Emergency planning and employee training can minimize loss

WESTBROOK, Maine, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- With Hurricane Earl threatening New England, Acadia Insurance is reminding business owners to create or revisit their pre- and post-storm Emergency Action Plan (EAP).  

"Planning is critical to preventing or minimizing loss during a hurricane," said Christopher Streeter, Home Office Sr. Property Underwriting Lead, Acadia Insurance.  "An up-to-date EAP can help ensure that company procedures are organized and well thought-out during workplace emergencies.  Such plans result in less severe employee injuries, as well as minimizing business damage."

Acadia recommends setting up a "Go Box" for critical papers and information before the storm including:

• Lists of all employees, key customers and vendors along with their phone numbers and addresses
• Insurance policies and agent contact information
• Electronic data back-up
• Equipment, computer software/hardware, and furniture inventories
• A list of emergency vendors, such as plumbers and restoration contractors
• Copies of essential business policies, plans, and agreements
• Photographs of the business and equipment, both inside and out

Streeter advises owners and risk managers to know what their business interruption insurance will cover, including confirming whether the business will be compensated for lost income if the company has to leave its site because of disaster-related damage and if not, what the cost would be to add this coverage.  "Owners should also know if there is a waiting period before the coverage begins and confirm whether the policy will cover the company for more than a few days," he said.

Business owners also should consider other pre-storm steps to help secure business property such as:

• Inspecting and making emergency repairs to drains and gutters
• Strapping or anchoring all roof-mounted equipment such as HVAC units and exhaust vents
• Installing windstorm shutters or plywood over windows and doors
• Disconnecting the main electrical feeds to the facility to prevent a potential fire caused by short-circuiting of damaged equipment
• Taking the following steps so that outdoor items will not blow away or cause damage:
  • Removing all loose debris
  • Anchoring or relocating all nonessential equipment to a safe indoor location
  • Securing storage of flammable liquid drums, or move them to a sheltered area
  • Anchoring all portable buildings to the ground
  • Securing large cranes and other heavy equipment
  • Making sure outdoor signs are properly braced

After the storm has passed, Acadia recommends minimizing business interruption by:

• Securing the site
• Surveying the damage
• Surveying for safety hazards such as live wires, leaking gas or flammable liquids, poisonous gases, and damage to foundations or underground piping and notifying the appropriate utility companies or emergency responders of any such safety hazards
• Repairing damage to automatic sprinkler systems and getting them back in service as soon as possible
• Calling in key personnel and notifying contractors to start repairs – after ensuring that safety systems are fully implemented before work is allowed to begin.
• Beginning salvage as soon as possible to prevent further damage
• Covering broken windows and torn roof coverings immediately
• Separating damaged goods, but beware of accumulating too much combustible debris inside of a building
• Cleaning roof drains and removing debris from the roof to prevent drainage problems
• Visually checking any open bus bars, conductors and exposed insulators before restarting main electrical distribution systems.

About Acadia

Acadia Insurance Group is a regional company offering commercial and specialty property casualty insurance coverages through independent insurance agents with local offices in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.  Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, Acadia Insurance is a subsidiary of W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB), one of the nation's premier commercial lines property casualty insurance providers, and one of the 50 largest diversified financial companies in the United States.  Please visit www.acadiainsurance.com.

SOURCE Acadia Insurance Company

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