Recent weather disasters in Kansas, New Orleans, Mississippi, Europe and so on should remind every destination, DMA, hotel group and others about the critical importance of a crises recovery plan.
Tux Turkel (no relation as far as I know) wrote a very good article on disaster recovery for the Maine Sunday Telegram.
“Storm damage that puts a business out of business, even for a short time, can have a sudden and fatal impact on cash flow. The U.S. Small Business Administration estimates that a quarter of small businesses that have to temporarily close during a disaster never reopen. The U.S. Department of Labor has estimated that figure as high as 40 percent.
“A business recovery plan minimizes your risks and expedites your recovery,” said John Massaua, state director of Maine Small Business Development Centers. “No business should be operating without one.”
HELP ON THE WEB
Here is a list of Web sites and resources that can help Maine businesses get started on a recovery plan:
Maine Small Business Development Centers offer information under “Topics of Interest” and then “Disaster Planning.” Certified business counselors are also available to help businesses with cash flow and other disaster-related issues.
Use this index to access resources offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The Federal Emergency Management's four-part Standard Checklist for Business Recovery is here.
Look here for information on special tax law provisions to help taxpayers recover financially from the impact of disasters.
The IRS also offers information on casualty, disaster and theft losses.
The American Red Cross offers a “Personal Workplace Disaster Supplies Kit” and a template for developing a disaster response plan.
SCORE also offers a guide to planning for disaster recovery and guidelines for how to prepare.
The Institute for Business & Home Safety provides guidelines for both families and businesses.
The state of Florida offers a Web site where business owners can customize a business disaster plan and then print it.
