Resources for Disaster Preparedness

December 14th, 2021
Sean Martillo

Be prepared when disaster strikes your business.

IF YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS IMMEDIATE ASSITANCE IN THE WAKE OF THE SEVER WEATHER OF DECEMBER 10TH, PLEASE CONTACT FEMA OR THE SBA’S DISASTER ASSISTANCE TEAM
FEMA: 800-621-3362
SBA DISASTER ASSITANCE TEAM: 800-659-2955

For more, please watch the SBA’s “A Guide to SBA’s Disaster Assistance Program” video here.


For more information on disaster preparedness, please visit these links for more.

IRS Guide on Preparing Your Business for Disaster

FEMA Emergency Preparedness Checklist and Toolkit

SBA.gov Recovery Hub

Ready.gov Business Resource Page

DHS Prepare My Business for an Emergency Resource


Last week’s tornado outbreak devastated many communities in Kentucky. Small businesses in these communities have been impacted terribly and are now in the process of recovering what they can of their small business.

You never want to wish for an emergency but being prepared for the worst is the best you can do before disaster strikes. Here are some tips on what you can do to prepare as best you can.

  • Assess your risk
    Every business has a set of strengths and weaknesses. Knowing what kind of disaster can hit your business can help you reopen your doors faster if you are prepared. A back-to-business self-assessment can help you assess your risk for common disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, tornadoes, or even cyber-attacks.
  • Create a plan
    Having a response plan is essential to your recovery, so it should be tailor made for your business. The IRS and FEMA have guides available to help with the planning and execution of checklists. The Small Business Administration also has handy checklists for many kinds of disasters, along with Safety Tips for your employees.
TopicResourceTips
HurricanesChecklistSafety Tips
Winter WeatherChecklistSafety Tips
EarthquakesChecklistSafety Tips
TornadoesChecklistSafety Tips
WildfiresChecklistSafety Tips
FloodsChecklistSafety Tips
Cyber SecurityPlanSecurity Tips
  • Execute your plan
    Before disaster, run through the checklists with your team, and make sure everyone is familiar with your company’s disaster procedure. Being overly prepared is better than not being prepared at all when disaster strikes.