Nature's wrath reinforces disaster preparedness initiative

New program launches to help Calgary businesses with disaster resiliency

Recent tornado warnings, several thunderstorm watches and the wrath that Mother Nature has been trowing at southern Albertans as of late is reinforcing a new joint initiative from the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce that aims to help local businesses prepare for emergencies and disasters.

This summer, CEMA staff will be visiting local businesses with information about how they can make their businesses more resilient. CEMA will distribute its brochure "Is your business prepared?" with supplemental information from the Chamber.

"Whether it was the floods of 2013, the 'Snowtember' tree event, or the downtown power outage of this past year, it has become clear that all Calgary businesses need to be prepared to be resilient in case of business interruptions or disasters," said Chamber president and CEO Adam Legge.

Added CEMA director Tom Sampson: "To support business resiliency in our city, CEMA and the Calgary Chamber have collaborated to create a program that really helps businesses, especially small businesses, be better prepared. This summer we'll be going door to door to share tools and resource. We are thrilled to kick off this project at a long-time business that was seriously impacted by the 2013 floods and has bounced back to be more resilient than ever: Printy Rubber Stamp."

Visits will first focus on areas that were affected by the 2013 flood and move to other areas including those with a high density of small businesses.

The business continuity brochure and supporting online tools help businesses understand the risks that they face, and develop strategies and plans to ensure continued operation during and after a disruption. Businesses are encouraged to sign up for the Chamber's Emergency Business Contact Database, which, in partnership with CEMA, facilitates timely communication with businesses about emergencies that could impact their operations.

For more information, visit Calgary.ca/CEMA or CalgaryChamber.com/Emergency