Hurricane Katrina has demonstrated that a single natural disaster can put a business out of commission, if not wiping it out completely. Not only hurricanes, but snow storms, earthquakes and other catastrophic events can bring a business down to its knees. Risk and Insurance magazine, together with the catastrophe-modeling firm AIR Worldwide Corporation, released their 2005 list of Top 10 Safest Cities in the United States, and these are:
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Phoenix, Ariz.
- Rochester, N.Y.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Buffalo, N.Y.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Grand Rapids, MICH.
- San Diego, CALIF.
- Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Hartford, Conn.
But of course, the probability of natural disasters is not often a factor as to whether entrepreneurs living along the coast or snow-battered areas will relocate their businesses to safer places. After all, there is the question of whether there is a market for their business in a new area, relocation costs, among other things. Not to mention the age-old question: Is there really a safe place???
