FIREPROOFING YOUR VITAL RECORDS - HOW TO HANDLE THE HEAT

It's not uncommon, business owners shake their heads as the news reports on a fire that has consumed a local business leaving nothing but a burned out building. "It could never happen to us" - they think - "we're prepared." But is anyone really prepared when fire strikes?

Whether a fire destroys a portion of your facility or brings the whole thing to the ground, the impact is devastating. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there were 115,500 non-residential fires in 2004 resulting in $2.3 million in damages, including both fire damage and the resulting damage from water and extinguishing materials. After these incidents, many companies found themselves without access to their vital records and unable to resume operations. Planning for a disaster and having the steps in place to recover can help ensure business continuity.

What is business continuity?

Business continuity is an organization's ability to resume operations with minimal disruption and downtime after a disaster. The Business Continuity Institute, the professional body for Business Continuity Management, explains disaster and recovery planning as the act of anticipating incidents affecting critical business functions and processes and ensuring that response to any incident is handled in a planned and rehearsed manner.

The National Fire Protection Association estimates 47 percent of businesses that suffer a catastrophic fire cease operations within a year. Although the immediate impact of a disaster is seen in lost revenue and the inability to deliver services, there is more involved in the demise of a company, including the negativity surrounding the disaster, customers seeking alternative suppliers or services, or a loss of funding. A business continuity plan is an important tool to help reassure customers that steps are being taken to quickly return to functional business status.

Ensuring business continuity through preparedness

Many companies believe fire insurance is all they need to ensure business continuity after a disaster. In fact, the National Federation of Independent Businesses found 76 percent of small business owners believe insurance alone will adequately protect them. And while insurance can result in a financial reimbursement, it can't bring back sensitive, business critical records that are the foundation of a company's operations.

These vital records can be destroyed by fire within seconds. When fire strikes, business owners should be able to account for all employees and any important business records allowing them to pick up and return to operational status as quickly as possible. Each day without access to vital records is another day of profit lost, bringing a company one step closer to closing its doors.

The best insurance to protect any company from disaster is preparedness and employing the proper safeguards to ensure business continuity.

The role of the RIM professional

Often, records and information management (RIM) professionals become the creators and executors of these plans in addition to their everyday responsibilities. RIM professionals should consider educating themselves on the steps involved in developing a vital records inventory, creating a reliable and functional disaster and recovery plan and choosing the appropriate fire, heat, water and impact-resistant products and storage systems.

Working with the right partner

Creating a vital records disaster and recovery plan can be an overwhelming task. Working with an expert experienced in disaster and recovery planning can help you assess your situation and develop a functional and realistic plan, as well as provide you with the appropriate products to protect your vital records.

By proactively preparing for a disaster you can protect the foundation of your company and ensure business continuity to ensure profitability and growth for many years to come.