When Disaster Strikes, Businesses Answer the Call

Three days after Hurricane Helene drove with devastating force through the North Carolina mountains, Joshua Newton was finally able to get to his health clinic, which operates as The Health Clinic of Joshua Newton, in the town of Spruce Pine to survey the damage. Three feet of mud caked the street and first floor of the buildings. Windows were smashed and furniture had been tossed around the first floor by the water surge, which left a high-water mark roughly two feet from the second floor. Then there was the smell.

“It was almost a smell of death,” Newton recalls.

The clinic had only been open for two years—it was still establishing itself—but Newton had to push aside fears about his business and focus on “something bigger,” he says. His community.

Newton and his team immediately gathered intact medical supplies from his second-floor office and headed out to find people who needed care after the storm. For the three weeks before he could get his clinic back up and running, Newton and his team traveled throughout their county, administering care and supplies at no cost. They treated injuries incurred by people trying to clean up the damage, provided medication for chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure and, of course, helped people process the trauma of what they’d been through.

Businesses answer the call

When disaster strikes, the first images typically show government agencies and relief organizations rushing in. However, behind the scenes, private businesses, both small and large, are often the first to answer the call for help—often with speed and precision public resources can’t match. Businesses use their expertise and resources to fill gaps, solve urgent problems, and bring hope to communities when they need it most.

The team at West Hills Tractor, a family-owned equipment dealership in Jonesborough, Tenn., watched flood waters devastate their community, and knew their neighbors—many of whom were also customers—would need help. After reaching out to ensure people were okay, they looked at other needs. Farmers in the area had to replace their equipment to handle clean-up and maintain their livelihoods. So, the dealership worked with its suppliers to offer 30-day no-cost rentals for tractors lost in the flood, at-cost pricing deals with no down payment and deferred payments on construction equipment to ease the financial burden on those navigating the insurance process.

In addition, Matthew Proffitt, the company’s marketing manager, worked with dealers to make several vehicles available to loan to community members for cleanup. West Hills deals in equipment ranging from subcompact to 200+ row crop tractors.

“We vetted unknown customers to be sure they weren’t taking advantage of programs or communities,” said Proffitt, “and the units we loaned often went to contractors who were doing free clean-up work to help the community.”

West Hills is a small company. Proffitt estimates these efforts cost the business significant funding, resources, time, and effort for several months to assist community—no small sacrifice for the company. They also knew helping their community and customers was their main priority at the time.

Some of the nation’s largest companies also use their muscle to make a difference after disaster strikes. After Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc in Puerto Rico, UPS was the first company to bring humanitarian relief to the island. The company partnered with nonprofits to deliver more than 50,000 lbs. of meal kits, emergency clean-up kits, water, and baby supplies. In the aftermath of Maui’s wildfires, FedEx partnered with nonprofits to ship hygiene kits, medical supplies, power banks, and communication equipment to those responding on the ground. After California’s damaging wildfires this year, T-Mobile used its vast telecommunications infrastructure to create an innovative network for first responders, increasing their connectivity in times of crisis.

Local chambers of commerce also serve as vital lifelines for businesses in their community. Working with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce turned their building into a business recovery center for small businesses after Hurricane Helene, offering SBA disaster loan assistance, guidance, and resources for recovery. They also added five portable toilets and handwashing stations for those in need.

The private sector’s role in resilient communities

While public-sector assistance is still important, local businesses can often help in specific and need-based ways bigger organizations can’t. Through personal connections, Proffitt and the team at West Hills Tractor saw that a drop-off center needed equipment to move hay and other supplies onto trucks. His team was able to provide no-cost equipment rental to do so. When Newtomics was able to get its clinic back up and running, the spring on an employee’s property provided fresh water the clinic shared with others in the community.

Without adequate support, many businesses—especially small and local ones—may struggle to reopen and slow down overall recovery efforts by leaving communities without critical resources. Investing in resilience strategies, such as disaster preparedness training, financial assistance programs, and continuity planning, helps businesses maintain operations and rebound quickly when disaster strikes. Resources like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Readiness for Resiliency (R4R) program not only benefits individual small businesses but also strengthens entire communities, helping them keep their economic foundations intact.

Amid a backdrop of changing policies, leadership, and priorities from the federal government, one thing remains constant: the private sector’s ability to use their unique capabilities to solve our biggest challenges.

In times of crisis, businesses stand as pillars of resilience and recovery, deeply embedded within the fabric of our communities. They were there before the disaster happened and will be there long after.

While cross-sector collaboration is essential, the challenges we face cannot be overcome without the commitment of the business community. Their leadership is vital to rebuilding and strengthening our communities for the future.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rob Glenn

Rob Glenn is the vice president of global resilience for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. He leads the USCC Foundation’s efforts to connect government and private sector capabilities to enhance disaster readiness and resilience. Previously at FEMA, Glenn advanced public-private coordination, notably co-creating Emergency Support Function #14 with CISA after the 2017 disaster season. He launched FEMA’s Office of Business, Infrastructure and Integration during COVID-19, leading the longest activation of the National Business Emergency Operations Center and coordinating healthcare resource distribution under the Defense Production Act. Glenn also advised federal agencies at Booz Allen Hamilton and served as Ohio’s Homeland Security Advisor, where he initiated the state’s cybersecurity program. A U.S. Army veteran, he earned the Bronze Star in Iraq and supported Hurricane Katrina relief. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Kent State, an MBA from the University of Maryland, and is a graduate of the Emergency Management Institute Executive Academy, with guest lectures at institutions including Georgetown and Ohio State.