’s sweeping the U.S. and Canada right now is something we’ve never seen in our lifetimes. As I write this, we’re all wondering what’s next, how we’re going to manage and how this is going to impact our businesses and daily lives.

While it’s typical to prepare for natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, fires and tornadoes, something like this hasn’t been seen in North America since the Spanish flu in 1918. It’s impossible to know now what the future will hold and how much this is going to impact the industry. It’s a disaster that will no doubt cause a lot of hardship over the coming months.

A disaster preparedness plan can help mitigate situations like these. A recession, a natural disaster, an accident — all of these unexpected events can wreak havoc on your business, even more so if you have no plan in place.

While the global pandemic is front of mind for everyone now, this isn’t the only kind of disaster worth preparing for. The crisis is a good reminder that you never know what’s going to happen. And while you no doubt have a plan in place for something like a fire, how prepared are you for the unexpected?

It’s crucial to have a plan, not only for your internal staff, but for your customers as well. In the event of an issue with your production or the quality of your plant material, how are you going to handle it? Do you have a plan to manage a PR nightmare? If something were to happen to your key staff or yourself, do you have a succession plan?

What have you been doing to manage your operation during the coronavirus outbreak? Drop us a line at kspirgen@gie.net and let us know! And, of course, stay safe out there.