Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Arlington, Va., joined forces with SABER, the Single Automated Business Exchange for Reporting, to offer food retailers a streamlined system for identifying a store’s business status following a natural disaster or other crisis event.

“When a food retailer goes into response mode after a natural disaster, one of the first steps is to assess which stores are open and which stores are closed,” says Doug Baker, vice president of industry relations of FMI. “This essential information helps federal and local government agencies direct assistance, so that grocery stores can re-open their doors and serve the community in need.”

SABER saves FMI members time, improves timeliness and accuracy of information and reduces gaps, overlaps and inconsistencies to prioritize response decisions.

“The mission of SABER is to help businesses in an emergency stay open longer and to get businesses back in business faster,” says James Morentz, executive director of SABER. “We offer this complimentary service to retailers, so there can be a more coordinated and efficient response after a natural disaster.”