September Is National Preparedness Month

"There's a tendency - and it's human nature - to think that a large-scale disaster is not going to happen where you live. Accepting the inevitability of an emergency, and then taking responsibility for your own recovery are the necessary first steps toward protecting your family, your assets, and your community." - Small Business Association Acting Administrator Sandy K. Baruah

September is National Preparedness Month; sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It is designed to enhance the public's awareness of the necessity of having an emergency plan in place to respond to a natural or man-made disaster. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is one of the many government and private sector coalition partners participating in this fifth annual National Preparedness Month.

SBA offers the following tips:

• Develop a solid emergency response plan
  Decide beforehand evacuation routes from the home or business, establish meeting places and make sure everyone understands the plan.
• Make sure you have adequate insurance coverage
  Have at least enough insurance to rebuild your home or business. Flooding is usually not covered and requires additional Flood insurance.
• Copy important records
  Back up vital records and information saved on computer hard drives, and store that information at a distant offsite location. Copies of important documents and CDs should be stored in fire-proof safe deposit boxes.
• Create a "Disaster Survival Kit"
  The kit should include a flashlight, a portable radio, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, non-perishable packaged and canned food, bottled water, a basic tool kit, plastic bags, cash, and a digital camera to take pictures of the property damage after the storm.

The SBA makes low-interest loans to homeowners, renters and non-farm businesses of all sizes. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace damaged real estate. Individuals may borrow up to $40,000 to cover losses to personal property.

Bottom Line

More preparedness tips for businesses, homeowners and renters are available on the SBA's Web site at http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance/disasterpreparedness/index.html. The Institute for Business and Home Safety (http://www.ibhs.org/ ) also has information on protecting your home or business. To learn more about developing an emergency plan, visit the DHS's Ready Campaign Web site at http://www.ready.gov/ or call 1-800-BE-READY to receive free materials.