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Up to 40 percent of businesses do not recover after a disaster. The statistics are worse for those that suffer a major data loss, such as damaged documents and computer files. The best way to ensure quick business continuity after a hurricane is to have a disaster preparedness plan that includes a plan to recover, an asset inventory and a comprehensive document restoration plan.

Hurricane season naturally has business owners thinking about their own business continuity plan. If you don’t already have a disaster recovery plan, right now is a great time to make one. Taking the time to work out the details in advance will ensure that your business resumes operations as quickly and efficiently as possible when the unthinkable occurs.

The 2016 hurricane season started early with Hurricane Alex hitting the Atlantic in January and Tropical Storm Bonnie following. While the early storms might seem to point to a turbulent summer, hurricane season predictions call for an average hurricane season. While this is good news for those with businesses along the Atlantic basin and Gulf Coast, you should still take hurricane season preparation seriously. Just one storm can have devastating consequences on your operations.

Hurricanes and tropical storms are unpredictable beasts. They can intensify and change directions without notice, making storm preparation vital for minimizing hurricane damage. Experts can only predict how many hurricanes will make landfall in the U.S. each year based on historical data and current weather patterns. Meteorologists use the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale to indicate a storm’s strength. They use data regarding air pressure, water temperatures, air temperatures, winds and other variables to predict where a storm might travel and how strong it could become. By understanding the hurricane category ratings, you can have a better idea about the impact that a storm could have on your commercial property.

As much as we are loath to think about it, natural disasters do occur. These disasters can wreak residual havoc upon the items one might have stored in the home. Whether the damage is the result of water, smoke, mold or any number of unforeseen occurrences, personal belongings can suffer great harm. Worst of all, critical legal, official or business documents may suffer what appears to be irreparable harm.