It’s been a long time coming, but the Rhode Island Business Alliance is one public-sector effort that deserves (and requires) support from the private sector in order to succeed.
A collaboration of the Rhode Island and Providence emergency-management agencies, as well as the Northeast Disaster Recovery Information X-Change, the Business Alliance is designed to be a tool that connects private businesses with the resources they need to create and execute emergency-recovery plans.
Ranging from downed power lines to facility flooding, the region has seen its share of natural disasters over the last few years that have had major impacts on business operations. And many individual businesses have since made the effort to put disaster plans in place. But more can be done.
The new initiative is in large measure the natural extension of cooperation that has been in place between the Providence EMA and National Grid since Hurricane Irene in 2011 ripped down so many power lines. Now the public agencies see the value of bringing more companies into the effort. It is value that individual businesses will see very clearly as well. •