Drew Dixon
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC), with bureaus throughout the state, is advising small-business owners and entrepreneurs to not only get ready for Hurricane Helene as it’s about to slam the Big Bend area, but to take measures to get assistance as soon as they can after the storm passes.
Helene is expected to hit North Florida and the Panhandle Thursday night and the National Hurricane Center is projecting the system could grow to a Category 4 storm, meaning winds could climb to 150 mph.
“We encourage businesses to visit our FSBDC Network website for preparedness resources, including a disaster preparedness plan guide, preparedness plan template, and emergency procedures template,” an SBDC news release said.
While bracing for the event before the storm makes landfall is essential, SBDC officials note small-business owners should start preparing for events after the storm leaves the area. That means those entrepreneurs should have procedures in place or under consideration for seeking assistance once Helene has moved north.
“Following a storm, the Florida SBDC Network helps impacted businesses prepare disaster loan applications and with other post-disaster challenges. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org,” the SBDC news release said.
Many so-called “bridge loans” were issued to businesses in August after Hurricane Debby struck the same area of the state. The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program was established by the Florida Secretary of Commerce Office and hundreds of small-business owners took part in the program to get their operations running again following the storm.
SBDC officials offer these tips for small-business owners to take prior to Hurricane Helene’s arrival:
— Businesses should pay close attention to the storm’s forecast over the coming days. The National Hurricane Center releases regular updates.
— The Florida Chamber’s Hurricane Resources can be found here.
— During this time, it’s important to review your disaster and emergency communication plan.
— Back up all data on servers and personal computers and ensure remote access is available.
— Ensure your equipment is raised above potential flood levels.
— Review your insurance policies to mitigate any possible gaps in coverage.
— Protect and duplicate important business documents and records. Be sure they are accessible from anywhere.
