Release Date: May 28, 2009
Contact: Paymon Shokoohi l paymon.shokoohi@floridasbdc.org l 850.473.7820
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Florida SBDC Network Gets Ready and
Urges Businesses to Prepare for Hurricane Season 2009
Pensacola, FL – The 2009 hurricane season begins June 1 and the Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN), through its Business Continuity and Risk Management Center (BCRMC) program, has been busy getting ready. They are testing the staff and equipment, deployment procedures, satellite communications and coordinating capability and other response and recovery measures for the business community. Forecasters are predicting 12 named storms—6 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes, so the FSBDCN urges Florida businesses to prepare and understand what a disaster could mean for their business.
Experienced SBDC Certified Business Analysts (CBAs) are ready to help business owners develop a comprehensive Business Ready Plan—all free of charge. SBDCs from Pensacola to Key West are scheduling over 50 workshops associated with disaster preparation, business continuity planning, mitigation and recovery. The FSBDCN’s Mobile Assistance Centers (MACs), two 38-foot mobile RVs equipped to be deployed and provide disaster assistance to small businesses post-hurricane, are available for tours at the workshops. BCRMC counseling and training are available through all statewide SBDC offices. Find yours at www.FloridaSBDC.org.
An official member of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18—Business, Industry and Economic Stabilization into the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan—the FSBDCN is a key economic development organization and supports disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. As such, SBDC staff have served as session panelists at the Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Ft. Lauderdale in 2008 and 2009 and participated in the week-long statewide Hurricane Drill in 2007 and 2008. The 2009 Drill is underway May 28 – June 3, 2009.
“The focus of SBDC programs is to educate, train and assist Florida businesses to minimize losses and increase survivability when affected by natural or man-made disasters,” says Katherine Hoelscher, BCRMC Director and FSBDCN Assistant State Director. “In short, we want to ensure they stay open for business.”
Since its beginning in 2006, the BCRMC program has conducted 85 business continuity, disaster planning and/or business recovery planning workshops for 1,014 attendees and 39 outreach events for 7,089 outreach participants. Participation in other business and community outreach events and hurricane expos has provided opportunities for over 1,200 people to tour a MAC, collect disaster planning materials and discuss preparation and recovery with SBDC personnel.
Don’t be one of the 25% that never re-opens after a disaster!
The Florida SBDC Network, a statewide service network of 34 centers, is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, hosted by the University of West Florida and accredited through the national Association of SBDCs. For over 30 years, the Network has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations and has been dedicated to providing emerging and established business owners with assistance, enabling overall growth and increased profitability for the businesses and economic prosperity for the state. To learn more about the Florida SBDC Network or to find an SBDC near you, visit www.FloridaSBDC.org or call 1.866.737.7232.
|
State Director's Office l 401 E Chase St, Ste 100 l Pensacola, FL 32502
866.737.7232 or 850.473.7800 l www.FloridaSBDC.org
|
|
