Virtual Entrepreneur

Protect Your Business From Fire Danger

At least 12 wildfires are still burning across Southern California from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Since the fires began on Sunday, more than 40 people have been injured, including 16 firefighters, and more than 350,000 homes have been evacuated. Earlier today, President Bush declared a federal emergency for seven counties to help speed disaster-relief efforts.

Here are some resources for Southern California business owners to receive the latest information and to learn how to deal with evacuating their business:

The L.A. Times offers this Google map to pinpoint the areas affected by the wildfires. You can click on the interactive map for the latest information on each fire.
The Orange County Fire Authority serves 22 cities in Orange County.
This site includes animal evacuation information. Don’t forget to bring your animal’s vet record so your animal won’t be turned away.
This site discloses road and evacuation route information. You can also call 800-427-ROAD.
It’s a good idea for evacuees to post a sign and change their outgoing phone recording to say they’ve evacuated and where they went.
Visit the California Department of Insurance for valuable tips.
This article from Entrepreneur.com shares how other entrepreneurs dealt with disaster.
Hurricane Katrina victims share how they salvaged their businesses after the disaster hit.