Lessons from Katrina

CD of Live 90-Minute Telephone Conference with an Interactive Q&A Session Conducted on November 3, 2005 Now available on CD

Hurricane Katrina exposed the holes in corporations’ emergency response and business continuity plans throughout the Gulf Coast. Even companies that thought they had done their homework learned some harsh lessons at the hands of Mother Nature, including how little they can rely on federal, state and local agencies to assist in the early stages of a relief effort.

Listen as our panel of corporate security leaders who helped deal with Katrina's aftermath and veteran advisors look with the benefit of 20-20 hindsight at where companies' response and business continuity plans succeeded -- and failed -- and what they should do differently in the future.

• Chad Callaghan, Vice President of Enterprise Loss Prevention, Marriott International, Washington DC, is in charge of the safety and security of all Marriott businesses and brands. A 30-year loss prevention profession veteran, he serves as coordinator for Marriott's North American Crisis Team. In this role, he is responsible for activating the team and coordinating site logistics during a crisis, maintaining contact with law enforcement and regulatory agencies during a crisis, and advising the team on safety and security related issues.
• David Heidenthal, Security Director, D-Day Museum, New Orleans, has led the security staff for the last four years, after retiring as a Marine Corps colonel with 30 years of service. Although the museum has not reopened since Hurricane Katrina, he is currently reconstructing his officer force from scratch due to employee loss from evacuations.
• Thomas Matthews, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Loss Prevention, Saks Fifth Avenue, New York, led efforts to shore up the retailer's New Orleans store before Hurricane Katrina and protect its merchandise from flood damage and looting.
• Charles Montelaro, Senior Vice President of Security, IBERIABANK Corp., Lafayette, LA, has more than 25 years experience developing and implementing security and business continuity programs in a broad range of industries. His programs have been battle-tested during major events, such as the first Super Bowl after the Sept. 11 attacks and several major Gulf Coast hurricanes. He has spent the last three years establishing crisis management and business continuity plans for IBERIABANK.
• Penny Turnbull, Senior Director of Business Continuity and Emergency Response, Marriott Inc., Washington DC, is responsible for developing the company’s emergency response and disaster recovery plans. She advises Marriott's crisis teams worldwide and, following a crisis, coordinates the after-action learning process and modifies policies and procedures accordingly. She represents Marriott in the Terrorism and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Initiative facilitated by the National Business Group on Health and the CDC.

They will identify lessons learned in these and other critical areas of emergency planning and response:

• What to expect from first-responders and other government agencies following a major disaster.
• Safely evacuating and transporting people from your company site to a secure location.
• Providing basic necessities, including food, water, and backup power, to those who must remain on company premises.
• Securing and defending your company's buildings and assets from looting and vandalism if police aren't available.
• Launching redundant systems to restore critical business activities.
• Keeping your company functioning if you're unable to return to your buildings for days or even weeks.

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TELECONFERENCE CD