Disaster Recovery Help from the SBA

If your region hasn’t been hit by a natural disaster this year, then you’re one of the lucky ones. From earthquakes, to fires, to hurricanes, to torrential rains to droughts it seems like the U.S. is currently bearing the brunt of Mother Nature.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has created resources to help small businesses that have been affected by a disaster, as well as planning tools that any small business can use to prepare for one (and hopefully mitigate the damage in the event of a disaster.)

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Assistance Center on the SBA website.

If you were unlucky enough to be affected by Hurricane Irene, you’ll find help, and an application you can use to apply for assistance, on the Hurricane Irene Recovery Assistance Information page. This page also includes a video on hurricane preparedness that will be of interest to anyone operating a business in a hurricane prone area.

The general Disaster Assistance Center provides links to resources small business owners can access for assistance, including FEMA and applications for special SBA disaster and economic injury loans.

The site also provides helpful planning resources that you can use to make sure that your business can make a speedy recovery should disaster strike. The Disaster Planning page provides help with identifying risks and creating a risk mitigation plan that will help your small business recover, survive and thrive in the event of a natural or other type of disaster.