Natural and man-made disasters can have a distressing impact on small businesses, which is why it’s critical to have a disaster management strategy in place. This is a plan that outlines what hazards your business is at risk of facing, what you can do to avoid or manage them and how to get your business back up and running should a disaster strike. The conclusion of your disaster management plan reiterates the salient points and provides actionable takeaways.

Re-State the Objective of Your Disaster Management Plan

Start your conclusion by reminding the reader of the goal of your disaster management plan. For example, if your business is located in an area where forest fires are common in the summer, they could have a debilitating impact on your business. As a result, the goal of your disaster management plan is to navigate the situation should a forest fire occur near your business.

By restating your goal, you provide the reader of the disaster plan the background and context they need to quickly understand the situation. For example, “Our goal is to ensure that each employee is safe if a forest fire spreads while they are at work.”

Go Over the Potential Hazards the Company Faces

In the conclusion of your natural disasters article or plan, outline the potential disasters that your company may be at risk of facing. These may include natural disasters such as floods, forest fires, earthquakes and hurricanes. It may also include man-made disasters such as theft, arson, data loss, chemical leakages or terrorist threats.

Specify what may happen to the business should such a disaster occur. For example, if your business deals with toxic chemicals, a leak could affect the environment around you and cause you to close your business for several weeks or months while clean-up takes place. This would lead to a considerable loss of income. The leak could also result in your employees getting sick or injured. This could lead to workers’ compensation claims or employee litigation.

Summarize Action Plans for Possible Hazards

In your conclusion, provide a brief summary of the plan you stated in the report. Your essay on natural disasters may include a step-by-step disaster management plan on what to do should a neighboring building catch fire. In your conclusion, you can summarize the plan in two or three sentences. For example, “Evacuate the building immediately, call 911 and notify the business owner. Once everyone is out safely, notify customers of closures or changes in schedule.”

Review Employee Training for Disaster Relief

Regardless of how many employees you have at your small business, it’s vital to make them aware of your disaster management plan. Your employees need to understand the possible natural and man-made risks to your business, and what to do when a disaster occurs. In the conclusion of your disaster management plan, provide a brief synopsis of how you will get your employees involved. For example, “We will review our fire evacuation plan with employees at every quarterly meeting so that they are up to date on emergency exit procedures. We will also provide the management team with continuity plans so they can continue to run the business effectively once the imminent threat has been removed.”

Actionable Takeaways in a Good Conclusion for Natural Disasters

A good conclusion of natural disasters planning for small business needs to include actionable advice for improvement. In your disaster management plan, it’s wise to provide a detailed list of recommendations for the business so they can better navigate the disaster. Your conclusion should summarize these recommendations. For example, “We recommend reviewing our insurance policy to ensure we are covered for any risks. We also recommend installing security cameras on the inside and outside of all exits to deter thefts from taking place.”