Don't Procrastinate - Get Prepared

Bill Munro, owner of a dry cleaning and safety apparel business in Texas, had an emergency plan when Hurricane Rita hit. The problem was, it was outdated. It took him a week to reopen. Munro took this lesson seriously. Today he will tell you that not only is his plan updated, but, if faced with another disaster, he will back open in 48 hours.

America's businesses form the backbone of our nation's economy. Their ability to survive and recover from a disaster--like the floods we are seeing the Midwest--is critical. One in four businesses never reopen following a disaster, according the Institute for Business and Home Safety. This statistic is startling especially when you consider small businesses alone account for more than 99% of all companies with employees.

Unfortunately, emergency preparedness planning for many falls at the bottom of the to-do-list due to lack of time and resources. But as the country watches the devastation taking place in the Midwest, I want to urge all business owners and managers to take some simple steps to protect their companies in the case of an emergency so their businesses will have a stronger chance of survive - don't be the one and four.

A commitment to planning today will help support employees, customers, the community, the local economy and even the country. The Department's Ready Business Campaign provides practical steps and easy-to-use templates that will allow organizations to plan to stay in business, talk to their employees and protect their assets.

It's important for businesses to identify operations most critical for survival and to find a mechanism to stay in communication with employees, suppliers, and customers. By doing this, companies will be making their communities more resilient.

Finally, workplace preparedness also spurs individual and family preparedness. By involving your employees in the planning process and practicing your plan, business owners and managers will be motivating their employees to take steps at home, too. This is important because it will help get employees back to work quicker and also helps raise the basic level of preparedness across the country. So, planning is a good business practice that helps your business, your employees and your community.

• Did you know that IRS can help you reconstruct your tax records and may be able to provide tax relief?
• Did you know that SBA can provide loans to business owners, homeowners and non-profits who have experienced a disaster?
• Did you know as a business owner, you can help local, state and federal governments during disaster response and recovery?

During this time of severe devastation we encourage all businesses, individuals and families to get prepared by visiting http://www.ready.gov/.

Alfonso Martinez-Fonts
Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector Office