June 2012: What’s the Most Important Part of a Small Business Emergency Preparedness Plan?

When emergencies strike, having a plan in place can mean staying in business or reopening quickly.  Overall, the American Red Cross estimates that 40% of businesses do not reopen after a disaster – so planning and preparation can be vital for the successful recovery of your business and community.  

This month, we’re asking our online community members about their best practices and recommendations when creating and maintaining an emergency preparedness plan.  Specifically:

• What is the most important part of an effective disaster recovery plan? Is it an insurance policy?  Communication and coordination?  Having your IT assets secure in the cloud?

• For business owners recovering from an emergency or natural disaster, what are the keys to reopening? 

SBA and a variety of federal partners, including FEMA, can help you prepare for the worst and reopen quickly.  SBA provides preparation resources and disaster assistance loans to homeowners and businesses.  In fact, after Hurricane Irene SBA helped over 1,400 businesses recover by delivering low-interest loans.  Ready.gov and PrepareMyBusiness.org also feature trusted and helpful emergency planning guides for your business.

Join the discussion and share your tips in a comment below – and stay tuned for more hurricane planning resources throughout the month of June at SBA.gov/prepare.