SBA disaster loans are the primary source of long-term recovery assistance from the federal government. To date, we have approved more than $84,310,000 in the State of Alabama for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Develop a comprehensive plan. Take a good look at your business and assess the impact a disaster would have on you, your employees, your customers and your community.

SBA's disaster declaration was issued as a result of a similar action taken by the Secretary of Agriculture to help farmers recover from damages and losses of crops caused by drought that occurred Feb. 1, 2005, and continuing.

The big picture is that the federal government is a disaster with regard to long-term spending.

[With billions of dollars to boost disaster preparedness at all levels of government,] we would have expected a sharp, crisp response to this terrible tragedy, ... Instead, we witnessed what appeared to be a sluggish initial response.

National government must declare it a national disaster area because massive resources would be required to restore the area.