Disaster Recovery in the Restaurant

What happens when a kitchen fire strikes in your restaurant, or you’re in the path of a 1,000 year flood? The odds of these disasters happening to you might be low, but who cares about odds when you’re the unlucky restaurant that has to close for 10 weeks following a kitchen fire just a week into opening!

How do you recover?

Some disasters are big enough that it forces businesses to shutter. Other businesses view the aftermath as an opportunity for a complete reinvention. Ensure you’re the latter by having a good insurance policy to keep you covered.

And start with a contingency plan.

Create a Contingency Plan

Contingency planning should not only be part of your disaster prevention but also a normal component to regular business activities. With a contingency plan you can prepare for not only large-scale disasters like kitchen fires, but also smaller incidents like a broken walk-in or electrical outage. A contingency plan means that you’re always prepared for the unexpected, and staff is ready to tackle any challenge, no matter who is at the restaurant that day.

When developing a contingency plan, first identify risks and prioritize them based on likelihood. Business-critical operations will vary from business to business, depending on your unique needs. Are you a quick service restaurant with a broken broiler that specializes in burgers? Or are you a sushi restaurant facing a broken display case and a serious food safety issue? Risks like spoiled food and broken equipment are just as important to include as a grease fire in the kitchen.

After you’ve outlined potential risks, define a process. Who should be notified when disaster strikes? Include seemingly obvious instructions, for example if there’s a threat to employee and customer safety, ensure they exit the building as quickly as possible. Empower your staff with simple, clear operating procedures so they’re ready to face disasters head-on.

For more information on developing your own contingency plan, click here.

What You Should Do After a Kitchen Fire

More fires start in the kitchen than any other place in a business or home. The speed at which a kitchen fire can spread makes it extremely dangerous. Working with gas ranges inherently increases your chance of a fire, which is why following a regular maintenance schedule is key to preventing a fire; check your gas hoses for any fraying or tearing and check for loose connections which might allow gas to seep out (we like the durability and reliability of Dormont gas hoses). Another item to have on your maintenance schedule? Hood filters. These handy parts filter out grease and other contaminants in the air before they make their way into your ductwork. Hood filters should be replaced every 6 months ago to effectively filter the air and keep you safe.

But what happens when a kitchen fire strikes your business? Depending on the severity of the fire, you could be looking at days, weeks or months of closure. When emergency officials declare that it’s safe for you to enter the space be prepared to get dirty. Grease fires leave a heavy scent of smoke in the space, and even though a surface may look clean, chemicals from extinguishers and/or fine particles may still be on surfaces, utensils and more.

Food and beverages that were located in or near the fire should immediately be thrown away. Not only does smoke contain harmful ingredients, but firefighting chemicals are extremely poisonous and cannot be safely washed off of foods. Even food stored in refrigerators are questionable because refrigerator seals are not tight. And sorry to say, even food preserved in cans and jars can be spoiled due splitting or cracking under extreme heat. For more about food safety after a fire, click here.

Don’t be afraid to call on professional help. Professional cleaning and restoration companies can assist you with proper sanitization of equipment and utensils. Also call upon electricians to review wiring (and prevent other risks) and HVAC techs to inspect your ducts to avoid long-term issues.

What You Should Do After a Flood

I wish I could say that just water damage itself is all you have to consider in a flood, however, there’s much more you have to be concerned about. Once large floodwaters have receded and city officials deem it’s safe to enter your property, come prepared with a shovel. That’s because your first step will be shoveling away as much of that contaminated mud as possible; floodwaters contain a lot of mud, insects, refuse (which carries bacteria and is the source for serious illnesses like Cholera, Typhoid, Hepatitis and more) and in some cases, small animals. And since water penetrates everything, you could be facing long-term issues of mold and mildew which won’t manifest themselves until weeks, months or years later.

In addition to tracking down local electricians, plumbers, HVAC techs, contractors and more to inspect your space, be sure to start disinfecting every surface from front of house to back. Sterilize your flatware, dinnerware, pots, supplies and replace items like disposables, fryer paper, and other paper products.

Finally, don’t forget to replace every single water filter in your kitchen. From your ice machine to coffee maker, you will absolutely need a fresh water filter in place once your equipment has been adequately cleaned and sterilized.

For more information on flood clean-up procedures, click here.

What You Should Do After an Active Shooter Situation

From schools, to music concerts, restaurants and more—these days you (unfortunately) can’t overlook the possibility of an active shooter in your restaurant. With flood or fire most of the damage done is physical, and things like ranges and ductwork can be replaced.

But with an active shooter, the problems you and your staff will face in the aftermath will take more time to heal.

Firstly, check on your personal wellbeing in addition to the wellbeing of your staff. Everyone processes traumatic events differently, so do not expect employees to tackle grief in the same way as you. Give employees the opportunity for time off as needed, and consider leveraging local counseling and support resources for staff. Make these services available to employees who may need more help during difficult times.

Once you’ve evaluated the mental health of you and your staff, get your business ready for customers again by repairing damage as needed. If the budget allows, scrap and remodel as much as you can within the space lest you remind customers and staff of the horrific events that occurred. When you’re ready for service, consider hosting a grand re-opening party with proceeds benefiting the community and victim’s families.