ALEXANDRIA, Va. – When a disaster strikes, are you prepared?

Convenience stores often become the community nexus when a disaster strikes, providing fuel, food, water and other necessities when most other businesses are closed. Therefore, how quickly and efficiently a retailer recovers from a disaster is critical to helping the community get back on its feet and overcome such events.

Rich Cooper, business liaison director of the private sector office at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will highlight the steps necessary for recovering and restoring business operations as quickly as possible following disasters, such as fire, a terrorist attack, the pandemic flu or natural disasters, during the NACStech 2006 session, “Disaster Recovery.”

Cooper’s leadership at the Department of Homeland Security has helped develop policies, strategies, communications and programs for private sector preparedness and business continuity and recovery by working closely with Hurricane Katrina and Rita Relief efforts, the 9/11 Commission and other task forces that work to ensure the security and viability of the private sector. 

“Disaster Recovery” takes place on May 23 from 10:45 am to 12:00 pm. NACStech 2006 will take place May 22 to 24 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee. The 20,000-plus net square foot exhibit space will feature more than 100 companies, with more than two dozen companies exhibiting for the first time at NACStech.

For more information about NACStech 2006, click here. Online registration is available through May 18.