Florida Partners Help Businesses Prepare for Hurricane Season 2012

FSBDC State Office: The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN) is pleased to partner with the Florida Division of Emergency Management to help businesses prepare for and understand what a disaster could mean for their business. Critical information will be provided through the partner-assisted training sessions. Hurricane Season 2012 officially begins June 1 and, although forecasters are predicting an average to below-average season, business owners are strongly urged to prepare for the worst.

?The Florida Division of Emergency Management is excited about partnering with the Florida Small Business Development Center to assist small businesses throughout the state with completing a business continuity plan,? said Director of Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bryan W. Koon. ?As the lifeblood of Florida?s communities, it is imperative for small businesses to reopen as quickly as possible following a disaster and advance preparation is the best method for recovery.?

Bulletproof Your Business: Neutralize Your Competition with a Business Continuity Plan and SMART Insurance is being presented in four major Florida cities. The seminars are designed to help business owners understand the importance of business continuity planning and the necessity of developing one for their business, and that planning is supported by smart insurance practices. The seminar presenters include Florida SBDC professional consultants who are Certified Business Continuity Professionals and the Florida state representative from the Insurance Information Institute. The FSBDCN?s Mobile Business Assistance Center will be onsite for tours in each location.

• Orlando ? Monday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. details
• Miami ? Wednesday, May 23 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. details
• Tampa ? Friday, June 8 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. details
• Jacksonville ? Friday, June 15 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. details

?The Florida SBDC Network is committed to ensuring Florida small businesses are prepared for all aspects of business,? said Jerry Cartwright, State Director of the FSBDCN. ?Business continuity must be an important component for every business. In short, we want to ensure they stay open for business in the event of a disaster.?

As a principal responder in the state?s Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18?Business & Industry, the FSBDCN is a key economic development organization that supports disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation through its Business Continuity and Risk Management Center (BCRM) program. Initiated in 2006 as part of a congressionally-directed program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the focus of the BCRM is to ensure that Florida businesses have the education, training, and assistance needed to minimize losses and increase survivability when affected by a disaster. FSBDC certified consultants statewide are available to help business owners develop a business continuity, emergency preparedness, and recovery plan at no cost.

For over 35 years, the Florida SBDC Network has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development organizations, dedicated to providing emerging and established business owners with management and technical assistance, enabling overall growth and increased profitability for the businesses and economic prosperity for the state.? To learn more about the Florida SBDC Network or to find a SBDC near you, visit www.FloridaSBDC.org or call 1.866.737.7232.

The Florida SBDC Network, a statewide service network of 39 centers, is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, hosted by the University of West Florida and accredited through the national Association of SBDCs.

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