In_II31 case_II32 of_II33 emergency_NN1 :_: Business_NN1 contingency_NN1 plan_NN1 needed_VVN In_II a_AT1 city_NN1 as_CSA dense_JJ and_CC old_JJ as_CSA New_NP1 York_NP1 ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ almost_RR surprising_JJ there_EX are_VBR n't_XX more_DAR disasters_NN2 --_NN1 like_II the_AT springtime_NNT1 fire_NN1 at_II Westchester_NP1 Square_NNL1 in_II the_AT Bronx_NP1 that_CST devastated_VVD a_AT1 row_NN1 of_IO decades-old_JJ stores_NN2 ._. 
Or_CC the_AT early-morning_JJ building_NN1 collapse_NN1 a_AT1 few_DA2 weeks_NNT2 later_RRR on_RP Reade_NP1 St._NNL1 near_II City_NN1 Hall_NN1 that_CST left_VVD nearby_JJ streets_NN2 closed_JJ ,_, forcing_VVG stores_NN2 to_TO close_VVI temporarily_RR ._. 
Or_CC the_AT frightening_JJ July_NPM1 2007_MC steam_NN1 pipe_NN1 explosion_NN1 in_II midtown_NN1 that_CST killed_VVD one_MC1 person_NN1 ,_, injured_VVD many_DA2 more_DAR and_CC forced_JJ tenants_NN2 out_II21 of_II22 nearby_JJ shops_NN2 and_CC office_NN1 buildings_NN2 for_IF at_RR21 least_RR22 several_DA2 weeks_NNT2 ._. 
Whether_CSW it_PPH1 's_VBZ a_AT1 fire_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 water_NN1 main_JJ break_NN1 or_CC worse_JJR ,_, an_AT1 emergency_NN1 can_VM exact_VVI a_AT1 heavy_JJ toll_NN1 on_II a_AT1 business_NN1 ._. 
In_II fact_NN1 ,_, 25%_NNU of_IO small_JJ businesses_NN2 never_RR recover_VV0 from_II a_AT1 disaster_NN1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT Institute_NN1 for_IF Business_NN1 &;_NULL Home_NN1 Safety_NN1 ._. 
While_CS the_AT stakes_NN2 are_VBR high_JJ ,_, 98%_NNU of_IO the_AT city_NN1 's_GE businesses_NN2 are_VBR small_JJ ,_, family-owned_JJ companies_NN2 that_CST rarely_RR can_VM afford_VVI in-house_JJ emergency_NN1 planners_NN2 and_CC contingency_NN1 departments_NN2 commonplace_JJ at_II large_JJ businesses_NN2 ._. 
That_DD1 makes_VVZ it_PPH1 even_RR more_RGR imperative_JJ for_IF small_JJ business_NN1 owners_NN2 to_TO look_VVI for_IF easy_JJ ways_NN2 to_TO create_VVI continuity_NN1 plans_NN2 using_VVG resources_NN2 such_II21 as_II22 the_AT city_NN1 's_GE Ready_JJ New_NP1 York_NP1 for_IF Business_NN1 program_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 free_JJ planning_NN1 guide_NN1 created_VVN by_II the_AT city_NN1 Office_NN1 of_IO Emergency_NN1 Management_NN1 and_CC the_AT city_NN1 Department_NN1 of_IO Small_NP1 Business_NN1 Services_NN2 teaches_VVZ business_NN1 owners_NN2 to_TO assess_VVI the_AT hazards_NN2 they_PPHS2 might_VM face_VVI and_CC learn_VVI how_RRQ to_TO respond_VVI ._. 
It_PPH1 's_VBZ available_JJ at_II nyc.gov/readynewyork_FU or_CC by_II calling_VVG 311_MC ._. 
The_AT U.S._NP1 Small_NP1 Business_NN1 Administration_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ makes_VVZ low-interest_JJ loans_NN2 available_JJ to_II businesses_NN2 hit_VVN by_II a_AT1 disaster_NN1 ,_, also_RR offers_VVZ recommendations_NN2 for_IF preparing_VVG for_IF an_AT1 emergency_NN1 at_II ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 wanted_VVD them_PPHO2 to_TO realize_VVI there_RL are_VBR simple_JJ steps_NN2 they_PPHS2 can_VM take_VVI to_TO prepare_VVI their_APPGE businesses_NN2 with_IW resources_NN2 they_PPHS2 already_RR have_VH0 and_CC the_AT knowledge_NN1 they_PPHS2 already_RR have_VH0 ,_, "_" said_VVD Ira_NP1 Tannenbaum_NP1 ,_, coordinator_NN1 of_IO public/private_JJ initiatives_NN2 for_IF the_AT Office_NN1 of_IO Emergency_NN1 Management_NN1 ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 could_VM make_VVI the_AT difference_NN1 between_II a_AT1 company_NN1 recovering_VVG from_II an_AT1 emergency_NN1 or_CC not_XX recovering_VVG ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
The_AT steps_NN2 outlined_VVN in_II the_AT guide_NN1 ,_, as_RG well_RR as_CSA in_II seminars_NN2 and_CC workshops_NN2 being_VBG presented_VVN to_II business_NN1 groups_NN2 ,_, teach_VV0 entrepreneurs_NN2 how_RRQ to_TO develop_VVI a_AT1 written_JJ plan_NN1 ,_, back_VV0 up_RP their_APPGE company_NN1 records_NN2 ,_, protect_VV0 their_APPGE investments_NN2 and_CC coordinate_VV0 emergency_NN1 activities_NN2 with_IW other_JJ businesses_NN2 in_II their_APPGE neighborhoods_NN2 ._. 
Some_DD key_JJ takeaways_NN2 are_VBR in_II a_AT1 section_NN1 on_II how_RRQ to_TO keep_VVI a_AT1 business_NN1 operating_NN1 when_CS it_PPH1 's_VHZ been_VBN hit_VVN with_IW an_AT1 emergency_NN1 ._. 
Among_II the_AT recommendations_NN2 :_: Make_VV0 a_AT1 list_NN1 of_IO your_APPGE most_RGT important_JJ customers_NN2 and_CC plan_NN1 ways_NN2 to_TO communicate_VVI with_IW them_PPHO2 during_II or_CC after_II a_AT1 disaster_NN1 ._. 
The_AT guide_NN1 also_RR tells_VVZ business_NN1 owners_NN2 to_TO have_VHI a_AT1 second_MD set_NN1 of_IO important_JJ records_NN2 at_II an_AT1 off-site_JJ location_NN1 ._. 
Those_DD2 records_NN2 include_VV0 insurance_NN1 policies_NN2 ,_, employee_NN1 contact_NN1 and_CC identification_NN1 information_NN1 ,_, bank_NN1 account_NN1 records_NN2 ,_, tax_NN1 records_NN2 and_CC backups_NN2 of_IO computer_NN1 data_NN ._. 
"_" If_CS an_AT1 emergency_NN1 shuts_VVZ down_RP a_AT1 business_NN1 ,_, backup_VV0 copies_NN2 of_IO tax_NN1 returns_NN2 and_CC licenses_NN2 can_VM reduce_VVI the_AT time_NNT1 required_VVN to_TO obtain_VVI new_JJ business_NN1 certificates_NN2 from_II 60_MC days_NNT2 to_II two_MC weeks_NNT2 ,_, "_" said_VVD Bernadette_NP1 Nation_NN1 ,_, director_NN1 of_IO the_AT business_NN1 outreach_NN1 team/emergency_NN1 response_NN1 unit_NN1 at_II the_AT Department_NN1 of_IO Small_NP1 Business_NN1 Services_NN2 ._. 
"_" If_CS you_PPY need_VV0 to_TO apply_VVI for_IF new_JJ loans_NN2 ,_, you_PPY need_VV0 the_AT documentation_NN1 to_TO complete_VVI the_AT process_NN1 ,_, "_" Tannenbaum_NP1 added_VVD ._. 
"_" If_CS you_PPY had_VHD to_TO send_VVI away_RL for_IF the_AT documentation_NN1 ,_, that_DD1 can_VM cause_VVI delays_NN2 ._. "_" 
The_AT guide_NN1 also_RR urges_VVZ employers_NN2 to_TO involve_VVI employees_NN2 in_II emergency_NN1 planning_NN1 ._. 
An_AT1 important_JJ step_NN1 is_VBZ to_TO set_VVI up_RP an_AT1 e-mail_NN1 alert_NN1 or_CC call-in_NN1 voice_NN1 recording_VVG to_TO communicate_VVI with_IW workers_NN2 ._. 
Emergency_NN1 planning_NN1 --_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 stroke_NN1 of_IO good_JJ fortune_NN1 --_NN1 was_VBDZ key_JJ to_II the_AT survival_NN1 of_IO On_II the_AT Square_NN1 Florist_NN1 ,_, one_MC1 of_IO the_AT stores_NN2 hit_VVN by_II the_AT March_NPM1 22_MC ,_, three-alarm_JJ fire_NN1 in_II Westchester_NP1 Square_NNL1 ._. 
The_AT flower_NN1 shop_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ had_VHD been_VBN at_II 125_MC Westchester_NP1 Square_NNL1 for_IF 36_MC years_NNT2 ,_, burned_VVN to_II the_AT ground_NN1 during_II the_AT 90-minute_JJ ,_, early-morning_JJ blaze_NN1 ,_, destroying_VVG important_JJ property_NN1 ,_, including_II the_AT retailer_NN1 's_GE customer_NN1 database_NN1 ._. 
About_RG a_AT1 dozen_NNO other_JJ businesses_NN2 were_VBDR wiped_VVN out_RP or_CC heavily_RR damaged_VVN ._. 
By_II a_AT1 stroke_NN1 of_IO luck_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 nearby_JJ florist_NN1 was_VBDZ vacating_VVG its_APPGE space_NN1 and_CC offered_VVD it_PPH1 to_II On_II the_AT Square_NN1 ._. 
The_AT store_NN1 was_VBDZ up_RP and_CC running_VVG across_II the_AT square_JJ one_PN1 day_NNT1 after_II the_AT fire_NN1 ._. 
"_" She_PPHS1 said_VVD she_PPHS1 was_VBDZ moving_VVG ;_; 'If_NN1 you_PPY want_VV0 I_PPIS1 will_VM give_VVI you_PPY the_AT keys_NN2 ,_, '_GE "_" recalled_JJ On_II the_AT Square_NN1 owner_NN1 Xhoana_NP1 Tozaj_NP1 ._. 
She_PPHS1 said_VVD she_PPHS1 was_VBDZ grateful_JJ to_TO be_VBI a_AT1 member_NN1 of_IO the_AT Westchester_NP1 Square_NNL1 Merchants_NN2 Association_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ set_VV0 up_RP a_AT1 phone_NN1 bank_NN1 for_IF the_AT displaced_JJ store_NN1 owners_NN2 to_TO use_VVI and_CC worked_VVD with_IW city_NN1 officials_NN2 to_TO help_VVI businesses_NN2 reopen_VVI ._. 
