FALL2020_SSCWN_web

TIPs
ARE YOU
AWARE OF
BAD WEATHER
DEDUCTIBLES?
IS YOUR POWER
PROTECTED?
According to Agility & Recover, a firm which
helps businesses prepare for the unexpected,
and overcome interruptions, and which is also
recommended by the Small Business Administration
as a viable resource, nearly 70% of businesses will
lose power sometime in the next 12 months.
It is important to know and understand your
risk as well as your building’s power requirements.
Therefore, refer the following checklist to see if
you’re prepared:
If you own a car wash owner in a storm
susceptible area, which seems to be
encompassing more and more of the
country lately, it is imperative that you
take the time to review your property
policy closely. If your policy contains an
endorsement for Wind/Hail deductibles
or a Roof – Cosmetic Damage Exclusion
take these three steps to properly manage
your coverage:
3 STEP 1: Read your policy
make certain that you fully
understand the deductible
placed on your policy.
3 STEP 2: Talk to your agent
make sure your agent fully
explains all the requirements
and nuances of your policy.
Ask if there are alternatives
available through your current
insurer or other carriers.
3 STEP 3: Be prepared
catastrophes happen. No matter
where you live in the United
States, you’re just a couple of
years away from some major
catastrophic event. If your policy
has implemented a Wind/Hail
deductible, make sure you have
the money saved up, so you’ll be
able to pay it when that inevitable
storm strikes.
This tip was writing by Dan Tharp who
is licensed in all states (except Alaska &
Hawaii) and has been assisting business
owners protect their operations, assets, customers
and employees for over 25 years.
■ Before a Power Outage
Ensure your emergency preparedness kit includes
the following items:
• Flashlights with Battery
• Battery or hand-crank powered Emergency
Weather Radio
• (Avoid Candles due to the inherent fire hazard)
3 If possible, have a landline non-cordless
telephone in your office that does not
operate on a VOIP network. Often a fax
line can serve this purpose.
3 Create a personnel policy that dictates
which staff members should report and
those that should remain home.
3 Make sure all employees are aware of the
policy.
3 If security at your location is a concern,
ensure that your alarm/security systems
have proper battery backup systems,
and that telephone connectivity to your
monitoring service isn’t reliant on power.
3 Ensure all sensitive electronic equipment
is protected by a power strip surge
protector.
3 Ensure all Uninterruptible Power Supply
(UPS) devices are functional and tested
regularly.
3 Inspect all critical equipment such as
sewer ejector pumps, HVAC condensate
drain pumps, and any pumps that provide
protection from flooding in low-lying areas.
3 Ensure those pumps are part of the
emergency power plan.
3 Fuel up any critical equipment including
company vehicles, backup generators, etc.
■ Questions for Your Electrician:
In order to better facilitate emergency power requirements,
be sure to ask your electrician the following
questions and note the information for future
use:
3 What phase is your electrical service?
Single or Three Phase?
3 What voltage is your service? 208v, 240v
or 480v?
3 Is your power requirement for a Wye or
Delta generator?
3 How many amps do you need to power?
3 What size generator is required?
3 How many feet of cabling are required to
power the generator?
3 Does your building have a power transfer
switch?
3 If no transfer switch has been installed,
you will need to consider options –
hardwire or spider box?
■ Steps to Take During
a Power Outage
1. Turn off and unplug all electrical
equipment to avoid damage from
power spikes when electrical service is
resumed.
2. Leave one light turned on so you’ll
know when the power comes back on.
3. NEVER run a generator inside or
connect a generator to the electrical
system unless prior steps have been
taken to ensure it is safe to do so.
4. Ensure you know your generator’s fuel
consumption rate and set up regular
fuel deliveries ahead of time to ensure
you never run out.
5. Do not touch any downed electrical
power lines and keep your employees
away from them.
6. Report downed lines to the
appropriate officials in your area.
7. Leave doors closed on office
refrigerators and freezers as much
as possible during outages. Food will
keep much longer if the doors are left
closed.
8. Make sure the generator you receive
includes the following:
3 Transportation to your building site
3 The appropriate amount of Cam Lock
Cabling (standard is 250’ unless more is
requested)
3 Pigtails to connect the generator
3 Starter fuel for the first few days of
recovery
3 A set of operating instructions
3 A walk through of the basic operating
instructions with your vendor
This is an edited version of the document supplied
36 • FALL 2020