As we close out another year marked by record-breaking natural disasters, the importance of preparedness has never been clearer. From devastating hurricanes to unprecedented wildfires, 2025 has shown us that no business is immune to the growing risks posed by extreme weather events.
Small businesses often face the greatest risks—yet 94% don’t have a disaster plan. As the economic engine of communities nationwide, small businesses must take proactive steps to protect themselves and their employees.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Small Business Readiness for Resiliency (R4R) program, developed in partnership with FedEx with additional support from Allstate, American Express, and Fiserv, empowers small business owners with the tools to prepare their business for unexpected disasters. By completing an emergency preparedness checklist and registering with the program, eligible small businesses can apply for a $5,000 grant to support recovery after a major disaster.
As we look ahead to 2026, now is the time to reflect on lessons learned and take action. Here are 10 essential steps from the R4R checklist that every small business should take to protect their future:
1. Know Your Risks
Understand which disasters are most likely to affect your business based on your region. Review hazard vulnerability assessments from local emergency agencies, evaluate your business’s ability to withstand damage, and check whether your insurance covers risks like floods or earthquakes, which are often excluded.
As Mityne Lewis, R4R grant recipient and owner of Peas in a Pod Daycare in Chicago, put it:
“Don't treat a disaster as something that might happen. Treat it like it could happen any day, because it can.”
2. Build an Emergency Planning Team
Form a committee responsible for creating, maintaining, and implementing your emergency plan. Having a clear leadership structure ensures quick, organized responses when disasters strike.
3. Write and Update Your Emergency Action Plan
Your plan should define who is in charge, outline communication systems, and include procedures for evacuation, shelter-in-place, and medical emergencies. Update it annually with current contacts for employees, suppliers, and clients. Resources like Resilience in a Box can assist with developing a plan.
4. Secure External Resources
Establish relationships with local emergency partners—police, fire, emergency medical services, utilities, relief organizations like the Red Cross, and neighboring businesses. Having these connections can help speed up response and recovery.
5. Safeguard Your Records and Data
A natural disaster can do more than damage your physical property; it can wipe out critical business records and data. Back up important files, including financial records, employee information, and customer data, to a secure off-site location or cloud-based service. Ensure you have a plan to access your data remotely so you can continue operations even if your primary location is inaccessible.
6. Train Your Employees
Provide preparedness training so every employee knows their role in an emergency. Practice warning systems, evacuation procedures, and shelter-in-place drills. Partner with community organizations to strengthen training.
7. Obtain Vital Equipment and Supplies
Stock and maintain essential safety items such as first aid kits, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and shelter-in-place supplies. Train designated employees on how to access and use them.
8. Practice, Practice, Practice
Run regular drills for evacuation, shelter-in-place, medical emergencies, and continuity of operations. Involve both employees and community responders, then refine your plan based on lessons learned.
9. Encourage Personal Preparedness
Prepared employees make for a more resilient business. Encourage employees to create household emergency plans, update contact information, prepare emergency kits for work and home, and take CPR or first aid training.
10. Support Your Community’s Preparedness
Small businesses can partner with schools, nonprofits, and local officials through activities such as hosting blood drives, contributing supplies, getting employees trained in emergency preparedness, or supporting school emergency programs.
As Carlene Fonseca, founder of The Greatest You Consulting in Central Falls, R.I., shared:
“[R4R] provided me with the resources and support to not only strengthen my business but also to pour even more into the communities I serve.”
When small businesses thrive, entire communities flourish. They create jobs, support families, and strengthen local economies. By assessing risks, creating an emergency plan, training employees, and supporting community resilience, small businesses can safeguard their future. Programs like R4R provide the tools to face the unexpected and financial relief to bounce back more quickly.
The time to prepare is before disaster strikes. Visit our website to get started.
About the author
Desmian Alexander
Desmian (Des) Alexander is associate manager of global resilience programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
