What s Shaking: Preparing for the Next Big One by Ren Grajales

To quote that 1957 Jerry Lee Louis hit, there's a whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

According to a recent U.S. Geological Survey report, the number of major domestic earthquakes (magnitude 7 or greater) in the first quarter of 2014 was more than double what the national average has been since 1979. And that doesn't even include hundreds of smaller, man-made temblors caused by fracking and oil drilling; incidences of these events quadrupled in Oklahoma this year.

What would happen if your small business were hit by a massive quake? Would your records survive? Could you reach them afterward? You can prepare yourself and your company for the next big one by examining lessons from past earthquakes.

The Big One: San Francisco, CA (1906; 7.8 magnitude)

Significance: Although this was one of the worst natural disasters in California history, it was actually fire, not the earthquake itself, that caused as much as 90 percent of the destruction.

Lesson Learned: Disasters may come in multiple phases. A comprehensive emergency plan for your employees, property and data should take into account several scenarios. When you team up with a trusted partner, you can create a plan specifically tailored to your needs.

Modern-Day Disaster: Northridge, CA (1994; 6.7 magnitude)

Significance: This 20-second Southern California temblor caused more than $20 billion in property damage. As if that wasn't enough, the economic reverberation was profound: Researchers calculated the costs of interrupted business at approximately $6.5 billion.

Lesson Learned: Business interruption preparedness is a must. Store your paper documents and files offsite with an experienced partner-one who will keep your records safe and provide business continuance services if your physical office space isn't available.

Washington Wake-up Call: 2011 Nisqually, WA (2011; 6.8 magnitude)

Significance: Occurring 11 miles northeast of Olympia, this earthquake was the costliest natural disaster in the history of Washington state. While the biggest losses were due to building and equipment damage, one academic study found that data losses took a greater financial toll on businesses than inventory losses.

Lesson Learned: A reliable and comprehensive data backup and recovery system can provide access to your digital resources after a catastrophic event. A seasoned provider can even offer services such as automatic data backup and restoration of paper records damaged by the elements.

Don't be one of the hundreds of small businesses that fail to bounce back after an earthquake or other natural disaster. Team with a trusted vendor to prepare for the next big quake. Its team can provide expert guidance in those crucial hours and days after the earth stops moving.

LINK:	http://blogs.ironmountain.com/2014/service-lines/records-management-an...
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