Prepared for the Worst? Small Businesses Get Help With Disaster Planning

When natural disasters strike -- like the recent tornadoes in the Southeastern United States that devastated many local businesses -- most entrepreneurs are unfortunately caught unprepared. According to a survey by the non-profit Ad Council, 62 percent of small businesses don't have an emergency plan in place for dealing with the unexpected disaster. That's why the American Red Cross, FEMA and the Advertising Council have teamed up to launch a series of public service advertisements to raise awareness among entrepreneurs about how to prepare their businesses and employees in the event of an emergency.

The PSAs, which will appear on TV, radio, print, outdoor and Web banners and were produced pro bono by advertising agency Brunner, encourage small-business owners to take steps ahead of time to put an emergency plan in place and minimize their risk of losing their business in a disaster. According to the Insurance Information Institute, 40 percent of businesses affected by a natural or man-made disaster never reopen. The PSAs will direct audiences to visit Ready Business at www.ready.gov/business, where business owners can find free online resources for crafting a preparedness plan. The site includes the Red Cross Ready Rating assessment tool, which rates a company's preparedness level and suggests further steps to get their business ready for a disaster.

"Putting a disaster plan in motion now will improve the likelihood that businesses and organizations will not only survive and recover themselves, but also help their neighbors and communities recover more quickly," FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said in a statement.