GlobaFone Helps Prevent Small Business Failure After Disasters

August 10, 2006; 03:29 AM
GlobaFone, the largest supplier of satellite phones to FEMA, has published a White Paper outlining strategies that will help reduce the frightening number of small business failures that occur after a natural disaster such as a hurricane. “70% of small business fail within 6 months of a disaster,” said Louis Altman, President of GlobaFone. “90% of those left fail within the next two years.” The reasons for these failures vary, but, “the largest common denominator is a lack of business continuity planning.” says Altman. “You can either be prepared and mitigate your losses, or pretend you didn’t know you were at risk and become a victim. We think the former is a sound business approach.”

Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005, and the four sequential hurricanes in 2004 have left their mark on the psyche of the business world. “Business is challenging enough, there are normal day-to-day risks”, says Altman, “a Katrina-sized disaster geometrically magnifies the risks of not having a business continuity plan.” Unfortunately, business continuity planning has never really been given much attention. “If you ask even a medium-sized, $100 - $500 million company about their business continuity plan, some may recognize the concept, but few know the plan,” Altman reports. “Our goal with this white paper is to build awareness and clarity and motivate all business owners to take action. In other words, be prepared or be history.”

GlobaFone is the largest supplier of Globalstar satellite phones to FEMA and supports the EPA, Dept of Justice, DoDIG, NASA, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the State of Utah Bureau of Land Management, BAE Systems and General Dynamics. GlobaFone is in its ninth year and is located in Portsmouth, NH.