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Hurricane Preparedness & Disaster Recovery

Post Storm Recovery

The South Tampa Chamber is working diligently to provide up to date information for disaster recovery and business support. Please see below for a multitude of resources to assist you in the wake of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. We are also updating our blog regularly with specific resources to our community and recovery from these weather events.

If you are in need of assistance, we urge you to take the following actions today:

  • FEMA UPDATE: A major disaster declaration has been approved to supplement recovery efforts. Residents & business owners in designated areas are eligible for federal assistance. | APPLY HERE
  • Complete the Business Damage Assessment Survey to assist government agencies in evaluating the impact. | CLICK HERE
  • Apply now for the SBA Disaster Assistance Loan. Don't wait—submit your application today. | CLICK HERE
  • Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program | CLICK HERE
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce National Disaster Help Desk | CLICK HERE
  • Hillsborough County Small Business Development Center | CLICK HERE

STCOC Member to Member Resources

Community Response & Financial Aid

Business Disaster Recovery

MEMBERS IN NEED OF SERVICES
Members in need of personal or business support, please click here and complete a short form to help us match you with services.

MEMBERS OFFERING SUPPORT AND SERVICES
Members who can offer support or services, please click here to share more about how you can help.

CHAMBER MEMBER PROMOTIONS
All members are encouraged to post your business services, including any special offers or discounts on the Chamber’s Member Promotions Page here.

Hillsborough County Hurricane Damage Reporting Form
The Hurricane Damage Reporting Form is designed to help officials determine the extent of damage across the county.  Homeowners and owners/renters of agricultural properties, nonprofits, and houses of worship should complete this form, which will help County staff assess the extent of damage in Hillsborough County. HCFL.gov/DamageAssessment The information will be routed to the appropriate County department, which will respond within 72 hours.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Disaster declaration for Florida has been approved by the President. Residents & business owners in the designated areas are eligible for federal assistance. Apply via www.disasterassistance.gov.

Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program
Visit FloridaJobs.org/EBL to learn more about the program, view the lending guidelines and required documentation, and complete an application by the November 24, 2024 deadline.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Detailed information and applications are available on the SBA Disaster Assistance Page. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is November 27, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.

Click here for a list of Post Storm Recovery Resources, Community Response & Financial Aid.

Disaster Help Desk for Business
The US Chamber’s Disaster Help Desk provides one-on-one expert assistance to small business owners before, during, and after a disaster strikes. The Disaster Help Desk team is connected to a vast network of disaster-assistance providers, including the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), and local/regional emergency management associations. Contact at 1-888-MY-BIZ-HELP or complete the form HERE.

Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County
Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County disaster recovery specialists are available to provide confidential, no-cost consulting to help affected businesses prepare disaster loan applications and with other post-disaster challenges. Florida SBDC disaster specialists work alongside SBA business loan specialists to provide information about resources available and assist businesses in completing state and federal disaster loan applications. The Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County can be reached at HCFL.Gov/FSBDC or (813) 204-9267, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Other Quick Link Resources

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Local and Statewide Alerts

Quick Links:

Social Media Pages to Follow:

City of Tampa Hurricane Re-Entry Program

 

The City of Tampa Hurricane Re-Entry Program is for residents and businesses in the areas most likely to be evacuated during a hurricane event (within Zip Code areas: 33602, 33605, 33606, 33609, 33611, 33616, 33619, 33629, and MacDill Air Force Base 33621 shown on the map). It is designed to make it easier for residents and business representatives to re-enter the area after evacuation orders have been lifted – and to prevent gawkers and potential criminals from entering the area. | Click here for more information.
Evacuation Zones vs. Flood Zones

 

Though they are often mistaken for each other, Flood Zones and Evacuation Zones are two very different things that measure very different conditions. So what's the difference? And when do you use them?

Evacuation Zones: These are the areas that officials may order evacuated during a hurricane. These zones are mapped by the National Hurricane Center and indicate areas that will be affected by storm surge - storm-driven waves that can inundate a community, and threaten lives. Zones in Hillsborough County are identified from A - E, and there are parts of the county that are not in an evacuation zone. | Find Evacuation Information.

Flood Zones: These federally identified zones indicate a property's risk for flooding at any time of the year, including as a result of heavy or steady rain. This zone has nothing to do with hurricanes or other emergencies, and everything to do with your property insurance and building requirements. Nationally, these zones are classified as Zones A (Special Flood Hazard Area), B, C, D, V and X. Every property is in a flood zone. | Find My Flood Zone.

Emergency Contact Information via City of Tampa

Electric Power Outage or Safety Concern (TECO 24 hrs):

  • Toll-free 1-877-588-1010 or view the TECO Outage Map

Mobility Department:

  • Emergency Street Flooding/Repairs: 813-274-3101

Tree Hotline/Emergency:

  • Illegal Tree Removal (24 hours): 813-258-8733
  • Fallen Tree on city streets/sidewalks (business hours 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM): 813-274-5744
  • Fallen Tree on city streets/sidewalks (after hours 5:00 PM to Midnight): 813-931-2168
  • Fallen Tree on city streets/sidewalks (after hours Midnight to 8:000 AM): 813-274-3101

Wastewater Emergency Repair / Sewer Backup : 813-247-3451

Water Department Emergency Services (24 hours) : 813-274-7400

State of Florida Price Gouging: 866-966-7226

Local Links

City of Tampa Emergency Management 
City of Tampa Hurricane Information
Hillsborough County Emergency Management
Hillsborough County Hurricane & Tropical Storm Preparedness 

Hurricane Prep Resources

FloridaDisaster.org
National Weather Service: Hurricane Safety Tips & Resources

Business Resources

The Disaster Help Desk Is Here for You

The Disaster Help Desk provides one-on-one expert assistance to small business owners before, during, and after a disaster strikes. From preparing for hurricane and wildfire season to unexpected floods or power outages, our team is here to answer any questions you might have, including topics such as:

  • Readiness for minor and major disasters, ranging from fires and floods to massive natural disasters.
  • Relief information for those immediate days and months after a disaster strikes your business, including federal resources.
  • Long-term recovery advice and connections to others who can help you create a path to re-opening and staying open after a disaster.

By dialing 888-MY-BIZ-HELP or contacting us here, you’ll be connected to experts who will assist your business in any disaster stage.

The Disaster Help Desk team has advised thousands of small businesses nationwide since 2007. Companies and communities that have faced massive disasters have relied on the Disaster Help Desk to help them chart a course to survival.

The Disaster Help Desk also assists with small, isolated disasters, such as power outages and facility fires.

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO)

  • DEO has activated the private sector hotline at 850-815-4925 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Inquiries may also be emailed to ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
  • DEO is working with its private-sector partners to provide updates on FloridaDisaster.biz related to supply chain concerns, inventory storages of emergency supplies, and general concerns and priorities of the business community.
  • DEO is updating www.FloridaDisaster.biz with real-time information for business owners to prepare their businesses, families, and employees for Hurricane Ian.

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)

  • DBPR has published an emergency page at http://myfloridalicense.com/emergency for the current status of DBPR office locations, executive orders, board meeting updates, and other resources related to Hurricane Ian.

Hurricane Preparedness Tips from the US Small Business Association

We encourage businesses to visit our website for preparedness resources, including a disaster preparedness plan guide, preparedness plan template, and emergency procedures template. For additional preparedness tips and resources, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

Business Preparedness Resources from FloridaDisater.biz

Florida’s Virtual Business Emergency Operations Center Flyer: The purpose of ESF 18 is to share information and coordinate emergency management activities with a diverse array of stakeholders.

Private Sector Emergency Response Information: Information on re-entry into disaster areas, waivers and ESF 18 contact information.

Steps to Prepare Your Business: Taking the steps to build a business continuity plan, as well as encouraging your employees to create a family emergency plan, can reduce the financial and physical impact on your business. It is important to consider how a disaster could affect your employees, customers, and workplace.

Florida SBDC Network: The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network provides tools, training and resources to help small businesses grow and succeed including disaster preparedness, response and recovery. The Florida SBDC Network has more than 40 offices from Pensacola to Key West to serve the needs of Florida’s business community.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Resilience in a Box: Developed in partnership with The UPS Foundation, Resilience in a Box is based on best practices and designed to educate newcomers on business resilience.  These resources will guide companies toward addressing preparedness issues while building in flexibility to handle potential business interruptions.

Open for Business-EZ Toolkit: The Open for Business-EZ toolkit helps small businesses take important steps they need to keep functioning in the event of a major disaster or even a small disruption. The goal is to continue to perform the most critical operations, which will help reduce short- and long-term losses to your bottom line.

FEMA Ready Business: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created the Ready Business website to assist businesses in dealing with a variety of hazards: natural hazards like floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes; health hazards such as widespread and serious illnesses like the flu; human-caused hazards including accidents and acts of violence; and technology-related hazards like power outages and equipment failure.  The Ready Business program helps business leaders make a preparedness plan to get ready for these hazards.

FEMA National Risk Index Map: The FEMA National Risk Index is a dataset and online tool to help illustrate the U.S communities most at risk for natural hazards. The Index leverages available source data for 18 natural hazards, social vulnerability, and community resilience to develop a baseline relative risk measurement for each U.S county and Census tract.

SBA Emergency Preparedness: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers an emergency preparedness website with tools to assess your business for risk, create a business continuity plan, and learn about the low-interest disaster recovery loans offered by the SBA.

Tampa Bay Business Continuity Planning: The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council offers a free presentation that examines the economic impact of a disaster on small businesses and discusses useful practices that organizations can implement to help prepare for a disaster event. An overview of business continuity planning and steps to recovery are also explored.

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