Looking ahead, it’s not a matter of if, but when, Vermont will face another catastrophic weather event. Resilience must be central to rebuilding and future planning. A bill currently in the Senate Government Operations Committee proposes several steps to address this. The Vermont Chamber is advocating for the bill to include measures such as the inclusion of mitigation efforts, codification of grant program best practices, and the implementation of communication initiatives to keep residents, business owners, and visitors well-informed before, during, and after disasters. Following testimony, the committee has requested that the Vermont Chamber provide language to the committee, hoping to incorporate these suggestions before the bill crosses over to the House where work on the bill is expected to continue.

The Vermont Chamber will continue to work with the committee to elevate the following recovery and resiliency priorities for businesses.

• Including Business Organizations in Local and State Disaster Recovery Planning: Ensure that municipalities, regions, and the state include businesses in the planning and response to natural disasters by including regional development corporations and other local and regional business organizations in both the local and state-level process.
• Communication Strategies: Create efficient strategies for communication and marketing during and after disasters.
• Tourism Impact Mitigation: Following a disaster, and when appropriate, promote areas that remain open for business to help maintain economic stability.
• Emergency Alert System Engagement: Collaborate with entities to encourage business enrollment in the Emergency Alert System to enhance the reach and effectiveness of emergency communication.
• Fund Disaster Mitigation Initiatives: Proactively plan and implement mitigation strategies to reduce the downtime of operations and revenue loss following future disasters.
• Rapid Program Implementation Strategies: Elevate attention to businesses in impacted areas that are also focusing on individuals.