Be prepared and plan for the all eventualities.
The Restaurant Association is urging hospitality businesses across the North Island to prepare for every eventuality, ahead of Cyclone Gabrielle’s arrival. We’ve prepared a checklist to help hospitality businesses consider what they need to do. Hospitality businesses have some unique impacts from extreme weather situations like this so being prepared will help to minimise the damage and business interruption.
You can download the Cyclone preparedness checklist here.
You can never be over-prepared for a situation like this. The Association’s checklist for hospitality businesses looking to get prepared ahead of the storm includes:
- Ensure you are monitoring weather conditions regularly – things can change rapidly. Keep up to date with the advice of Civil Defence and your local emergency organisations.
- For businesses with outdoor eating areas, ensure any chairs, tables and other loose items are secured or stored away safely.
- Move everything off the floor that you can store elsewhere.
- Ensure contact numbers (and emergency contacts) of team members are updated and easily accessible. Have a plan for communicating with your team.
- Ensure any critical documents and business related data is securely backed up and accessible.
- Check insurance is up to date and in place.
- Ensure adequate supplies of torches, fresh batteries, brooms, mops and buckets as well as a backup water source.
- Clearing any obstructions disturbing the flow of water down any storm water drains.
- Do a walkthrough of the business and clear any materials around the area that can be easily considered flying debris during a cyclone.
- Carry out a stock take of all supplies and equipment in case there is any damage or loss of stock. Take photos of high-value items.
- Ensure vehicles are away from low lying areas (and insurance is up to date).
- Create a business continuity plan.
- Consider an alternate power source. Some businesses are able to operate during power outages if they have a generator. This can also ensure that fridges and freezers do not turn off and minimises stock loss.
- Communicate with customers. Use your social media channels to keep people informed on whether you have been impacted or not.
- Be sure to remind your team to also be prepared in their own homes.
It is really important to be prepared but also to remain calm. Our businesses have been under a lot of pressure over the last few years and it is important to look after yourself and your wellbeing. We have a number of resources on our site to help you through this.
Mental wellbeing resources can be accessed through the First Steps website here.
Go to https://www.restaurantnz.co.nz/emergency-response-hub/ for more information.
ENDS