Emergency Management for Businesses

Businesses can be challenged by unanticipated interruptions, such as fire, illness, or even the loss of power due to construction activities and/or weather emergencies.  Many of the problems associated with these challenges can be minimized with good planning and an awareness of potential threats.  The NHBRC (www.nheconomy.com) provides personal contact to all businesses throughout the State of New Hampshire, and acts as a single point of contact when the unexpected occurs.

The information below provides guidance on creating a Business Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), which is an internally generated strategy for recovering from hardship. There is also information on current national priorities, (e.g. H1N1) and contact information. 

Business Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP)

Every Business Should Have an Emergency Plan and Business Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).  It can save lives, company assets, and your entire business.  For many smaller businesses, the ability to quickly recover from emergency interruptions is often a measure of long term survival.  Please visit www.ready.gov to Prepare, Plan, and Stay Informed.  This website, as well as www.cdc.gov and www.fema.gov, provide templates and suggested procedural guidelines to assist you in the development of your Emergency Plan/Business COOP. 

CURRENT ALERTS

February & March 2010 Storms
SBA to Open Recovery Center for Business Owners in New Hampshire

ATLANTA – The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces today that they are opening a Business Recovery Center for two days: Saturday, May 22 and Monday May 24, to help businesses impacted by severe storms and flooding that occurred on February 26 through March 14, 2010.

“Due to the amount of economic losses caused by the storms in New Hampshire, we want affected businesses to have a local outlet where they can meet individually with SBA representatives and find out how a low-interest disaster loan can help them recover,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.   The Business Recovery Center is located at:

Rockingham County

Town of Hampton Fire Station
2nd Floor Conference Room
64 Ashworth Avenue
Hampton Beach, New Hampshire 03842

Open:Saturday, May 22 and Monday, May 24 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. only

Anyone unable to visit the Center may obtain an application by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for people with speech or hearing disabilities) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. EDT.  Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.  Completed applications should be returned to the Center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX. 76155.

 Businesses affected by this disaster may fill out a loan application online by visiting SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is February 4, 2011

For more information about the SBA’s Disaster Loan Programs, visit our website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

H1N1 Information

H1N1 Flu www.flu.gov, NH Division of Health and Human Services www.nhdhhs.gov, and NH Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, www.nhoem.state.nh.us provide News, Public Service Announcements, and Outreach.  Fact sheets are available to help individuals, businesses, and community organizations understand the flu symptoms and self evaluations to make individual health decisions.  Please note that this is not a substitute for your doctor’s advice.

Need more information on business assistance? 
 Contact the NHBRC at info@nheconomy.com or call 603-271-2591.