Business Disruption Due to Earthquake-Induced Lifeline Interruption

The importance of continuity in the provision of lifeline services has been long recognized with respect to facilitating emergency response to a major earthquake, but little attention has been directed toward the importance of lifeline continuity for minimizing economic disruption. This paper focuses on the indirect economic impacts of lifeline disruption on businesses. A study was conducted with a random sample of businesses in Memphis, Tennessee to determine their dependence on various lifeline systems and what level of economic impacts businesses would experience if those systems failed. Findings point to the need to address this problem with a collective approach by integrating lifeline service providers into community recovery planning and by involving business associations in educational programs for their members.