Ensuring Florida is Open for Business 25% of Small Businesses that Close Because of a Disaster Never Re-open. Be Business Ready

The Business Continuity and Risk Management (BCRM) Program was initiated in 2006 as part of a congressionally directed program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The program operates through the statewide FSBDCN. The focus of the program is to ensure that Florida businesses have the education, training and assistance needed to minimize losses and increase survivability when affected by natural and/or man-made disasters.

The FSBDCN is a member of the Florida State Emergency Response Team (SERT) under ESF – 18 (Emergency Support Function) – Business, Industry and Economic Stabilization.

Through the BCRM Program, trained and experienced SBDC Certified Business Analysts (CBAs) are ready to help you develop a comprehensive Business Continuity, Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery Plan—free of charge. BCRM services are available through all statewide Florida SBDC Network offices: Statewide Listing of Florida SBDC Service Centers.

You’ve invested a lot of time and resources into making your business a success, so Dare to Prepare and Be Business Ready.
Be Business Ready Brochure

Services

• One-on-one counseling is provided by trained and experienced CBAs. Counseling sessions are personalized, confidential and free of charge.
  
  
• Training events provide current and practical information ranging from basics to advanced skills. Nominal fees may be charged for training events.
  
  
• A wide range of information resources, including extensive business libraries, Small Business Resource Network (www.sbrn.org), UWF Haas Center for Business Research (www.haas.uwf.edu), and access to other private and public-sector information resources.

Program Activities

Two Mobile Assistance Centers (MACs)
The MACs are two 38' RVs outfitted as self-contained FSBDCN centers equipped with laptops, printers, satellite communications, business libraries, supplies and more. In the event of a disaster, they will be deployed to the field for on-the-spot disaster recovery assistance. Tents and tables will be set up outside where SBDC Certified Business Analysts (CBAs) will provide counseling and assistance needed for clients to work through the forms and applications that disaster victims must manage in the recovery process. During fair weather, they bring SBDC services to Florida’s more rural areas. View MACs and learn more.

Outreach Training
Statewide workshops that delve into need-to-know areas so Florida businesses may prepare and recover from disasters have been developed and are being offered at SBDCs throughout Florida. Examples include Disaster Plan in 90 Minutes—How Bulletproof is Your Business? and Is Your Business Disaster-Proof?

Communication Capabilities with FDEM
Formal communication capabilities have been established with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) to provide efficient and effective assistance during pre-and-post disaster periods. Find a listing of all Florida County EOC’s at www.floridadisaster.org/fl_county_em.asp.

Quick Response Vendors and Contractors
The Florida Business Ready! Contracting program provides continuity and contracting educational training to the existing pool of State vendors and those businesses with products or services most needed by both the public and private sectors in responding to disasters.

“I am very pleased with the services offered by the SBDC and wonder if my business would have survived without the assistance,” states Martine Boreal, owner of Tres Francais, Inc. in Winter Park.

“Finding the SBDC is a necessity—absolutely go. If it weren't for SBA and Suzanne at the SBDC, it would have been impossible for me to relocate and continue operating my business,” says Katherine Liber, owner of Sanibel Gallery.

Disaster Recovery - Now & Then: A Gallery of Success

Program Contacts

For more information about the BCRMC Program and/or the MACs, contact:

Katherine Hoelscher, Program Coordinator
850.473.7800 or khoelsch@uwf.edu

Paymon Shokoohi, Program Assistant
850.473.7820 or pshokoohi@uwf.edu

Don’t Wait—Call Your SBDC Today—Be Business Ready

BCRMC Powerpoint 10-21-2008