Editor’s Note & Chair’s Column
Pulling in the same
Storming into the
direction
new decade
The news channels and papers over the last fortnight The New Year has brought extremes of temperature in
have been filled with tragic images of the people that both hemispheres – more than 45
o
C degrees recorded
have been affected by the earthquake which devastated in Melbourne, Australia on 8 January and a record
Haiti on 12 January. The magnitude 7.0 quake has so far low of –17.6
o
C in Stockport in the UK overnight on
claimed the lives of 150,000 people and laid waste to the 6-7 January. What does this mean for business
towns and cities in the region. continuity?
When faced with a disaster of such catastrophic proportions trying The consequences of a heat wave in Australia can range from
to co-ordinate an effective relief effort is an extremely difficult bushfires to lightning storms and the resulting blackouts. In the
task. The list of priorities is immense: reopening the airports and UK, during the last month there have been plenty of people stuck
harbours so that aid can get in; co-ordinating this mass influx in snow drifts, those unable to get to work and many undertaking
of aid and expertise coming from all corners of the globe as childcare as schools remained closed. Although some people can
governments and aid agencies rush to help; putting in place the work from home there will also be those who can’t. The cost of
logistics to ensure that this aid is distributed quickly; establishing disruption, whether caused by heat wave or freezing conditions,
law and order as people take increasingly desperate measures to will inevitably be measured in human, business and economic
secure provisions; maintaining basic levels of sanitation to prevent terms.
the spread of disease – the list is endless.
So, at the start of a new year and a new decade, this emphasises
Central to the success of any disaster management strategy, the need to have robust business continuity arrangements and
whether on the scale that we have witnessed in Haiti or at an plans in place. Even if we weathered last year’s climatic extremes
individual company level, is the ability to co-ordinate operations we should have learned the lessons and been better prepared to
effectively. If there is no centralised control process then all parties, manage this year’s difficulties. Can we all say that this was so? If
no matter how skilled in their particular areas of expertise, will fail not, you should review your arrangements and plans to ensure that
to best meet the demands of the situation they face. any lessons identified during previous disruptive events have led to
improvements being implemented. It is all too easy to forget what
For a BC manager, this level of co-ordination should cover not we did last time, or once the ‘heat of the moment’ is over, and go
only key personnel within their particular organisation, but back to ‘business as usual’ without taking stock of how we can
should extend beyond the company walls to include any people improve things for the next time. All of this points to the need for
who might also play a part in tackling a major incident in the rigour in terms of managing your BCM programme and conducting
surrounding area. This may include: the emergency services, other the necessary activities to keep your arrangements and plans up-to-
companies in the vicinity, local authorities, the media (in particular date and fit for purpose.
local radio) and any other bodies, such as voluntary organisations,
which may be involved in tackling the event. For example, in the From the BCI’s perspective, we are looking forward to a challenging
recent heavy snowfalls in the UK, 4x4 driver clubs were called into and productive 2010. Our new Board met for the first time in
action to help shift stranded vehicles and to reach old or infirmed January, although the meeting turned out to be a national and
people in isolated locations. international telephone conference, rather than a face-to-face
meeting, due to the adverse weather conditions. We have set up
Only by ensuring that all those involved in managing a disaster are two working groups to move forward our Strategy Review and the
pulling in the one direction can we pull ourselves back upright as Governance Implementation so we expect to see much change and
quickly as possible in the aftermath. advancement in 2010. Watch this space!
Nigel Allen is editor of Continuity Angela Robinson FBCI is Chair of the BCI
January/February 2010  Continuity  
Cont Jan/Feb 2010_insides.indd 1 3/2/10 14:48:45
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