JUNE 2019 • FOGHORN 17 FOGHORNFOCUS: OPERATIONS WORLD CLASS VESSEL DESIGN HIGH VALUE SHIPYARD SUPPORT TRUSTED OWNER AGENT BMT provided engineering and technical support for Golden Gate Ferries in the repower and refurbishments of the Spaulding-class ferries M.S. MARIN, M.S. SONOMA, and M.S. SAN FRANCISCO Contact us at 703-920-7070 or inquiries@dandp.com small businesses. For example, this year’s measles outbreak is expected to negatively impact tourism in some hard-hit areas. Acounty in New York State estimated in April that the outbreak of nearly 200 cases would cost the county at least $2 million, which included the area’s ability to attract business and tourism. Violence in public business- es is another cause for concern. After shootings in movie theaters a few years ago, for instance, some consumers opted to forsake the Big Screen experience and instead bought memberships in home streaming movie services where they claimed they felt safer watching their favorite films. And, equipment failure, such as widespread power outages, can cause extreme consternation for business owners who rely on the Internet for ticket sales, concessions, and gift shop sales. Furthermore, communication outages, such as phones, and computers, and more, can be serious impediments to commerce. According to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2014 data, after a natural disaster, 40 percent of small businesses will not immediately reopen; 25 percent of small business will be permanently closed a year later; and three years after the catastroph- ic event, 75 percent of businesses without a continuity plan will fail. While these figures are shocking, there are things that passenger vessel operators can do to get ahead of the unthinkable to mitigate the impact on their businesses. Ready. gov, which is partnered with the Office of the Inspector General, the White House, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FEMA, and USA.gov, offers plans to help U.S. residents and business owners prepare for the worst. Launched in February 2003, Ready is a national public service campaign designed to educate and empower the American people to prepare for, respond to and mitigate emergencies,