It Is Time For A New Approach

91% of Americans live in places at moderate-to-high risk of earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, high-wind damage or terrorism. Odds are that nine out of ten of us will be directly and significantly impacted by one of these major events over a reasonable period of time. Add to this list of hazards the risk of failing infrastructure and everyday events such as fires, and we should have sufficient motivation to plan, prepare, and mitigate these potential risks in such a way that our individual, corporate, and national resiliency is enhanced. We should be motivated, but we aren't.

It is time for a new approach. I'm tired of falling bridges, collapsing freeways, and terrorism warnings that give me no practical guidance on what I can do for my family or my business. I'm tired of feeling like we've just about used up our substantial national inheritance. I'm tired of politics in lieu of statesmanship and commonsense. So, I think its time to do something more.

Citizens and businesses must become more "crisis ready", able to flexibly and proactively navigate the shoals guaranteed to be in front of us. Our nation must become more resilient. Are you prepared? Is your business? Do you know the existing hazards in your community, in your State? Do you have not just the personal tools, but the essential mindset that will allow you to nimbly react in a crisis?

If you are an individual, you need tools (a good emergency plan, real disaster kits) but you will benefit more from talking through possible crisis events with your family and practicing your plan than you will from the back-pack with a first aid kit and a few power bars. Does it seem like too much hassle in an already busy life? Do you say things like "I know its important, but..."?

If you are a business, particularly a small business, you are statistically unlikely to have a business continuity plan. Does it seem overwhelming? Too busy running the business to focus on protecting it? Know you need to plan for crisis, but have no idea where to start? What about insurance --has your insurance kept up with your growing business? Did you know that properly executed crisis management planning can increase your competitiveness? Do you know how personally prepared your employees and their families are? Did you know that many states legally require you as an employer to show you've made efforts to safeguard employees from known hazards such as earthquake and pandemic influenza?

My hope is to use this blog as a forum to discuss these issues, maybe even round up useful resources and common-sense ideas for how to move forward to a more ready and resilient state of affairs. It's time.