Firefighters and a crime prevention specialist will offer tips on preparing a business for disaster at this month's Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce meeting.

The Jan. 17 dinner meeting will see Langley Township Fire Chief Stephen Gamble, City Fire Chief Rory Thompson, and Dianne Robinson, crime prevention coordinator for the Langley RCMP, speak to local members.

All will be trying to answer the question: "What will happen to your business if disaster strikes?"

"Our businesses are our bread and butter but often times we don't think about disaster striking until it's too late," said chamber president Denni Bonetti. "If something serious should happen, there could be dire consequences both personally and financially. These folks will provide us with information so we can all assess where we stand and proactively prepare for any harm."

Quakes, floods, and fires have been in the news, affecting cities around the world over the last year.

"It seems like every time you turn around, you hear about another catastrophe of some sort," said Lynn Whitehouse, executive director of the Chamber.

She even pointed to the bakery in Langley City that was crushed by a falling wall during a construction accident.

If a building is closed due to a police incident, or evacuated due to a nearby fire, can staff get access to important information, Whitehouse asked.

She admitted that she'll be listening to the presentations carefully, as the Chamber office could always stand to be better prepared.

Each of the three speakers will talk for five to seven minutes and then be open to questions from attendees.

The Chamber will also ask the speakers to bring any handouts they have that can help businesses plan for disasters.

The dinner meeting will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 17th at Cascades Casino, Coast Hotel and Convention Centre at 20393 Fraser Hwy. with networking from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and dinner and the presentations to follow.

Tickets cost $30 for Chamber members, $45 for non-members. To register, call the Chamber office at 604-530-6656 or email events@langleychamber.com.