Several times in the past I've mentioned that home-based business owners are in the best position to prepare their businesses for emergencies. Those of you who operate small businesses outside your homes have an advantage over the big boy corporations as well. No waiting for someone to wade through five reams of red tape and paper trails to get your store a first aid kit or some bottled water; you can pick it up at the warehouse store!
An article from Mother Earth News caught my eye this week because of the tornados hitting certain areas of the US and the declaration of a state of emergency for portions of California due to heavy rains. "Assemble an Emergency Survival Kit" was the title of the e-zine I recevied and it sure was timely!
While the piece doesn't suggest too many specific brands, it will give you a good idea of what to have on hand and why you need it. Again, a lot of products that are useful for emergency preparedness can be picked up during a trip to the office or warehouse store. For instance, I've stocked up on the following at my local Costco:
- Bottled water
- Batteries
- Flashlights (hand-crank powered)
- Aseptic-packaged milk & smoothies
- Energy bars
- Snack foods
- Candles
- CD-ROMs/DVD-ROMs for backups
I've also seen gun safes, fire safes (for storing paperwork and small valuables), external hard drives, towels and other linens, and much, much more!
What can you find on your next shopping trip that can help prepare your business for the worst? Make a list next time you go and let me know what you find!
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