TAMPA, Fla. — Hurricane season is here and it's time to make sure you are ready for any storm that comes our way.
There are some things you can be doing now to make sure your business is as protected as your home.
Jonathan Moore, the president of Invision Advisors, works with his clients to make sure their buildings are in good shape. He says every business owner should be checking out their building, even if they don't own it.
"The first thing I see is a lot of trees that are very close to the building. These are old trees, we're not going to take these down, but certainly trimming these back six feet from the building."
Moore says preparing your business is just as important as preparing your home.
"Your commercial office space is something you really need to think about as we get into the season with regard to your valuables. And, I'm not talking gold, I'm talking paperwork, files, computers, backup software."
Start by looking for the obvious.
"If you've got caulk that's cracking, that's ripe for a leak. So, we want to make sure that our caulking is always good around our windows and doors and check that at least once a year to make sure that you don't have those cracks."
Inside the office, he says make sure all computers, important files, and personal items are up off the floor and away from windows. There's also one simple thing everyone should do: "Grab your phone and video your entire interior. That will help if there is an insurance claim. You've got documentation of what was in there before the storm."
Even if you don't own the building, Moore says you should still do this and pressure your landlord to address any issues to protect your assets. He also recommends appointing someone at your workplace as the hurricane preparedness director. That person can organize preparations, keep a contact list of employees and help determine how the office will operate after a storm.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
10 Tampa Bay is your Hurricane Headquarters. From getting your hurricane kit together to finding your closest evacuation route, 10 Tampa Bay has it all.
You can also download the free 10 Tampa Bay app to get alerts sent straight to your phone if a storm is heading this way.