Key facts of this press release:
DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA., June 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AshBritt Companies, national leaders in disaster response, emergency management, and logistics projects, centers focus on disaster preparedness and small business recovery, including actively preparing local businesses to participate in response efforts through pre-positioned contracts and supplier engagement programs.
Small businesses account for approximately 44 percent of U.S. economic activity, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration, yet many lack clear pathways to engage in disaster response and recovery. This gap contributes to significant business disruption following major events. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), approximately 25 percent of businesses do not reopen after a disaster, underscoring the economic impact of insufficient planning and limited post-disaster opportunities for small and local businesses to actively participate in response and recovery efforts. This disconnect leaves many businesses unprepared to access available work, even as large-scale recovery efforts are underway. As a result, many businesses remain sidelined during recovery despite their critical role in local economies.
The growing concern has led to increased demand from public and private sector partners for more effective, scalable approaches to disaster preparedness – particularly models that create structured opportunities for small and local businesses to participate in response and recovery efforts. AshBritt works with local businesses, chambers and community partners to help each understand how best to position themselves for work before, during and after disaster and emergency events. Through outreach, onboarding, and training, businesses are positioned to engage quickly post-event. AshBritt advances such efforts through pre-positioned contracts, coordinated response frameworks and an active small and local business enterprise (SBE) program.
Prioritizing rapid workforce re-engagement through local hiring in response and recovery efforts can accelerate rebuilding by leveraging pre-established relationships and contracting pathways that mobilize local labor and services more quickly.
Public-private partnerships play a central role in advancing these efforts, enabling organizations to align resources, expertise, and infrastructure to improve response efficiency and recovery outcomes. Expanding collaboration with government agencies, industry partners and local business networks is critical to strengthening preparedness and building more resilient communities over time.
“Effective disaster recovery begins long before an event occurs. Every mission starts with two priorities: safety and centering operations on the local community – both physical and economy recovery,” said Brittany Perkins Castillo, CEO of AshBritt Companies. “At AshBritt, we’re ready to work on federally funded projects with a goal of jumpstarting local economic recovery and strengthening the communities we serve. Business continuity plans are a key piece of building disaster resilient businesses; educating the business community on how to engage in the recovery efforts is another key component of business and community resilience.”
AshBritt Companies CEO Brittany Perkins Castillo spoke at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Building Resilience Conference on May 5, 2026, in Washington, D.C. She participated on a panel called ‘360 Resilience: A Disaster Simulation,’ showcasing how organizations can strengthen disaster preparedness, accelerate economic recovery and better support small and local businesses following major disruptions. AshBritt’s participation reinforces its ongoing work with public and private sector partners to strengthen response frameworks, workforce mobilization and long-term community resiliency outcomes.
Panelists alongside Perkins Castillo included Rob Glenn, Vice President of Global Resilience at U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Asha Varghese, Caterpillar’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and President of Caterpillar Foundation and Brad Kieserman, Vice President of Disaster Operations at American National Red Cross.
Visit AshBritt.com for more information on how a national leader navigates disaster response and emergency management.
AshBritt Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How can small businesses prepare for disasters and recover faster?
- Develop continuity and recovery plans before disruptions occur
- Prioritize workforce readiness and communication protocols
- Leverage partners like AshBritt in the national disaster response space for coordinated response and recovery opportunities
- Identify opportunities to be part of the disaster response and recovery apparatus through your local emergency managmeent and disaster response government agencies and Chambers
- Apply preparedness strategies being discussed at national forums like the Building Resilience Conference
Why do small businesses struggle to reopen after disasters?
- Many lack formal preparedness plans despite driving a significant share of the U.S. economy
- Workforce disruptions delay reopening and operational stability
- Limited access to recovery resources creates prolonged downtime
How do organizations improve disaster preparedness and response outcomes?
- Adopt integrated approaches that combine preparedness, response, and long-term recovery
- Use simulation-based planning to identify vulnerabilities before disasters occur
- Strengthen coordination across public and private sectors
- Understand government programs at the local, state, and federal level, like SBA programs, and how they may apply to your business
- AshBritt supports these models through large-scale disaster response and resilience planning
How do public-private partnerships strengthen disaster recovery?
- Align resources, expertise, and infrastructure for faster response
- Improve coordination across government, business, and community stakeholders
- Enable scalable solutions for small business and community recovery
About AshBritt Companies
The AshBritt Companies are a family of specialized firms united by more than 30 years of excellence in turn-key government contracting, emergency management, logistics, disaster recovery, and critical infrastructure. Founded in 1992, AshBritt, Inc. is a rapid-response contractor that has executed over 500 disaster recovery missions across 22 states and the Caribbean, serving federal, state, and local clients. ABML (AshBritt Management and Logistics) continues that legacy as a trusted government solutions provider, delivering agile logistics, emergency base camps, medical field operations, and specialized infrastructure support for complex, large-scale missions nationwide. AshBritt Companies’ reach includes professional services, staffing, and power and energy generation. Learn more at AshBritt.com.
- Brittany Perkins Castillo, CEO of AshBritt Companies