When the Unexpected Hits, Will Your Fuel Supply Hold Up?

Emergencies don’t follow a schedule. While hurricane and snowstorm seasons get the most attention, the reality is that disruptions can strike any time of year. A wildfire in the summer, a flood in the spring, a power grid failure in the middle of a clear day. All of these can shut down operations in an instant. For businesses that rely on fuel to keep moving, preparation can’t be seasonal. It has to be constant.

Having an emergency response and business continuity plan isn’t just a good idea – it is a must. It helps you respond calmly and effectively instead of scrambling to react when things go wrong.

When disaster hits, fuel supply availability becomes a major concern. Demand spikes, roads shut down, and supply chains slow to crawl. If you don’t already have a fuel supply plan in place – complete with trusted suppliers and emergency response plans – you could be left without the resources to run your fleet, power generators, or keep essential equipment online.

Don’t Just Prepare for Weather Events

It’s easy to focus only on hurricane season or icy roads. But disasters come in many forms, such as wildfires, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and even public health emergencies like we saw in 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses struggled, but those with strong continuity plans were able to adapt and keep going. The takeaway? You can’t wait for the forecast to start preparing.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 40% of small businesses never reopen after a disaster. And among those that do, about a quarter close within a year. The businesses that make it through usually have one thing in common: they had a plan in place before the crisis began. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also reports that 90% of businesses fail within two years after being struck by a disaster, if they’re not adequately prepared!

What a Good Plan Looks Like

1. Start by looking at your operations from every angle. Where do your employees work? From the office, the road, or remotely? Where are your critical assets, such as fuel tanks, servers, and warehouses? What suppliers and partners are essential to your daily operations?
2. If your business has multiple departments, make sure each one is part of the planning process. Each team has different needs and responsibilities in an emergency, and their input will strengthen the plan. Don’t forget to loop in your key vendors, like fuel and logistics partners. They’ll need to coordinate with you when it matters most.
3. Your plan should prioritize safety and continuity. It doesn’t need to be complex, but it should cover the essentials: keeping employees safe, securing dangerous materials, and maintaining operations wherever possible. It should include evacuation procedures, emergency contacts, roles and responsibilities, and clear steps for communicating with your team and suppliers.
4. If fuel is essential for your operations, partnering with a reliable supplier that offers a redundant supply is one of the smartest moves you can make. This means having a supplier with multiple sourcing points, distribution terminals, and backup delivery options. If one supply route goes down, another is ready to go. That kind of flexibility can make the difference between keeping your fleet running and shutting down completely.

Securing an emergency response/business continuity plan ensures that you’re prioritized when supply gets tight. It also helps prevent panic buying, which can further strain local markets and disrupt deliveries.

Respond, Don’t React

The most successful businesses don’t wait for trouble to strike. They prepare in advance, so when something does happen, they’re ready to respond with a clear plan, not guesswork. They have fuel contracts in place. They’ve mapped out scenarios. They know who’s doing what.

Because at the end of the day, every hour your operations are down affects your bottom line. A well-built emergency response plan can be the reason you stay in business, while others are still figuring out what to do.

Not sure how to implement an Emergency Plan? Talk to the experts!

Mansfield Energy, North America’s leading fuel distributor, brings a wealth of expertise to creating a robust emergency response program tailored to your company’s needs. With an extensive network servicing the US and Canada, Mansfield understands the critical importance of proactive measures in facing potential disruptions caused by hurricanes or other natural disasters.

Leveraging in-depth knowledge, Mansfield has developed a comprehensive Emergency Response Fuel Program that prescribes industry’s best practices. Mansfield’s program enables a multi-faceted approach, prioritizing essential services and collaborating closely with partners to ensure seamless fuel distribution during emergencies. Don’t let a storm, outage, or crisis decide your company’s future. Plan ahead, stay fueled, and keep moving. Contact us today!