Frequently asked questions

The Emergency Ready Business tool guides you through four structured steps using yes/no questions:

• Identify hazards. Pinpoints potential emergency events that could affect your business.
• Assess vulnerability. Highlights specific risks to your operations.
• Plan your response. Consider how to reduce risk before, during, and after an emergency.
• Action plan. Creates tailored checklists to help you take action.

At the end, you’ll receive a personalised business continuity plan. It includes the key risks, vulnerabilities and practical steps to build resilience and recover from disruptions.

To tool covers common hazards that could disrupt your business. These include:

• Natural disasters such as bushfire, flood and severe storms
• Biosecurity threats
• Cyber attacks
• Pandemics
• Theft, vandalism or property damage

Vulnerabilities are the weaknesses in a business’s systems, processes, buildings, or resources that make it more likely to be disrupted or damaged during an emergency.

The tool looks at common vulnerabilities including:

• Key staff dependencies
• Supply chain disruptions
• Loss, misuse or theft of data
• Not enough cash flow to cover emergency costs
• A significant reduction in, or lack of customer demand
• Damage to or loss of key buildings and equipment
• No clear emergency procedures
• Not enough insurance cover
• Lack of backup systems (for utilities, data and communications)

Yes. When you register and create an account, you can save your progress and return at any time to update your responses.

If business conditions change, your continuity plan should too. The Tool makes it easy to update and improve your plan as needed, helping your business stay resilient and ready for the unexpected.

To do this, go to your dashboard and open your business' action plan. You can then use the 'Need to review your answers?' link at the top of the page to review your survey answers and update them if needed. Making these changes will update the information in your checklists.

Steps 1-3 (hazard identification, vulnerability assessment and response consideration) will take around 20 - 40 minutes to complete.

The time taken to complete step 4 (checklists) will depend on the complexity of your business and the risks you identify.

A business continuity plan is a strategy that helps your business prepare for and keep operating during disruptions such as natural disasters, cyber attacks or supply chain issues.

A business continuity plan guides decision making when under pressure.

It helps you recover faster after an emergency by reducing downtime, protecting assets, maintaining customer trust and supporting recovery.

Without a plan, your business could:

• lose money.
• disappoint customers and damage its reputation.
• become unsellable or be forced to close.

A good business continuity plan will include:

Hazards: Identify potential threats to your business (e.g. natural disasters, cyber attacks, supply issues).

Vulnerabilities: Determine which functions are critical to keep your business running.

Responses: Plan how to respond, including emergency procedures, back up systems and alternate work locations.

Recovery plans: Outline clear steps to restore normal operations or adapt after a disruption. 

Review your plan at least once a year or any time your operations, structure or risks change significantly. It’s also a great idea to update your plan after an emergency event, reflecting on lessons learned.

TasALERT provides advice on what to do before, during and after an emergency event.

During an emergency TasALERT is Tasmania’s primary source of clear and consistent emergency warnings and information from emergency services and other government agencies, with a real-time map display and easy-to-use, high performing interface.

After the emergency response period, TasRECOVERY will connect you with all the support, advice and services you need.

Visit TasALERT at www.alert.tas.gov.au

Business Tasmania supports Tasmanians to start, run and grow a business.

Business Tasmania provides targeted information and access to a range of services and programs to help businesses succeed. It is the first point of contact for Department of State Growth programs and services. The team make it easier for the community to talk to government and access available support across all Departments.

Business Tasmania offers a range of resources for emergency management and recovery.

Visit: www.business.tas.gov.au

Email: ask@business.tas.gov.au

Call: 1800 440 026