Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best: Disaster Preparedness and Recovery for Small Businesses

Book description

Now in its second edition, Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best presents you with a structured, time-tested blueprint to help you evaluate your business in terms of its vulnerability and guide you through developing a cost-effective, individualized disaster and recovery plan. This book is an essential handbook for anyone who owns, or plans to start, a small business, to help you move from paralysis to preparedness.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Author
  3. Foreword
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Preface
    1. CRISIS AND LEVIATHAN
  6. 1. Yes, You Should Sweat the Small Stuff!
    1. 1.1. SPECTRUM OF RISK
    2. 1.2. EVERYDAY DISASTERS CAN HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES
    3. 1.3. TACKLING RISKS ONE STEP AT A TIME
    4. 1.4. PREPARATION PAYS
  7. 2. Our Roadmap
    1. 2.1. PART ONE: PREPARE
    2. 2.2. PART TWO: RESPOND
    3. 2.3. PART THREE: RECOVER
  8. 1. PREPARE
    1. 3. Preparing Your IT Strategy
      1. 3.1. HUMAN ERRORS
        1. 3.1.1. User Training
        2. 3.1.2. Data Backups: Part I
      2. 3.2. EQUIPMENT FAILURES
        1. 3.2.1. Data Backups: Part II
        2. 3.2.2. Network Reliability
        3. 3.2.3. Equipment Quality
        4. 3.2.4. Software Installation
      3. 3.3. THIRD-PARTY FAILURES
        1. 3.3.1. Phone Service
        2. 3.3.2. Electrical Power
        3. 3.3.3. Internet Access
      4. 3.4. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
        1. 3.4.1. Remote Operation: Stage I
        2. 3.4.2. System Security
      5. 3.5. FIRES AND OTHER DISASTERS
        1. 3.5.1. Fire Protection
        2. 3.5.2. Data Backups: Part III
        3. 3.5.3. Remote Operation: Stage II
      6. 3.6. TERRORISM AND SABOTAGE
        1. 3.6.1. Hacker Attacks
        2. 3.6.2. Internal Sabotage
    2. 4. Ensuring Financial Liquidity
      1. 4.1. ROLE OF INSURANCE
      2. 4.2. PROPERTY-CASUALTY INSURANCE
      3. 4.3. BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
      4. 4.4. SELECTING AN INSURER
      5. 4.5. RISK MANAGEMENT
      6. 4.6. OTHER MEASURES
    3. 5. Basic Safety Practices
      1. 5.1. FIRE
      2. 5.2. FLOOD
      3. 5.3. HURRICANE
      4. 5.4. HEAT WAVE
      5. 5.5. EARTHQUAKE
      6. 5.6. TORNADO
      7. 5.7. THUNDERSTORM
      8. 5.8. TERRORISM
    4. 6. Business Mail Procedures
      1. 6.1. REDUCING JUNK MAIL
      2. 6.2. HANDLING INCOMING MAIL
      3. 6.3. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
    5. 7. Special Needs of the Disabled and the Elderly
    6. 8. Give Some Thought To Your Pets
    7. 9. Take Five
  9. 2. RESPOND
    1. 10. IT Strategy
      1. 10.1. HUMAN ERRORS
      2. 10.2. EQUIPMENT FAILURES
      3. 10.3. THIRD-PARTY SERVICE FAILURES
      4. 10.4. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
      5. 10.5. FIRES AND OTHER DISASTERS
      6. 10.6. TERRORISM AND SABOTAGE
    2. 11. Financial Liquidity
      1. 11.1. MITIGATING INSURED LOSSES
      2. 11.2. SECURING INSURANCE FOR A PROPERTY LOSS
      3. 11.3. IDENTIFYING IMPLICATED POLICIES
      4. 11.4. RECONSTRUCTING INSURANCE POLICIES
      5. 11.5. ISSUES RELATING TO EMPLOYEE DISPLACEMENT
      6. 11.6. DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAMS
      7. 11.7. SOMETIMES "AID" CAN BE HARMFUL
      8. 11.8. WORKING TOGETHER
      9. 11.9. COMMUNICATING WITH STAKEHOLDERS
  10. 3. RECOVER
    1. 12. IT Strategy
      1. 12.1. HUMAN ERRORS
      2. 12.2. EQUIPMENT FAILURES
      3. 12.3. THIRD-PARTY FAILURES
      4. 12.4. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS
      5. 12.5. FIRES AND OTHER DISASTERS
      6. 12.6. TERRORISM AND SABOTAGE
    2. 13. Financial Liquidity
      1. 13.1. RESOLVING INSURANCE DISPUTES
      2. 13.2. SECURING BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
      3. 13.3. NEGOTIATING CONTINUING COVERAGE
      4. 13.4. LEARNING FROM THE EXPERIENCE
      5. 13.5. DEALING WITH EMOTIONS
    3. Epilogue
    4. Resources
    5. Glossary

Product information

  • Title: Prepare for the Worst, Plan for the Best: Disaster Preparedness and Recovery for Small Businesses
  • Author(s): Donna R. Childs
  • Release date: April 2008
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470170915