Business Disaster Assistance and Recovery Forum 

Business and the 2006 Hurricane Season

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Additional Resources

• Recommendations for Disaster Aid Planners (PDF)
• U.S. Chamber Announces Guidelines for Business Disaster Aid (press release)

Recap

BCLC's July 13th forum, Business and the 2006 Hurricane Season, brought 150 disaster-response managers to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Companies, chambers of commerce, emergency response agencies, nonprofit agencies, and members of Congress and the Administration were represented. (VIew participating organizations)

Senator David Vitter (R–LA) gave the opening address and discussed the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina and Rita, including the important role businesses play in response efforts. Sen. Vitter noted that disaster response can only improve by "finding a way to harness the innovation, efficiency, and can-do attitude of the private sector." 

Fran Townsend, White House assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, presented the luncheon keynote. Ms. Townsend urged companies to consider investing more in long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts, and often-overlooked -- and consistently under-funded -- response component.

Throughout the forum, discussion hinged on ways to improve cross-sector, coordinated disaster response based on lessons learned in recent years, especially through the Southeast Asia tsunami and the 2004 and 2005 Atlantic hurricane seasons.

Small business survival and long-term community recovery were priority topics. Maura Donahue, chair of the U.S. Chamber executive committee and president of New-Orleans-based DonahueFavret Contactors Holding Company, presented the idea of a "Red Cross for business" to help small and midsize companies stay afloat in the weeks and months following a disaster. Opportunity Finance Network's Mark Pinsky proposed a national, nonprofit business-recovery organization that would specialize in rapid response for business by providing bridge loans — as opposed to small-business owners waiting for loan review and approval by the Small Business Administration.

BCLC's Stephen Jordan outlined metrics for determining the success of disaster management efforts:

• Minimal loss of lives, property, and community services
• Successful re-development (including risk reduction and market opportunity
• Quick recovery of per capita income, job opportunities, and quality infrastructure
• Cost-effectiveness of future response efforts due to planning and mitigation

The Working Conference concluded with a special reception with the U.S. State Department and a CEO-led briefing on the status of Caribbean and Central American Gulf Coast aid needs, co-hosted by the Central America and Mexico Hurricane Relief Fund.
 
The Central America and Mexico Hurricane Relief Fund is a nationwide, private sector led, White House supported partnership to raise $5 million in private donations for reconstruction in Central America and Southern Mexico.

For more information and to get involved with BCLC's business disaster assistance and recovery program, contact BCLC at 202-463-3133 or BCLC@uschamber.com.

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