(METRO) Disaster preparedness strategies can help communities overcome floods, fires, hurricanes, and storms. Many of these strategies focus on helping residents of communities that are prone to storms protect themselves and their homes from the wrath of Mother Nature. But it’s equally important that local business owners take steps to ensure their businesses survive natural disasters.

Local businesses can play vital roles as communities try to recover from natural disasters. Such businesses can provide supplies like food and water to residents in need. In addition, businesses that are able to simply open their doors to customers can create a sense of normalcy in a community at a time when that normalcy can be comforting. However, in order to provide such services, businesses must first make it through disasters unscathed, and that takes planning.

Create a formal written plan. The Insurance Information Institute advises business owners to create formal written plans that detail ...