Florida SBDC Network State Office (Pensacola, Fla.) – The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, the state’s principal provider of small business assistance, urges small businesses to prepare for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and extends through November 30.
While forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting a below-normal season, with 8-14 named storms, Florida's small businesses know that it only takes one storm to impact their community and their business. The Florida SBDC Network encourages businesses to develop and review their disaster preparedness plan and make necessary preparations for the season.
“Disaster preparedness isn’t just about reacting to what’s ahead - it’s about building resilience before challenges arise,” said Greg Britton, state director of the Florida SBDC Network. “In Florida, we know all too well that disasters are not a matter of if, but when. By planning early and taking strategic steps now, small businesses can protect their operations, support their teams, and recover more quickly when disruptions occur.”
Tips & assistance
The network offers the following tips and resources for small businesses:
- Not only is it important to protect staff, their building, data, and inventory, it is also critical to prepare a plan to continue operations following the disaster.
- A good plan may include provisions to relocate to a pre-identified site, retrieve data, including employee, customer and vendor records; and a way to operate efficiently with a smaller staff of key individuals.
- The Florida SBDC strongly encourages businesses to back up data and ensure they have access to important files, such as tax records, legal, and financial documents.
As a principal responder in the state’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18 for Business & Industry, the Florida SBDC Network helps small businesses prepare for and recover from disasters.
Through the network’s service offering, professionally certified business consultants can help small business owners develop comprehensive business continuity, emergency preparedness, and disaster recovery plans at no cost. Florida SBDCs also offer training on disaster preparedness, templates, tips, and resources. Business owners are encouraged to contact their local SBDC consultant to review their plan.
In the event of a disaster, Florida SBDC disaster specialists help affected businesses prepare disaster loan applications. The network will also deploy its mobile assistance centers into communities for affected businesses to receive on-site assistance with disaster loans and other post-disaster challenges.
Preparedness resources
- For preparedness resources from the Florida SBDC Network, please visit https://floridasbdc.org/services/consulting/preparedness/.
- www.FloridaDisaster.org – The state’s official source of information for individuals and businesses from the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
- https://floridajobs.org/floridadisaster.biz - FloridaCommerce’s website to provide businesses access to critical information before, during, and after a disaster.
- For a hurricane preparedness checklist and other resources from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), please click here.
For more information about the Florida SBDC Network and to find an SBDC near you, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.
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