Lessons Learned from Recent Disasters

As we enter 2013, it's a good time to review your business continuity plans and consider whether you're doing everything you can to recover from a disaster. This week's articles look at lessons that have been learned from disasters, especially Hurricane Sandy. Make sure you can survive a disaster by checking out this week's tips to see if you have to make any revisions to your plans.

Storms like Hurricane Sandy emphasize how important it is to be prepared for anything. (Item #1)   One of the most important things is the ability to communicate during a disaster; could you? (Item #2)   Joplin's 2011 tornado taught a lot of important lessons. (Item #3)  

People who have lived through natural disasters have a lot to teach us. (Item #4)   If social media is part of your BC plan, make sure you know what you're doing. (Item #5)   More lessons from Katrina - we're still learning. (Item #6)  

As always, we look forward to hearing your comments & insights regarding business continuity. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, email me at [email protected].

Bob Mellinger, President
Attainium Corp

1. Understanding Disaster Preparedness: Lessons Learned from Sandy

Though we are unable to prevent natural catastrophes, Hurricane Sandy reminds us of the importance of taking measures to be ready. Over the past weeks, I have continued to track the aftermath of the storm and have been reminded of the impact that natural disasters, like Sandy, can have on businesses. Times like these emphasize the importance of disaster preparation.
http://www.telecomramblings.com/2012/11/understanding-disaster-preparedness-lessons-learned-from-sandy/

2. Communications during a Disaster: Five Lessons Learned

No matter where you live, disaster can strike. If not a major hurricane like Sandy, it will be an earthquake, a cyclone or a massive storm that causes historic flooding. Regardless, just a little bit of forethought and planning can make a big difference to your ability to keep communicating during a disaster. Still, even the best of plans aren't going to cover everything that can go wrong - especially when you can't anticipate the full extent of nature's wrath.
http://www.comnetwork.org/2012/11/communications-during-a-disaster-five-lessons-learned/

3. Lessons from Another Storm

As Joplin's residents make their way through the stages of grief, they are eager to talk about it. Survivors of Joplin, MO's 2011 tornado want to share how they survived and how they're preparing for the next one, because they now understand that this kind of disaster can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time. We all know the risks, and we promptly learn to ignore them. After all, you can't function very well if you live in daily fear of disaster.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/your-money/from-joplin-tornado-victims-advice-on-disaster-proofing-finances.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

4. Five Preparedness Lessons Learned from Recent Natural Disasters

With plenty of communities in the East still reeling from Hurricane Sandy and other natural disasters happening all over the globe, there has been a lot of talk lately about what we can do as individuals and as societies to be better prepared for emergencies. Of course we know we need to have food and water and basic emergency supplies on hand, but people who have lived through emergencies say there is more to being prepared than this.
http://www.buyemergencyfoods.com/blog/five-preparedness-lessons-learned-from-recent-natural-disasters/

5. The Use of Social Media for Disaster Recovery

Social Media in a major disaster should not be taken on by a single individual. It is not a 9 to 5, Monday thru Friday task because these sites do not manage themselves. Collectively, the five person core team for Joplin Tornado Info was experienced in professional social media management, marketing, PR, crisis intervention, IT, journal-ism, copywriting, construction, logistics, nursing, and meteorology. No one person could have covered all of this effectively.
http://extension.missouri.edu/greene/documents/PlansReports/
using%20social%20media%20in%20disasters.pdf

6. Lessons Learned From Hurricane Katrina: Preparing Your Institution for a Catastrophic Event

Financial institutions have responded admirably to the unique challenges raised by successive hurricane seasons with significant storms. Business continuity plans generally worked very well in enabling institutions to meet these challenges and to restore operations swiftly. However, the unprecedented magnitude and duration of the effects of Hurricane Katrina caused major disruptions that exceeded the scope of the disaster recovery and business continuity plans of some financial institutions.
http://www.ffiec.gov/katrina_lessons.htm