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Central Bedfordshire Council are hosting a free business continuity event which will offer information and advice about how organisations can cope with disasters and emergency situations on Tuesday, 17 March.

The drop-in event is being held to mark Business Continuity Week, which runs from 16 to 20 March, and will feature a wealth of information on how organisations can protect themselves  from a major incident such as fire, flu pandemic, or power cut.

The event  is open to all, and  attendees will have the chance to hear from guest speaker Duncan Stirling, who managed to steer his IT firm through the destruction inflicted by the Buncefield oil depot explosion in Hemel Hempstead in 2005.

Eighty per cent of businesses affected by a major incident never reopen, or close after 18 months, according to figures from insurance company Axa –  so disaster preparedness is important to running any business.

Exhibitors at the event will include:

• Bedfordshire Police
• Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
• Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce
• Federation of Small Businesses
• The Environment Agency
• Portakabin

The drop-in event will take place from 10am-3pm in the Chamber at Priory House, Chicksands, Shefford, SG17 5TQ.

Local businesses can also test their ability to survive a major disaster during Business Continuity Awareness Week by downloading free resources from BLLRF website www.bllrf.org.uk These scenarios simulate emergency situations and companies can check if their current plans protect vital assets, enable their business to carry on and whether it might help save money.

For more information email Aaron Murphy ataaron.murphy@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk or on 0300 300 4267.

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