On February 28th, Sergeant Kevin Mulrooney, of New York City’s Office of Emergency Management, addressed the role of OEM in educating the public on disaster preparedness, coordinating emergency response and recovery efforts, and collecting and disseminating emergency information.

Offering practical and actionable advice to members and guests of the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Sergeant Mulrooney explained how businesses can best protect their employees and enhance their ability to recover from financial loss due to business interruption in the wake of an emergency.

Indeed, according to OEM, 25 percent of small businesses never fully recover from a disaster. Sergeant Mulrooney emphasized the importance of being a “ready business” and developing a plan before a disaster strikes.

Outlining steps that should be taken by businesses, Sergeant Mulrooney advised participants to assess potential hazards, plan to stay in business, communicate with employees, protect investments, and have an "Emergency Action Plan" in place. After a question-and-answer session, participants gathered for networking and a cocktail reception.

The FACC would like to thank Epstein, Becker and Green, P.C. for graciously sponsoring and hosting the event.