NEW ORLEANS – From StayLocal:
StayLocal, a Greater New Orleans independent business alliance, is the host of a new disaster response communication system for local business owners. Called B.Alert, the system sends messages to subscribers only as necessary to facilitate the community’s recovery after a hurricane. Signup is open now at staylocal.org/drcs-welcome.
The two-way text communication system provides essential information on available resources and support to local business owners in the aftermath of a hurricane.
Based on feedback from local independent business owners, StayLocal established B.Alert to improve communication among them.
“Business owners indicated to us that their experiences as owners of very small businesses are often overlooked during hurricane recovery,” said Maryann Miller, StayLocal program manager. “They are juggling their own recovery with their roles as leaders wishing to provide resources for the community. We saw a support role to play, helping the independent business owner who may have staff still evacuated, be managing their business operations, and so on, and added B. Alert. It is an additional line of communication useful for sharing resources, and it is hosted and monitored by StayLocal.”
Weather events cause costly business interruptions, especially during hurricane season. Business owners have indicated that better access to pertinent response and recovery resources, and timely updates which inform their disaster preparation and reopening plans, are valuable communications that they have difficulty managing themselves while getting their businesses back online.
The communication system will also enable businesses to share information to the public in the immediate aftermath of a major weather event about their status, including temporarily revised hours of operation and payment systems, as well as goods and services they can provide.
Businesses intent on staying connected during this and future hurricane seasons should join the more than 400 business owner subscribers to B.Alert.
B.Alert is made possible with the support of Urban Conservancy and the Weishaupt Family Foundation.
For more information, please call (504) 252-1259.
