Recover

Getting back to business as soon as possible after an emergency event will give your organisation the best chance of surviving the event.

Recovery can be a complex and on-going process. The sooner you can return your business to some degree of normality, the faster you can restore income, jobs, goods and services for your customers and community.

News travels fast and often perceptions are different from reality. It may be up to the individual business to inform staff, customers and suppliers of the business status and implement a marketing plan to assist with returning the business to operation.

In recovering from an emergency, you will need to consider:

  • Assessing the damage 
  • Replenishing supplies in Evacuation Kit for reuse
  • If you can continue trading
  • Communicating with customers, employees and suppliers
  • Contacting your building's owner, manager or agent if applicable
  • Updating website, voice messages, signage and other social media
  • Monitoring cash flow and revise your budget
  • Apply for relief and other assistance
  • Implementing a Marketing Plan

Disaster Recovery Toolkit for Business

Businesses may be affected by disasters directly and indirectly. For instance, businesses may not be directly caught in a disaster, but the resultant decline in trade will affect the business.

The CPA Australia Disaster Recovery Toolkit for Business provides information to assist businesses that are both directly and indirectly affected by disaster.

Steps to getting back to business

  1. Overall damage assessment
  2. Make an insurance claim if you have insurance
  3. Seek government assistance if eligible
  4. Evaluate your financial position:
    1. Reconstruct accounts
    2. Determine cash position
    3. Reconstruct balance sheet
  5. Evaluate your market
  6. Evaluate how your business was run
  7. Develop plan to reopen your business:
    1. Determine how much it will cost to reopen your business as planned and continue operations at that level
    2. Determine how you are going to finance the reopening
    3. Redraft plan or exit business to suit the finances available to the business
  8. Reopen business/exit business (whichever is relevant)

Source: CPA Australia Disaster Recovery Toolkit for Business - July 2009

Australian Taxation Office (ATO) - Guide to dealing with disasters

If you have been affected by a disaster, such as a cyclone, flood, bushfire or storm, don't worry about your tax affairs right away. The ATO will give you time to deal with your more immediate problems first, and can help you to sort out your tax affairs later.

For further information and resources visit the ATO website.

Business Victoria

Business Victoria has a range of resources aimed at assisting business owners to plan and manage business disruptions including emergency and illness.

Australian Government Business website

Managing your business in an emergency allows you to prepare for possible risks, take proper actions and recover.

Emergency management is about adapting your business to changes in its environment and being resilient enough to withstand a time of crisis.

There is plenty of advice and support to help you plan for an emergency on the Australian Government's Business website.

Agriculture Victoria

Agriculture Victoria provide a range of bushfire and recovery advice and support on animal health and welfare, pasture management, pest plants and animal control, erosion protection, livestock feed planning, crop and horticulture management and reforestation.

Wildlife can be injured during bushfires. Agriculture Victoria works with suitably qualified and experienced wildlife care organisations and rehabilitators to assist with the recovery, treatment, rehabilitation and release of wildlife affected by fire.

Additional Contacts

Grants and Support

Wellbeing Support