ArticlesBase.com - Free Articles Directory
Free Online Articles Directory
20.08.2008 Sign In Register Hello Guest
Email:
Password:
Remember Me 
forgot your password?


Introduction to Disaster Recovery for Home and Business Locations

Author: Craig Elliott Author Ranking Blue | Posted: 05-12-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 6 | Rating:  (50) Article Popularity - Green (?) Got a Question? Ask.
Sign Up Now!

Disasters can strike anytime, anywhere. Recovering from disasters can be a major task, especially if not handled properly. Chaos and confusion generally rule the day. The need for organization is critical and everyone wants to return to some semblance of "normal" life. It doesn’t matter whether it is a small, local disaster or a major, national scale event. The goal is the same; get back to some form of normalcy as quickly as possible.

Disasters do not need to be major in scale to disrupt daily life. A fire is a disaster that may affect only one family. A tornado may impact one town. These are still disasters by definition and a period of recovery must take place. Usually, the recovery effort for small-scale disasters is local in nature. Volunteer organizations such as Red Cross and the Salvation Army will often help with local disaster recovery efforts. Religious and other community-based groups will usually step in and also help with these efforts. Much of the recovery work falls on the shoulders of the victims and their immediate friends and families. The individual insurances are often the sole financial help.

Larger disasters, on the state and regional levels, usually involve several agencies that assist with the recovery efforts. Local, state, and many times, federal, agencies all have a hand in the clean up and recovery. Resources may be made available to assist individuals and businesses with their recovery. Federal money can be requested in larger disasters. Shelters and alternative housing are often set up to help those displaced from their homes.

Local and state agencies have plans in place to minimize damage and loss of services from a disaster, no matter what scale. Part of that plan includes beginning disaster recovery efforts as soon as possible. Delays in recovery work can lead to additional destruction. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the Gulf States, the recovery effort was started as quickly as possible. However, due to the immense scale of the disaster, many areas could not be reached immediately and many homes and businesses had to be torn down due to the growth of dangerous molds and bacteria. The sooner recovery work can begin the better chance that homes and businesses can be saved.

Individuals involved in a disaster, whether local or large-scale, must rely on their insurance to cover the major costs of repair or rebuilding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the federal government are not insurance programs for individuals. In larger emergencies they may help out by bringing the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) loan programs into play. This allows individuals to secure low or no-interest loans to help with repairs.

Small businesses are often treated as individuals in disaster recovery. The SBA offers loans to help rebuild the business and get operations moving again. Other loans and grants may be available, depending on the scale of the disaster and programs involved. The individual state may offer low and no interest loans and grants as well. The goal of these programs is to get businesses back up and running as quickly as possible to serve the communities and help workers get back to their wage earning positions. This helps individuals in their recovery efforts as well.

Governmental agencies and services will receive the bulk of federal monies. They are tasked with serving the community throughout and after the disaster. They are often without necessary equipment or supplies and this must be taken care of quickly to ensure continued operations. Federal money may also be channeled through local governments in the form of grants and federal assistance programs. This money may directly, and indirectly, benefit the individual citizen.

There are many companies that specialize in disaster recovery plans for businesses either consulting or the actual disaster recovery work. They help companies develop plans for safeguarding important data and information during a disaster. They also work with companies after a disaster to recover and get back on their feet. Any disaster can cause the loss of valuable information, hardware and software for a business. This must be recovered in order to continue operations as before. Sometimes it can be saved and reused; often it must be repaired or replaced.

The main goal of disaster recovery is to get individuals and businesses back on their feet and back to normal as quickly as possible. The transition will never be smooth, but it should be well planned and organized. Many outside organizations may be available to help out, although it is important for the individual citizen or business to have a plan in place for recovering from a disaster. This should include adequate insurance to cover losses and a plan for operations during the recovery effort. Recovery of important data for a business may require assistance from an outside company that specializes in disaster recovery. The most important aspect of disaster recovery is having a plan in place before disaster strikes.

Rate this Article: Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/small-business-articles/introduction-to-disaster-recovery-for-home-and-business-locations-275592.html

Print this Article Print article   Email to a Friend Send to friend   Publish this Article on your Website Publish this Article   Send Author Feedback Author feedback  
About the Author:

About Author:
Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about topics concerning planning, safety preparedness and demonstrations for emergency response such as Safety Training Videos | Terrorism Response Videos

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Comment on this article Comment on this article
Your Name
Your Email:
Comment Body
Enter Validation Code: Captcha


Related Articles

Emergency Response for Small Businesses
By: Megan Hazel | 05/12/2007 | Small Business
Emergencies of some kind occur on a daily basis, sometimes several times in the same day. It should come as no surprise that the key to surviving an emergency is being prepared. Chaos and confusion can quickly turn a bad situation into a devastating one. This is true for both the home and the workplace as well. Emergencies are high stress situations, and can be made significantly worse by having not being prepared.

How to Mentally Condition yourself for an Emergency
By: Stephanie Larkin | 20/03/2008 | Home Security
Many people who have gone through an emergency situation find that they will react in one of two ways. Either they will be frozen in time and not able to take any action because of fear or hysteria or they will know precisely what they need to do because they've planned, prepared and conditioned themselves mentally to handle the situation.

How to Prepare for a Terror Attack
By: Stephanie Larkin | 20/03/2008 | Home Security
A terrorist attack is intended first of all to cause panic and fear in the minds and behavior of its victims. If the victims are incapacitated by fear, the terrorists have accomplished their aim. Terror can be caused by the initial physical attack which may result in deaths and injuries. It may continue with grief for the losses of friends and loved ones. It may disrupt the social organization of the targeted area.

The Basics of Emergency Planning
By: Craig Elliott | 12/04/2008 | Home Security
Emergency planning is something that no one really wants to think about. However, the reality is that today it is important to make plans that will work in the face of any emergency. The bottom line is that many times we just do not know what is going to happen, so it is always best to have a plan.

Immigration and the Department of Homeland Security
By: Trbrian Jenkins | 10/08/2008 | Home Security
In August 2007, the White House released a fact sheet dealing with the Department of Homeland Security and immigration issues.

The History of Emergency Radio & Current Uses
By: Craig Elliott | 12/04/2008 | Training
The emergency radio has been used for many years to communicate. It is a radio device that is designed to remain functional, even without any power flowing to it. It is a radio that can be used when the power has gone out, or when a person has no other contact with civilization. These radios are designed to be able to run on almost no power.

Techniques to Educate Staff About Workplace Safety
By: Trbrian Jenkins | 10/08/2008 | Home Security
Workplace safety is vital to your workforce and to your company. In any company, personnel are your most valuable asset. Workplace safety training is about more than keeping your workers safe, though preventing injury to both your staff and the general public is certainly the major reason for safety training.

How to Prepare for a Flood
By: Trbrian Jenkins | 10/08/2008 | Home Security
It's been a difficult season with regards to floods and flooding. In June 2008 alone, flooding along the Mississippi affected counties in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Floods and flash floods result from a wide variety of natural occurrences and are among the most devastating of all natural disasters.

Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Q&A Powered by:
Powered by Yedda 

Latest Small Business Articles

Diamond Types
By: Addie Jakson | 20/08/2008
Diamonds remain to be the most fascinating gift that a woman can ever dream about. The word “diamond” is derived from a Greek word “adamas” which stands for “invincible". Diamonds are classified broadly under the categories of Natural Diamond, Synthetic Industrial Diamond and Thin Film Diamonds on the basis of their process of origination. Due to its atomic structure, diamond is the hardest natural matter.

Phoenix Arizona Real Estate, Real Estate Arizona
By: webmaster | 20/08/2008
There is lot of Growth and development in the Real Estate Services in the modern globe. With the lot of advancement in the private property ownership, it has become a major area of business. Buying and selling a Real Estate requires a lot of investment and expertise. That is why most of the people go for Real Estate Agents for these kinds of deals.

Branding, It’s More Than Just Your Usp
By: Suresh Kumar | 20/08/2008
When you mention the word “branding” most people automatically think of USP (unique selling proposition). The overall and incorrect perception of a brand is that it simply consists of the statement you use to define what you do.

Staples of Writing an Effective Grant Proposal
By: USA Grant | 19/08/2008
Grant money is available for the people who need it, but who will know that you need it without a well written request?

Casino Parties, Casino Rental in Nyc, Tristate Area at Casino Lucky Nights
By: Alexei Carpov | 19/08/2008
Find out about casino party rental company in nyc at www.casinoluckynights.com tel:(917)902-6041,casino party nights in nyc. Casino Lucky Nights will provide you with everything you need for a casino event full of fun, laughs, exciting casino games and much more.Visit http://www.casinoluckynights.com

The Pros and Cons of Corporate Bank Loans
By: William Lee | 19/08/2008
The first thing that comes into a prospective business owner’s mind when sourcing for money to start up their business is to go to the bank. It’s convenient, safe and regulated, why would you go anywhere else? But people must keep in mind that for most things in life, there are its pros and cons. Before you jump on the corporate banking business loan bandwagon, take a while to consider your options and make an informed decision.

10 Tips for Business Success From a Woman Entrepreneur Who Makes $1m Selling Photo Guest Books
By: Lesley Mattos | 19/08/2008
Ten tips for Success in Business to help you grow - both personally and from a business perspective.

Don’t be Afraid to Make Comparisons
By: Kaye Z. Marks | 19/08/2008
Guess what: you have competition. I know you have competition, and I’ve never worked for your company. Your customers know you have competition. In fact, I’d wager they are the ones most keenly aware of the fact that you have competition, because they’re the people most likely to have interest in jumping the fence and trying that competition out.

More from Craig Elliott

How to Maintain a Coffee Maker
By: Craig Elliott | 09/01/2008 | Coffee
A coffee maker is a wonderful appliance and a great way to save time and money, but it does require a bit of maintenance. Too many people overlook the maintenance of their coffee maker for too long.

Tips to Mentally Prepare yourself for a Disaster
By: Craig Elliott | 08/01/2008 | Coaching
The first course of action in mentally preparing yourself for a disaster is not to become panic-stricken at the prospect that a disaster could strike at any time.

How to Prepare for Disasters in Freezing Temperatures
By: Craig Elliott | 08/01/2008 | Coaching
Disasters that occur in freezing temperatures present their own set of dangers that differ from other disasters. This is because in freezing temperatures frostbite, hypothermia, and death can set in within minutes of exposing the body to such extreme temperatures.

The "unique Fixer-upper"-what Repairs are Acceptable
By: Craig Elliott | 08/01/2008 | Real Estate
If you are buying a home that needs a bit of love, then you will want to know exactly what kind of work needs to go into it, and you should insist on a home warranty for the home before you close the deal. The goal with a fixer upper is that you should be able to understand and repair what is wrong with the home, whether that is a leaky roof, a terribly paint job, or moldy carpets.

Home Warranty Upgrades-what to Ask for
By: Craig Elliott | 08/01/2008 | Real Estate
When you are looking for a home warranty update, there are probably several things that you are considering asking about and looking for. However, the best way to figure out what you want in your home warranty update is to first look at what is contained there, and then make sure that you have everything included.

Tips for Maintaining Lawn and Garden Equipment in Winter
By: Craig Elliott | 08/01/2008 | Landscaping
The winter can be a hard time to deal with your lawn and garden equipment. It is a tough time on many aspects of your home and your lawn, because of the frigid temperatures. The equipment usually has a much rougher time than you would imagine, because many people seem to forget about their lawn mowers, weed whackers, and other types of equipment when the leaves fall.

Different Fertilizers for Different Lawns-a Quick Guide
By: Craig Elliott | 08/01/2008 | Gardening
In order to have a beautiful lawn, provide adequate food, protection, and water, and keep it well manicured! Fertilizers are the primary source of supplying a lawn with its first two basic needs.

Termites and New Construction-keep Pests Out From Day One
By: Craig Elliott | 05/01/2008 | Home and Family
When you are building a house, there are several things that you want to be sure of. Of course you are looking to be sure that the plans are being followed, and that you are using as little energy and money as possible. You want to be sure that the house will be exactly what you are looking for in the end, but you also want to be sure that it is done correctly.

Article Categories






Give Feedback

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below