Firestorm Franchising LLC announced today that it will begin accepting applications for business continuity planning and consulting franchises.
Franchisees will be able to utilize all capabilities and services of Firestorm — which provided the on-site crisis management support at Virginia Tech — including the Firestorm name and trademark; operational methodology including plans, policies, procedures and training; and access to its staff, Expert Council and Online Resource Center.
Franchises will be awarded only to those individuals who can demonstrate senior leadership expertise, problem-solving skills, a commitment to help others and a desire to build a business based on a “Culture of Preparedness.’’
“We are extremely gratified to be able to offer this opportunity at this critical juncture in our nation’s history,’’ Firestorm Franchising President/CEO James W. Satterfield said. “The need for economic recovery is matched only by the need to rebuild our level of preparedness in the private sector, which controls 85 percent of our infrastructure. As the 9/11 Commission Report stated: Preparedness is not a luxury, it is a cost of doing business.â€
Other significant drivers for the business continuity planning and consulting industry include the increase in natural disasters; imminent public health threats such as the pandemic flu; and the Congressional mandate that the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA establish a certification program for Business Continuity Plans in the private sector (Public Law 110-53, Title IX- PS Prep).