Margie Maccoll
Be prepared is not just the Scout motto but the key to building resilience and readying for any disaster, small business owners heard during a forum held last week at The J Theatre.
Organised by Noosa Council and led by Sue Monk and Tanya Phillips of Articulous, a Brisbane-based company specialising in community engagement and crisis communication, the forum brought together small business owners, emergency service experts and council officers.
Ms Monk provided a list of tips for businesses to take on board before disaster struck.
These included making a disaster plan in advance, checking insurance policies, backing up data, ensuring operational alternatives such as generators were in place and thinking through delivery options from suppliers.
She said when situations put business reputations under threat it was always best to be upfront and transparent.
“You’ve been through fires, floods, landslides and Covid,“ said Ms Monk as she called on audience members to relay some of their disaster experiences.
Noosa and District Landcare general manager Phil Moran talked about the impact on last year’s floods on Pomona that left many people cut off for days and coping with power outages, fallen trees, damaged roads and concerns for pets and livestock.
“Things you need to put aside are batteries, water and food,“ he said. Following the flood some people took action to raise buildings in the realisation it would happen again, he said.
A Pomona resident, Nick, told how despite over-engineering their accommodation business, a landslide on his property taught him you can’t prepare for everything, but you can recover.
“Keeping your wellbeing in mind is critical and not being afraid to ask for help,“ he said.
“Everybody comes together. That’s what pulls you through.“
Mayor Clare Stewart told the forum as the wife of a small business owner she knew that your work, your business never leaves you – it is always on your mind.
Cr Stewart said council support of business owners extended beyond the forum to access to services from economic development staff, including its business support panel and two hours of free support marketing, HR, business planning and mentoring and encouraged people to make use of it.
The forum also heard from representatives from the Queensland Regional Industry Development Authority on the availability and access of small business disaster recovery grants and the Insurance Council of Australia on the insurance claim process.
