Protect your business

Preparing for an emergency in Lancashire

If you run a business in Lancashire, it is crucial that you are aware of the local, regional and national risks that could disrupt your operations. A disaster such as flooding, a cyber-attack or supply chain issue could strike at any time. Therefore business-owners and managers should assess how they can be prepared for all eventualities and put a plan in place.

How could this affect my business?

Without sufficient preparation, many businesses would struggle to overcome the effects of a disruptive event. Carrying out a risk knowledge assessment and planning for the worst-case scenario will help your company ride the storm, limiting damage where possible, and ensuring you have a recovery strategy ready. This forms the basis of a Business Continuity Plan.

What is a Business Continuity Plan?

A Business Continuity Plan provides a strategy for prevention and recovery from potential threats to a company. It ensures resilience by identifying the elements you cannot afford to lose, such as information, stock, premises, staff, equipment, utilities and cash flow–and planning how to maintain them if an incident occurs.

What to do If there is an emergency?

Find out and understand the risks to your business in the county, and nationally.
Think about what can be done to lessen the risk, for example use more than one supplier, choose secure passwords.
Produce and maintain an up-to-date Business Continuity Plan, including details such as:
- How to stay informed if something happens.
- What your business-critical resources are.
- How to communicate to your staff and customers about the issues you are facing.
Once you have a robust plan in place, practice what would happen if you needed to activate it, including ensuring it is accessible away from the office.

Download a Business Continuity Plan Template.

If you or anyone else is in immediate danger, call 999.
Stay calm, activate your business continuity plan and keep it to hand.
Think about what your insurers might need–take lots of pictures and videos as evidence of loss/damage.
Stay in contact with key people and keep them informed. What do staff, suppliers and customers need to know?
Identify which business activities can continue and which may need to be put on hold.
Speak to people who may be able to help, such as local/neighbouring businesses, local authorities.
Follow #lancsalert on social media for up-to-date information for any large-scale incidents.

Recovery can be a complex and long-running process and will probably involve more people than in the response phase of an incident.
Be prepared that things may not return to ‘normal’, but could be restored to a new improved normal.
Learn from what happened to influence future incident planning. Reflect on what did and did not go well.
Amend your Business Continuity Plan accordingly.

Where can I find more advice and information?