Alabama's economic development agencies are mobilizing to connect businesses affected by last week's deadly tornado outbreak with disaster relief resources that can help put them back on their feet.

The Economic Development Partnership of Alabama and the Birmingham Business Alliance have designated space on their websites for storm recovery information.

For EDPA, the focus is small- to medium-sized businesses that don't have the network of a national or global firm to fall back on.

The move fits in with the mission of economic development, said EDPA President Bill Taylor.

"Certainly we have a role in creating jobs, but I think we also have a role in maintaining jobs," he said. "How can we help them be successful? How do we keep businesses alive so they can employ people in the state?"

Those questions have taken on a greater urgency in the wake of the April 27 storms, which demolished businesses across Alabama.

There's no accurate tally yet on how many businesses were destroyed or damaged, not even a ballpark figure, Taylor said.

However, some of the high-profile casualties are known: a VF Corp. distribution center in Hackleburg was destroyed, and an Independence Tube facility in Decatur was severely damaged.

In Birmingham, several businesses at Daniel Payne Industrial Park also were hard-hit by the storms.

And many smaller merchants, from grocery stores to restaurants to gas stations, were wiped out.

'Small, first step'

EDPA's disaster assistance page includes links to resources provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Farm Service Agency.

The page so far is a "small, first step," said Wendy Wallace Johnson, EDPA's marketing communications director.

"We've emailed all of our partners and asked them what type of resources they can bring to the table," she said. "As time goes on, we're hoping to populate that page with information from our partners as well."

The Alabama Development Office and the Business Council of Alabama have put links to EDPA's disaster assistance page on their own websites.

In the coming weeks, economic developers across the state will go through a formal polling process in their individual regions to determine the extent of business damage in the state, Johnson said.

The Birmingham Business Alliance also has set up a disaster relief section on its website, and that information is focused on ongoing volunteer efforts and fundraising activities.

The BBA reached out to various chambers in the seven-county Birmingham region to be a coordinating point for people interested in helping with the recovery, said BBA spokesman Dave Rickey.

"We're checking back, communicating with them on a daily basis, so that as things change and programs are added, we hope to keep it as current as possible," he said.

Taylor said many businesses are still assessing the damage to their operations, having used the first few days after the tornadoes to check on the welfare of their employees.

"The physical damage you can repair," he said. "First and foremost, they're looking at their employees, seeing what they can do to help those folks. Without those employees, companies don't function, with or without a building."

Disaster relief resources for businesses and ongoing volunteer efforts:

Economic Development Partnership of Alabama: www.edpa.org



Birmingham Business Alliance: www.birminghambusinessalliance.com

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