Disaster Strikes . Now What ?
When faced with overcoming a declared disaster , the U . S . Small Business Administration is among the responding agencies for business owners .
Providing low-interest loans to address small business physical damage needs such as repairs and replacement , mitigation or operating costs and economic injury disaster loans helping small businesses , agricultural cooperatives and nonprofits , the SBA is the boots on the ground agency helping navigate the economic recovery for communities across America .
“ SBA disaster loans for Hurricane Ian in Florida are available to homeowners , renters , businesses and nonprofit organizations with uninsured or underinsured losses . SBA disaster loans are for privately owned property losses and economic injury , not damages to publicly owned property or assistance to state and local governments ( public assistance ),” said Alejandro Contreras , director of the Office of Preparedness , Communication and Coordination , U . S . Small Business Administration in Washington D . C .
“ Whether new or old , businesses that prepare for disasters are typically more resilient and recover faster . Please see our information on preparedness at SBA . gov / prepare for small business tips .”
“ We recently surpassed $ 1 billion in loan approvals for Hurricane Ian ,” he said in
Alejandro Contreras early December 2022 .
business economy after a disaster .
“ The SBA is a resource for small businesses in all stages of their business . We are here , along with our large network of partners , to ensure businesses have the long-term support they need . We encourage our businesses to contact the local district office to discuss the needs of their business at ( 904 ) 443-1900 or at
www . sba . gov / northflorida ,” stated J . Malcolm Richards , SBA North Florida District Director .
The State of Florida also works closely with the private business community to provide a number of avenues for restarting and rebuilding the state ’ s small
From emergency small business bridge loans to disaster unemployment assistance and the Rebuild Florida Business Loan Fund , a list of disaster assistance resources compiled by Enterprise Florida provides small business owners with a comprehensive , easy-to-use toolkit for starting the recovery process :
https :// www . enterpriseflorida . com / disasterassistance .
“ Having an up-to-date continuity plan is critical for all businesses ,” said Jonathan Lord , Director of Emergency Management for Flagler County .
“ Being prepared for disasters year-round will ensure that a business is able to navigate the impacts of a disaster efficiently and effectively , whether it be a hurricane or even a pandemic . As uncomfortable as it may be , it is important to take time now to talk about potential emergencies and disasters .”
J . Malcolm Richards
Jonathan Lord
Danielle Anderson has worked in the public relations and media industry for a decade . She started her career as a reporter for Flagler Broadcasting where she discovered her passion for telling the stories of communities in Florida .
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