Disaster Plans a Must for Small Businesses, Florida Official Says

Thirty to 50 percent of small businesses will go out of business if Florida is hit by a hurricane, says the David Casto, director of Osceola County’s Emergency Management Department. Will small businesses get the message before hurricane season starts in a few weeks?

In an article on the Reporter website, Mike Grogan says Casto made the remarks to 100 local businesspeople at the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce. Half of the people in attendance told Casto they did not have BC plans in place.

“If we’re hit by a hurricane, 30 (percent) to 50 percent of small businesses will go out of business,” Casto told attendees, reciting numbers gathered during previous storms, including the three that hit Central Florida in 2004. “If you don’t have a disaster plan, you will go out of business.”

He also warned the crowd that the government cannot be expected to help specifically with each small business. Governments don’t identify individuals or their businesses in their disaster plans, but have such plans in place to protect the community as a whole.

“If you live in a flood plain, you’re going to get flooded,” he assured the crowd. “If you live in Florida, you're going to get a hurricane, you’re going to get a wildfire. If you live in the US, you’re going to get a terrorist attack.”

To read the full article, click here: http://www.theledger.com/article/20080508/REPORTER/805080414/1048/YOURTOWN