By MICHAEL BUETTNER
The Post and Courier
Author tells businesses to expect 'micro-disasters'

CHARLESTON, S.C. — With Tropical Storm Bertha lurking out in the Atlantic already, coastal property owners probably don't need to be reminded that we're in the midst of hurricane season. But any information that can help us prepare for natural disasters and perhaps lessen the potential for damage is always useful.

To that end, the Small Business Administration is offering a Web chat this week with an expert on disaster preparedness.

Diana McClure, director of business protection for the Institute for Business and Home Safety, an insurance industry-backed nonprofit, will talk about and take questions on "Preparing for Disaster: What Every Homeowner, Renter and Business Should Know."

McClure is prepared to answer questions on how to plan for disasters, including how to recover from property damage and economic loss, based on the institute's "Open for Business" program, a toolkit geared toward small- to mid-sized businesses.

That toolkit and an online training series are available for free at the institute's www.DisasterSafety.org Web site and are available in Spanish as well as English.

The free chat is scheduled for this Thursday from 1-2 p.m. If you want to participate, go to www.sba.gov and click on "Online Business Chat." You can post questions ahead of time at http://app1.sba.gov/livemeeting/jul08/index.cfm.

Copyright 2008 The Post and Courier