Tenth Firestorm franchisee brings timely compliance expertise 

JULY 22, 2010                                                                                                  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSWELL, Ga. – Healthcare reform, financial reform and Public Law 110-53 (PS-Prep) – all are recent government regulations that will create compliance issues for the majority of U.S. businesses.

As the 10^th and most recent Firestorm® franchisee, Dave Flora will be in position to utilize his expertise in helping companies faced with these new regulations reach and maintain compliance. Flora, of Chicago, has more than 20 years experience in compliance issues, designing and improving supply chain logistics and mission-critical transactional document production, B2B marketing, business development and product lifecycle management.

 “Any flaw that delays a compliance-driven process can result not only in hard-dollar costs in inefficiency, penalties or fines, but also in harder to recognize soft-dollar costs to an organization -- such as damage to reputation -- be it a Fortune 100 company, government agency or financial services organization,’’ Flora said.

Franchisees utilize all capabilities and services of Firestorm Solutions LLC, a national leader in crisis management, vulnerability analysis/threat assessment, risk mitigation and business continuity, including its name and trademark; operational methodology including plans, policies, procedures and training; and access to its staff, Expert Council and Online Resource Center. Each franchisee is awarded the entire United States as a territory and is protected by the franchisor regarding client development.

Firestorm (www.firestorm.com) provided the on-site crisis management support at Virginia Tech, and has teamed up with W.W. Grainger Inc., the national leader in maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products, to offer business continuity and preparedness products and services.

Firestorm recently launched the Preaction Emergency Response Alliance™,a first-of-its-kind network designed to make preparedness accessible and affordable for businesses of all types and sizes. Members receive intelligence briefings, training, analysis of business continuity and response plans, and more. A free 30-day trial Membership is available at www.preaction.com; thereafter, Preaction Alliance Membership costs less than $1 a day on an annual basis.

The implementation of Public Law 110-53 (Title IX-Private Sector Preparedness), which mandates the Department of Homeland Security certify business continuity plans in the private sector, creates wide-ranging opportunities for the BCP industry. Other significant drivers include the emergence of new communicable illnesses; the increase in natural disasters related to climate change; and elevated exposure to mass violence threats nationally and internationally.

“We’re pleased to award Dave our 10^th franchise,’’ Firestorm Executive Vice President Hutch Hodgson said. “His expertise in compliance issues will prove extremely valuable to our clients in the current regulatory environment.’’

Flora’s franchise will operate out of the Chicago area; he can be reached at dflora@firestorm.comor (847) 540-9365.

For more information, visit www.firestorm.com. To obtain a copy of the Firestorm Franchise Disclosure Document, contact Hodgson at (770) 643-1114 or hhodgson@firestorm.com. Media inquiries should be directed to Mike Pennetti at mpennetti@firestorm.comor (678) 892-4110.