What EWN means to businesses

Businesses have their own contingency plans for disasters and their own means, personnel and equipment for dealing with them, often much more than the local government resources. Larger corporations often have significant resources in talent and expertise that are far greater than local governments can muster. Business cases can justify applying equipment and technology far higher than a local government can afford.

But no business is independent of the community in which it lives and operates. Can employees report to work? Are your facilities habitable or has local government red-tagged them pending structural analysis? Can your supply chain continue to operate in this area or must it relocate? Can you communicate to your employees, suppliers, and customers? Do your facilities have basic services that allow them to function (power, water, sewer)? Will basic services be restored in a known timeframe?

One of the first needs a business has is for accurate and timely information during an emergency in order to make decisions. Similarly with local government. Sharing information can be particularly helpful; local government can receive information that can be trusted to a higher degree than a report from a random citizen.

Often coprorate resources can also be put to use to assist the community at large but cannot unless coordinated with municipal authorities.

Because of the flexibility of the EWN, businesses can ...

-- Main.randomandy - 25 Aug 2009