BeforeDuringAfter is a multifunctional website that provides real-time information to people through trusted governmental agencies. It started through a coalition of public and private partnerships.
While the website is available statewide, a greater emphasis was placed on the Houston region at the launch event on June 27. In the past 41 years, the Greater Houston area has experienced 26 disasters declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Since 2015, the area has experienced eight natural disasters.
“Houston is the one that seems to be the area most affected by disaster. ... No community has been impacted by disaster as much as this one. So we thought this was the most important community to roll it out in,” said Jeremiah Bentley, vice president of marketing and community affairs at Texas Mutual Insurance.
Approximately 43% of small businesses affected by a natural disaster never reopen, and an additional 29% close two years after a disaster, according to FEMA.
Officials said 99% of businesses in Texas are small businesses, and because disasters start and end locally, BeforeDuringAfter is a geographically focused resource, said Rebecca Davio, director of Texas State University’s Institute for Government Innovation.
“If small businesses don't survive after a disaster, that means the economy of Texas goes down; that means our communities go away. And so that was the impetus to make this small business focused,” Davio said.
What you need to know
The new initiative aims to be a one-stop resource for small businesses. The website has information on how to prepare before a disaster with a preparedness kit, alert signups and a planning section.
During a disaster, the website includes a section where people can get real-time updates on how their communities, schools and roads are affected. The after portion of the website has a timeline recovery starter kit that details the steps business owners need to take to recover.
“Ultimately, our hope is that Texas small businesses can find and access resources and information they need to help them raise resilience in the face of disasters. And everybody can benefit and everybody can move forward together,” Bentley said.
Visit www.beforeduringafter.txst.edu to explore the new site.
