Ready For Anything: Disaster Preparedness for NRV Small Businesses
Venue: CoWorks @ The Hub at Radford University, Radford
Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Event Types: Business Related, Class
Cost: Free
Description:
The Radford University Small Business Development Center presents the workshop titled "Ready For Anything - Disaster Preparedness for NRV Small Businesses" on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at the CoWorks @ The Hub at Radford University.

Disaster Preparedness is the third session of our six-part series, Ready For Anything, designed to prepare small businesses in the New River Valley for unforeseen challenges, and to help you develop a plan to move forward once the dust settles.

Unexpected disruptions can put employees, customers, and business operations at risk, especially during severe weather events such as Hurricane Helene. This session will help business owners strengthen their disaster preparedness plans by developing clear emergency procedures, identifying critical safety protocols, and preparing staff to respond quickly when a crisis occurs.

You’ll learn how to:
- Develop emergency procedures for flooding, power outages, and building evacuations
- Identify safe assembly locations and communication procedures for employees during an emergency
- Prepare “Grab-and-Go” kits with essential supplies and business information
- Evaluate site-specific risks and emergency response considerations for Southwest Virginia businesses
- Create step-by-step response instructions that support employee safety and operational readiness

This workshop is designed for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the New River Valley who want to improve workplace safety, strengthen emergency preparedness procedures, and better prepare their teams for unexpected disruptions or disaster events.

Attendees will leave with practical emergency preparedness tools, draft response procedures, and clearer guidance for protecting employees and responding quickly during a disaster. Participants will also gain resources for building site-specific preparedness plans that support business continuity and safety.

Presented by the business avisors with the Roanoke Regional SBDC and New River Valley SBDC, along with guest facilitators/subject matter experts.

Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet to participate in live workshop activities focused on their business’s unique situation.

Workshops are held in-person at CoWorks @The HUB, located at 801 East Main Street in Radford, VA.

In-person attendance is recommended, but classes will also be broadcast virtually and a Zoom link will be provided prior to the session date, upon request.

For more information, visit: https://www.roanokesmallbusiness.org/readyforanything or http://www.radford.edu/content/cobe/sbdc-web.html or call 540-831-6056.