Private Sector Preparedness Council (PSPC)

THE POINT

The private sector is the communities economic engine. Because of this it is very important to fostering economic resilience via readiness of the private sector. A Private Sector Preparedness Council provides an organized framework to promote business preparedness and connect the private sector with municipal plans and efforts.

DO THIS

  • If you represent a business, then connect with your local PSPC.
  • If a PSPC does not already exist, then work with your local government and Chamber of Commerce to start one.

Private Sector Preparedness Council (PSPC)

A Private Sector Preparedness Council (PSPC) is a coalition of leaders that plan & carry out events and initiatives, and provides a support forum that promotes the disaster resilience of the private sector within your community. The PSPC mission is to foster economic resilience to disasters via readiness of the private sector. The PSPC leadership commonly includes the local municipal Emergency Manager, local Chamber of Commerce, Municipal Economic Development Office, interested Private Sector leaders, and community volunteers interested in supporting the PSPC. Not all private sector entities need be continuously involved with their local PSPC, but the PSPC leadership commonly supports the private sector community in the following ways:

  • Provides network opportunities,
  • Supports the private sector in identifying their needs and capabilities,
  • Supports private sector efforts to develop their Business Continuity Plans,
  • Supports local Emergency Manager efforts to coordinate private sector and municipal emergency plans,
  • Plans and organizes disaster preparedness training and educational events for the private sector,
  • Connects the private sector with the latest and greatest tools and information on disaster preparedness,
  • Involves the private sector in local emergency drills, exercises, and service opportunities.

How to Start and Maintain a PSPC

PSPC’s are generally comprised of a smaller group of leaders to plan and organize events or initiatives for the private sector community, therefore it is not expedient to expect all the private sector to be involved in every aspect of the PSPC. Rather the PSPC invites the private sector to participate in planned events or initiatives.

Starting A PSPC

  • Obtain municipal approval, and local Chamber of Commerce support if applicable.
  • Identify members of the council: This generally involves the local municipal Emergency Manager, local Chamber of Commerce, Municipal Economic Development Office, interested Private Sector leaders, and community volunteers interested in supporting the PSPC. Often your local Utilities have a keen interest in supporting this.
  • Define all PSPC administrative activities
  • Assign administrative activities to specific PSPC leaders. Often times volunteers can support many of these activities.
  • Start planning things and reaching out to the private sector to invite them to your PSPC planned events or to participate in PSPC initiatives.
  • Connect with the municipal Whole Community Coalition or Citizen Corps Council to coordinate efforts with other community sectors. Typically the primary PSPC leader or designated other would be the person to attend these meeting on behalf of the PSPC and represent PSPC emergency plans, needs and capabilities, and events and initiatives, and subsequently share with PSPC constituants information obtained from the Whole Community Coalition or Citizen Corps Council meetings.

Common PSPC Administrative Activities:

  • Record keeping
  • Create and maintain an accurate contact list (email distribution list, and council leaders contact list).
  • Web-page management- if your PSPC has a website.
  • Outreach efforts: connecting with private sector entities in your community.
  • Invitations: sending emails, calendar invites, or making phone calls to invite private sector entities to participate in PSPC events.
  • Making flyers or invitationals for distribution
  • Social Media Management- if your PSPC has social media.
  • Making meeting or event agendas.
  • Keeping meeting minutes.
  • Managing and tracking expenditures- if your PSPC has funding sources.
  • Define and carry out PSPC events and initiatives

Possible PSPC Activities/Events

  • Private sector needs and capabilities identification initiative: Build a way to capture needs and capabilities and then point your local private sector there to self identify their needs and capabilities. These needs and capabilities can then be integrated into local municipal emergency plans.
  • Business Continuity Planning Training’s/Workshops or one on one consultations: You can do this with the provided tools in the Business Continuity Planning webpage, or contact the State for support if needed ([email protected])
  • Supply chain mapping.
  • Disaster preparedness topic seminars or educational events: There are a lot of preparedness topics, choose the ones that interest your local private sector partners.
  • Private sector engagement with LEPC HazMat planning efforts (as applicable).
  • Connect critical infrastructure partners with the Utah Public Private Partnership (UP3) initiatives
  • Invitations for private sector employees to attend local preparedness fairs or events or take preparedness related training’s (CERT, Stop The Bleed, Active Shooter, etc.).
Greyscale Image of a man in a black suit, holding an opened umbrella, facing towards a raging thunderstorm with clouds, lightning, and rain.

15 Points of Business Continuity Planning

A graphic made up of images of nine different Utah Hazards: avalanche, climate change, dam failure, drought, flood, geologic hazards, severe weather, space weather, and wildfire.

Utah Hazards

Graphic of the 12 Areas of Preparedness with clip art for Shelter, Water, Food, Hygiene, Light & power, First Aid, Communications, Safety, Tools, Cooking, Important documents, and Transportation.

12 Areas of Preparedness

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Business Recognition

Volunteer with a PSPC

Get involved by contacting a PSPC near you. PSPC’s have administrative functions and many potential projects that need support from people like you. See the list of existing PSPC’s below, contact them and ask how you can support them.


Contact a PSPC
 

PSPC Tookit

This PSPC toolkit has resources and tools that PSPC leaders can use to make starting and maintaining a PSPC easier. The tools are on a publicly shared Google Drive and can simply be downloaded to your own device or replicated on your own systems to meet your needs.


PSPC Toolkit
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Expert Contacts:

Presenters / consultants / technical support / etc.

Find a subject matter expert for any of the business continuity planning principles.

Find an Expert

Are You an Expert?

Self identify to get on the expert list.

Let others know if you can present or consult on any of the business continuity planning principles.

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Stories: Businesses in Disasters

“They Hoped it Would Never Happen”

Stories of the private sector impacted by disaster. Those who had a plan and those who did not, and how that impacted their resilience.

Stories of Businesses in Disasters

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