Disaster-recovery workshop slated

Business owners who need to prepare a business-continuity plan for a speedy recovery after a natural disaster will learn how to do so at a free workshop Oct. 4 and 5 at Gold Dust West Casino Hotel in Carson City.

Washoe County Emergency Management is hosting the workshops, which are designed to help northern Nevada businesses effectively recover and ramp back up following natural disasters, such as fire, flooding, earthquake or heavy snowstorms and windstorms.

Gary Owen, managing consultant of Reno-based CaER Systems, will conduct the workshops for geared toward private businesses.

Owen says businesses that are heavily regulated banks, credit unions, insurance companies and the like are required to have business continuity plans in place and to regularly test those plans. Many other business owners, however, don't have a plan.

"Other organizations have to do it as a best practice, and most businesses have some form of business insurance. However, that is directly for recovery," Owen says. "But if an organization doesn't have that type of insurance, the next best things is to have a business continuity plan that is regularly maintained."

Owen will provide workshop participants with a template he's created that helps streamline and simplify the process of creating a business continuity plan. He says many business owners in northern Nevada especially those not located near the Truckee River or in a fire hazard area typically don't think too much about planning for a disaster.

"They are not always motivated, especially if they have never experienced a disaster. They look at it as another cost or time consumption for their employees."

The workshops will be on Oct. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Oct. 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For registration or more information, see nvstatecoop.org or call 813-0442.