New Bedford, MA - If you had to close your business because of a natural or human-caused disaster, how prepared would you be to maintain contact with your employees, customers, vendors and others to do whatever it takes to get back in business as soon as possible?  What if equipment or machinery that you rely on were severely damaged?  What if you lost critical information or vital records, essential to the continuation of your business?  Would you lose market share and damage your reputation?  According to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), at least one-fourth of all businesses that close because of a disaster never reopen. 

The New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce, the Castelo Group, and the Sylvia Group of Insurance Agencies have teamed up to sponsor a special workshop on disaster planning for SouthCoast businesses.  This special workshop is scheduled for Thursday, June 12, 2008 from 7:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Rachel’s Lakeside, 950 State Road, Dartmouth, MA.  Diana McClure, Vice President & Director of Business Protection for IBHS, will present useful planning tips that will assist small to mid-sized businesses prepare for any kind of business interruption.  Workshop participants will also receive a copy of "Open for Business®:A Disaster Protection and Recovery Planning Toolkit for the Small to Mid-Sized Business", as well as information on how to access a free on-line tool that will walk them through the planning process.

For more information or to register to attend, please contact the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce by June 10 at (508) 999-5231 or email events@newbedfordchamber.com.  To register online, visit www.newbedfordchamber.com.  The cost to participate is just $10 for Chamber members and $20 for non-members and includes continental breakfast and a copy of the planning toolkit.  Pre-registration is required.

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is a nonprofit organization supported by the property casualty insurance industry whose mission is to reduce the social and economic effects of natural disasters and other property losses.

The New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit business association based in the City of New Bedford, MA.  Chartered in 1885, the Chamber serves nearly 1,000 member businesses of all sizes from virtually all industries in the ten communities of New Bedford, Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, Mattapoisett, Marion, Rochester, Wareham, and Westport.   The Chamber supports and promotes the local business community through leadership in public advocacy, education, networking, information, and community development.