Securing property in wildfire-prone areas: 5 ways to reduce risks

By most accounts, the ferocious wildfires that devastated Southern California in January created hundreds of billions of dollars in damages. As residents and business owners throughout the region begin to recover, they will need to answer a crucial question: Is it worth it to rebuild in the same area?

For security professionals and the firms who employ them, a different question has emerged: How do they protect their businesses and employees when the next natural disaster strikes?

Fortunately, there are extra steps private security companies that conduct operations in disaster-prone areas can take to protect their employees and insulate their firms from potential damages.

Establish iron-clad contracts

Firm principals who operate in disaster-prone areas should consider regular consultations with their attorneys to assess potential liability for any losses or claims they cannot prevent. Wildfires and hurricanes are mostly considered acts of God by insurers. Even if a wildfire’s origin was intentional, the forces of nature — such as Santa Ana winds, in the case of the Los Angeles wildfires — contribute to the bulk of the spread and, therefore, the brunt of the damages.

For these reasons, it is nearly impossible for a security firm and its employees to prevent wildfire damage to an estate or business they are hired to protect. While firms are not likely to be held liable, firm principals can ask their attorney to review all contracts and add clear language that indemnifies the firm and employees from liability in the event of a natural disaster. 

Develop precise post orders — and stick to them

All firms should consider regular updates and maintenance to post orders. Such updates can include details on employees’ specific duties, including steps to take in the event of an emergency. Doing so will help prepare security professionals for any unexpected harsh weather conditions.

Just as important is ensuring guards are prepared for what might happen in the minutes and hours following a catastrophic weather event. In the days after a hurricane, for example, clients may be prone to take an all-hands-on-deck approach, asking security professionals to cut tree limbs, move heavy objects or make minor home repairs. While these actions may seem helpful in the moment, they are tasks that security guards are not properly trained to do, they may cause further damage and expose your firm to liability that you do not have insurance for and/or they may be injured themselves exposing your firm to workers’ compensation claims.

Keep your employees out of harms’ way

As many Los Angeles-area homeowners unfortunately learned in January, arson and looting are two despicable side effects that occur in the aftermath of a wildfire. Looting is also common after hurricanes. To protect their property from theft or additional damage in these critical hours, property owners may ask security guard professionals to secure their estate from intruders and malicious actors. Private security firms should consider instructing employees to avoid ad-hoc assignments at all costs. These activities put employees in danger and expose firms to potential workers’ compensation claims.

Secure your firm’s property

While clients hire your firm to protect their property, you also have first-party liability for any equipment your firm and its employees use in their day-to-day work. This may include a guard station or mobile office, any drones or surveillance systems, or security patrol vehicles. As such, your firm and employees are responsible for moving equipment out of the path of potential danger. Moving property to protect it can be as simple as moving patrol cars inland and off a barrier island in the event of an oncoming hurricane or boarding up guard stations to minimize potential damage.

Prepare your employees for what comes next

For property owners, the cleanup process following a natural disaster is long and hard, often filled with a cavalcade of emotions. Prepare your employees by providing training on how to maintain safety and order while simultaneously offering reassurance and responding to impacted property owners with empathy. Additionally, it is important to assess your staff’s mental and physical readiness to return to duty. An employee with asthma, for example, should not be tasked with securing property in or around a wildfire, especially considering that flare-ups can happen weeks, months or even longer after a major disaster. 

Rebuild and refocus

Whether or not your firm — or its guards — were impacted directly by the Southern California wildfires, all private security firms can use this most recent weather-related catastrophe as a learning lesson. It is vital to take proactive steps to strengthen contracts and protect employees. Working with the right professional, such as a specialty insurer or attorney can help identify gaps in contracts and post orders or pinpoint potential actions that will leave you liable. Such professionals can also make recommendations on how to word post orders to minimize risk and properly prepare your own property to mitigate first-party liability. Acting now can help you respond appropriately if and when a natural disaster occurs near your clients’ properties.