Over-preparation is the best path
With memories of devastating storms still fresh and painful in the minds of many, the coming of Hurricane Irene was nothing short of scary. Public safety officials leapt into action, just as they had been criticized for not doing in the past, but when the storm passed by relatively quietly many were just as critical of what they called “overkill” crisis management planning.
In a Prudence Consulting Group blog post, Mae Mechkati explained the crisis prevention efforts that were criticized in New York City:
- Prepare and use disaster plans especially in cases where human lives are in danger, even it feels like overkill.
- If the exact duration of a potential disaster situation is unknown, anticipate and plan for a lengthy period. Planning for the longer period will eliminate the sense of confusion for short and long term.
- Use all sources of communication to communicate the plan and message to your team and the general public. Luckily, Hurricane Irene was so newsworthy that you had to be living in a cave not to know what you needed and how to prepare for its arrival.
- Establish and appoint key leaders and decision makers. In this case in NYC, all key people were in attendance and swiftly coordinated and responded to the crisis management program in place. They had their team in place to immediately respond to unexpected situations.
We are 100% in agreement that, when human lives hang in the balance, there is no such thing as overkill. If you have the means at hand then there’s absolutely no reason not to use them, even if you may face the peanut gallery mocking you for over-reacting afterwards.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/