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Disaster Or Annoyance? Your Decision.
December, 2011 - Issue 1 |
 When Irene and Lee Hit - Were You Ready? |
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| Greetings! | |
When Irene and Lee hit they literally washed away the futures of many businesses. Because they were caught unprepared, many companies will never reopen. This is a hardship not only for the owners of that business, but for the employees, customers and community at large. The sad part is, with proper preparation, many of those business would have been able to reopen.
Tech Valley Continuity's mission is to help businesses turn these potential disasters into any annoyance. More than a catchy tag line, I truly believe that proper preparation can and does make a difference. Consider water sprinklers in your office. Yes, the fire happens, but because of planning for a fire the flames are extinguished before they consume the whole building. That's what Business Continuity Planning is, putting "virtual sprinkler systems" into your business operations.
This is Tech Valley Continuity's first newsletter. It is intended to educate business owners, operations and I.T. managers on how they can prepare for a crisis. This and future issues will include tips, techniques and specific actions designed to mitigate the negative effects of an unplanned business interruption.
Feel free to let me know if you have any comments or suggestions for topics. Your feedback is always welcome.
Enjoy,
Geoff Turner, President
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| Before Irene Hit |  As the August 23 NOAA 5 day map on the left illustrates, we knew that the Northeast was going to get hit. The only unknown was where and how hard.
New York City took many prudent actions to protect themselves, only to be spared the worst of Irene's fury. However, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and Upstate New York were not so lucky.
NOAA, FEMA and state emergency management agencies sent out several warnings and suggestions on preparing personal homes, and many of those suggestions applied to businesses as well.
Five days is not enough time to build a workable business continuity plan that allows a company to resume business in a day or two. The loss of a building, computers, personnel, important documents, utilities or supply chains require careful planning and procedures need to be implemented and tested to be fully effective. However, there are some actions that could have been taken to help minimize the negative effects. |
| 10 Emergency Actions You Can Take To Protect Your Company | |
The following is a list of actions any company should take prior to a pending storm to help improve their chance of survival:
- Backup critical computer data and take it off site
- Check your emergency contact information for employees and key vendors
- Place important documents in waterproof containers
- Power down and unplug your computers and other electrically sensitive equipment
- Call forward office phones to individual cell phones
- Work ahead and fulfill orders or obligations a few days in advance
- Order extra supplies you use on a daily basis
- Cross train employees in mission critical operations
- Board up or tape windows to prevent breakage
- Discuss how you might work if the building is inaccessible for several days
These may be emergency actions, but they are also the beginning of a comprehensive business continuity program. |
| Tech Valley Continuity News |
 | | TVCplanner.com |
Tech Valley Continuity is pleased to announce the release of TVCplanner.com, a joint effort between Tech Valley Continuity and Bold Planning Solutions. This low cost, easy to use, web based planning tool is designed specifically for the small to medium sized businesses with big business needs.
Document how you would recover your servers, what you need if forced out of your offices, and who you need to call in an emergency. Don't know what the risks are to your business or how much they will hurt? No problem, we give you a head start and guide you the rest of the way. Call 518-596-9313 to arrange your own demo. |
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If you don't have a business continuity program, or would like to discuss ways your preparedness can be improved, please reference the coupon below for a free consultation.
Sincerely,
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Geoff Turner, Certified Business Continuity Professional
Tech Valley Continuity LLC
Turning Potential Disasters into an Annoyance (r) |
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Free
Hour |
Reference this coupon to receive a free one hour consultative session. We will discuss your business, formal / informal plans you already have in place, and a list of recommendations for improving your recoverability.
This educational session will allow you to make an informed decision regarding steps to prepare your company for future disruptions.
| | Offer Expires: January 31, 2011 |
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