HELENA — With wildfire season in full swing, the Better Business Bureau is reminding homeowners and businesses to be prepared in case of a natural disaster.
BBB Montana Marketplace Manager Hannah Stiff said natural disasters can happen at any time and it’s always good to plan ahead.
Have important documents such as birth certificates, social security cards and passports secured in a fireproof safe or safe deposit box.
“Having those things secure makes it a lot easier in a time that’s filled with a lot of panic or emotion,” said Stiff.
Businesses should also take extra care to make sure any important documents can be accessed remotely should something happen.
“Any records or anything pertinent that you’re going to need in perpetuity for a long time, save it to the cloud,” said Stiff. “Make sure you’ve got it in a location where you can access it no matter what happens to your brick and mortar location. That way your customers know that they’re safe.”
BBB also recommends using FEMA’s website at ready.gov to learn about the potential emergencies that could occur ways to respond to them.
People should also be very cautious about companies they don’t know soliciting them after a natural disaster or weather event.
“That’s really when those fly-by-night companies can swoop in and really take advantage of people,” said Stiff.
Stiff added people should always ask to see the licensure and check online to see if there are any issues with the company.
People can look up the reputation and more information about legitimate businesses on the BBB website. https://www.bbb.org/
