Continuity Planning
Are You Prepared?
A well-communicated continuity plan will help your business resume operations sooner in the case of interruption. This guide should serve as the starting point for your business preparations. The EDC emphasizes planning and preparation to minimize disruption, offering tips on collecting essential information and signing up for alerts. Partners like Ready Business, the Florida Department of Commerce, and the Small Business Administration provide valuable resources to help businesses navigate through disasters and bounce back effectively. Learn more about disaster preparation, financial assistance, and recovery strategies to safeguard your business operations.
Planning & Preparation
Business Tips Before an Emergency
Now is the time to prepare for the unexpected. Consider collecting and storing important information in multiple places, such as at work, in your cell phone and at home. Here are some important details to have:
- What is your evacuation level?
- What is the phone number to your insurance carrier or broker?
- What is the phone number to your banker?
- How would you process payroll without internet or power?
- What is the phone number to your internet provider and other utilities?
- Do you have the cell phone numbers for your key staff?
Sign Up For CodeRed
Alert Sarasota County is Sarasota County’s mass notification system designed to provide rapid emergency updates to residents. This essential service delivers alerts through various communication channels such as phone calls, text messages, and emails, allowing users to choose their preferred method of receiving updates. The platform is highly versatile, sending notifications to users via landline, cellphones, text messages, emails, or mobile app push notifications based on the contact information provided. Users have the flexibility to manage their alert subscriptions by logging in to their accounts on the website at any time.
To register for alerts, users can simply click on the “Sign Up” button and select the specific area or jurisdiction of interest, which includes Sarasota County unincorporated areas, City of Sarasota, City of North Port, City of Venice, and Town of Longboat Key. By utilizing the Jurisdiction Map feature on the platform, users can search their address to identify the relevant jurisdiction and promptly sign up for alerts. It is recommended that users register with the jurisdiction of their home address to ensure they receive alerts specific to that area. Additionally, residents are encouraged to download the free Everbridge mobile app, enabling them to access all public notifications issued through the Everbridge system.
For more information call the Sarasota County Contact Center 311
- Water or sewer interruption
- Missing person alerts
- Major traffic detours
- Severe weather warnings
Ready.Gov/Business
Ready Business provides businesses with the tools and resources needed to prepare for a variety of workplace emergencies. From natural disasters to health and technology-related hazards, Ready Business offers toolkits, plans, training, and exercises to enhance readiness and response capabilities. By taking proactive steps and developing a comprehensive preparedness plan, businesses can safeguard their operations and workforce, ensuring resilience in the face of potential disruptions.
- Identify Your Risk
- Develop A Plan
- Take Action
- Be Recognized and Inspire Others
FloridaDisaster.Biz
The Florida Department of Commerce and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) will activate the Business Damage Assessment Survey. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of affected businesses. It is important to share your information on damage/loss when this survey opens.
- Business Damage Assessment survey
- Small business emergency bridge load program
- Disaster contractors network
- Apply for SBA assistance
- Follow FL Division of Emergency Management on Twitter
IRS: Preparing for a Disaster
The IRS provides valuable tips and guidelines to help individuals and businesses prepare for emergencies. From utilizing paperless recordkeeping to documenting assets and equipment, this resource offers practical steps to protect important information. By emphasizing the importance of continuity of operations planning and staying informed about hazards, business owners can enhance their disaster readiness and improve their chances of a swift recovery. With the IRS as a dependable source of information and support, this webpage is an essential tool for any business owner seeking to proactively plan for potential disasters.
U.S. Small Business Administration: Prepare for Emergencies
The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers invaluable guidance on how to proactively plan for disasters, emphasizing the significance of being well-equipped to recover and resume operations swiftly in the event of a calamity. By conducting a thorough risk assessment specific to your business, creating a tailored response plan, and practicing emergency protocols with your team, you can significantly enhance your business’s resilience. Moreover, the SBA provides information on accessing financial assistance through low-interest disaster recovery loans, ensuring that businesses can bounce back effectively post-disaster. With the SBA’s resources at your disposal, preparing for emergencies becomes a manageable and vital component of running a successful business.
SCORE: Small Business Disaster Preparedness
The Small Business Resilience Hub by SCORE offers a comprehensive suite of tools, training, and resources designed to help small business owners prepare for, navigate through, and recover from disasters, ensuring the continuity of their operations. Amidst the chaos of natural disasters, challenges, and crises, SCORE mentors stand ready to provide personalized guidance and support, assisting entrepreneurs in overcoming the hurdles posed by such calamities. The hub equips businesses with practical checklists for wildfire, winter storm, tornado, and hurricane preparedness, ensuring that they are well-prepared for any eventuality. Additionally, the resource library covers topics such as disaster recovery, crisis management, and supply chain disruptions, providing crucial insights to enhance business resilience. Whether seeking assistance in accessing SBA disaster loans or formulating a robust disaster plan, the Small Business Resilience Hub serves as a reliable and invaluable tool for entrepreneurs looking to secure the future of their businesses in the face of adversity.
Recovery Resources
FEMA: Disaster Financial Assistance
Phone: (800) 621-FEMA (3362)
SBA: Disaster Loan Assistance
Businesses and most private nonprofit organizations located in a declared disaster area that incurred damage during a disaster may apply for a low-interest loan to help replace or restore damaged property if federal assistance is activated. Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. SBA makes physical disaster loans of up to $2 million to qualified businesses and most private nonprofit organizations.
Phone: (800) 659-2955
IRS: Tax Relief: Providentially Declared Disaster Areas
IRS will waive tax penalties on disasters on a case by case basis.
Phone: (800) 829-1040
We’re Here for You
Before, during and after an emergency; we are here to help you get connected to resources and get back up and running. Contact us at the first sign of disruption.