The damage caused by the passage of Hurricane Irene has demonstrated the effect a disaster can have on our lives and businesses.
According to Gamal Newry, a senior consultant at Preventive Measures, an asset-loss prevention firm, preparation is crucial in mitigating the damage any disaster can have on a business.
Newry said it is important for businesses to have a plan to ensure the continuity of their operations in the face of catastrophe.  He said that the better prepared you are for an emergency, the better prepared you would be for a disaster.
While the attendant damage of Hurricane Irene is at the forefront of most people's minds, Newry reasoned that other events like fires could be more devastating.
He said, "In my opinion, a fire is more damaging than a hurricane.  With hurricanes, we know when the season begins and ends and we know when a system is approaching.  A fire is unexpected and can occur on any day of the week."
Referring to the 2001 fire that destroyed the Bay Street Straw Market, Newry said a risk assessment of the building, where vendors sold flammable T-shirts, wood and straw craft, would have highlighted the need for fire extinguishers and a fire suppression system.
Newry pointed out that some businesses may have these devices, yet they neglect to hold fire drills for staff.
Newry said that people often give little thought to preparing for possible catastrophes until danger is imminent.  He said, "As a culture, which is not unique to The Bahamas, [a disaster plan] is not important until something happens.  It also has to do with a lack of education.  People think that you can't do anything [to minimize the impact]."
To this end, Newry has teamed up with international consultant Lynden Bird to offer a business continuity seminar from October 4 - 6 at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel.
The seminar seeks to educate business owners on how to develop a feasible plan to deal with extended power outages, computer virus attacks, theft, fire, severe weather, illness of key staff or an IT system failure.
Newry said, "We're not introducing disaster preparedness in The Bahamas.  We are just saying assess what you are doing.  There may be something you could do differently."

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