WASHINGTON –
In conjunction with the five-year anniversary of the devastating Gulf Coast storms
of 2005, the U.S. Small Business Administration is encouraging business owners,
homeowners and others to create their own disaster preparedness plan during National
Preparedness Month in September.
“There is a tendency
to think that a large-scale disaster is not going to happen ‘where I live,’”
SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. “The reality is that storms, floods,
earthquakes, fires and man-made disasters can strike anytime and anywhere. Planning
ahead for your own post-disaster recovery is a good step toward protecting your
family, your business and your community.”
SBA, along
with many state, local government and private sector coalition partners are participating
in this September’s National Preparedness Month.
To prepare for disasters,
SBA offers the following tips:
- Develop a solid emergency response plan.
Find evacuation routes from the home or business and establish meeting places.
Make sure everyone understands the plan beforehand. Keep emergency phone numbers
handy. Business owners should designate a contact person to communicate with other
employees, customers and vendors. Homeowners, renters and business owners should
ask an out-of-state friend, colleague or family member to be a “post-disaster”
point of contact, supporting the flow of information about short-term relocations,
recovery, additional sources of assistance, etc.
- Make sure you
have adequate insurance coverage. Disaster preparedness begins with having adequate
insurance coverage—at least enough to rebuild your home or business. Homeowners
and business owners should review their policies to see what is or isn’t
covered. Companies should consider business interruption insurance, which helps
cover operating costs during the post-disaster shutdown period. Flood insurance
is essential. To find out more about the National Flood Insurance Program, visit
the Web site at www.floodsmart.gov.
- Copy important records. It’s
a good idea to back up vital records and information saved on computer hard drives,
and store that information at a distant offsite location in fireproof safe deposit
boxes. You should have copies/back ups of important documents ready to take with
you if you have to evacuate.
- Create a “Disaster Survival
Kit.” The kit should include a flashlight, a portable radio, extra batteries,
first-aid supplies, non-perishable food, bottled water, a basic tool kit, plastic
sheeting and garbage bags, cash, and a digital camera to take pictures of the
property damage after the storm.
More preparedness
tips for businesses, homeowners and renters are available on the SBA’s website
at www.sba.gov.
The
Institute for Business and Home Safety (www.disastersafety.org
) also has information on protecting your home or business. Additional information
on developing an emergency plan is available at the federal government’s
preparedness website www.ready.gov.
When
disaster strikes, the SBA makes low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and
non-farm businesses of all sizes. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair
or replace damaged real estate. Individuals may borrow up to $40,000 to cover
losses to personal property.
Non-farm businesses and non-profit
organizations of any size may apply for up to $2 million to repair or replace
disaster damaged business assets and real property. Small businesses that suffered
economic losses as a direct result of the declared disaster may apply for a working
capital loan up to $2 million, even if the property was not physically damaged.
To
learn more about the SBA’s disaster assistance program, visit the website
at www.sba.gov/disasterassistance.
