This article was originally drafted for and published in USA Today on March 22nd
It’s a simple shift in perspective: dependent liability or ready proactive resource? When a disaster strikes, which camp one falls into is a matter of choice. We have been conducting disaster response, recovery and economic stability operations around the world for the past decade. From the Philippines to Haiti and from Puerto Rico to Panama we have been integrally involved with all facets of recovery and stability efforts. Our greatest takeaway from all of our exposure: more often than not, impacted areas have all of the resources and capabilities needed to actuate their own response initiatives. All that is required is a little strategic support and a mentality shift. The bottom line — tight communities, small businesses and local entrepreneurial actors and organizations are the greatest resources in times of disaster as long as they take the initiative. Those that proactively prepare and that are “ready” are truly “resilient” in every sense of the word and become critical resources to their respective community. Those that don’t become dependents and liabilities.
For all of the focus on “resilience” in the public lexicon in reference to the ability to withstand disasters, the fact remains that our society and culture in general are predominantly dependent and vulnerable. “Resiliency” is an end state that needs to be worked towards and earned. It is a current social imperative to focus on actually getting there through proactive whole-community readiness efforts. It’s time to change the baseline from a dependent reactionary model to disaster recovery to a proactive, ready and prepared paradigm. The crux to achieving this is for businesses to realize that continuity of service can be a matter of saving lives and that the ultimate form of corporate social responsibility is to be able to take care of your customer base, local community and employees despite any sort of disruption. The good news is it’s not that difficult, and it’s far more cost effective and even profitable to be proactive vs. reactive. This isn’t disaster capitalism this is civic responsibility.
Let’s put this into real world context:
The power grid and telecommunications infrastructure has been damaged and water distribution infrastructure impugned. Roads are blocked and there is severe flooding. No connectivity, no power, no communications no water from the faucet and no local grocery store. This was the reality in Puerto Rico, not some far fetched scenario. This meant no access to money from ATMs or banks, an inability to use credit cards, no calling for help, loss of refrigeration, no lights and an inability to leave in a car. Convention would have the stricken island waiting for external aid to arrive which takes time, is logistically complicated and extremely costly, both to execute and to the undercutting of the local capacity that results. Or on the contrary:
- Generators with large backup fuel stores are in place in grocery stores
- Small cheap M2M satellite connectivity systems are in place in markets, gas stations and banks so access to capital and the ability to use credit cards remains intact
- Logistical providers like food suppliers with robust trucking fleets and geographically diverse customers pre-plan supply drop routes and schedules in times of emergency
- Small shops and natural community gathering places like gyms, bars or community centers install solar panels and water purification systems to provide charging capabilities and clean water (assuming well based)
The result if these sort of simple steps and redundancy measures are taken is a far less significant impact to the community, less of a need for external aid as a result of greater continuity of service which means less of an economic impact and less loss of life. Everyone wins from the impacted civilian population, business owners, first responders to insurance companies. It’s a no brainer. Getting to a state of readiness is in fact part science and part art, but it’s readily obtainable, and nothing brings a community together like a disaster so be ready to thrive and to be a critical community resource vs a liability.
