EXCERPT

Although it is not possible to be prepared for every crisis, it is important to establish an organizational culture that has business continuity on its mind. Part of building this culture is placing a high degree of company focus on the process of developing, re-evaluating and testing plans.

There are many components to the planning process. Developing possible disaster scenarios may sound like the more morbid and least desirable entry point to the process. However, there is value to starting here.

As with any project, analytical techniques should be employed to decide the most optimal use of resources. By spending time at the beginning of the process to identify the "possible" and the impact the possible has on their business, an organization can decide priorities and weigh risk management strategies.

The scenario analysis component of the process changes daily as world events reveal what is possible. What is possible seems to expand and be redefined beyond most people's imagination.

The events of September 11th showed that large-scale terrorist activities could occur in America and that planes could be used as weapons. The August 2003 power grid mishap left the Northeast without power for several days--no one thought that the seemingly self-balancing power grid would not have rebounded quickly. The Florida offices of a tabloid newspaper company were shut down for nearly three years--the human casualty potential is horrifically high for a single Anthrax laden letter.