AMCHAM T&T together with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management hosted a Business Continuity Training Workshop for Small Medium Enterprises at the University of the West Indies, in observance of Natural Disaster Prevention and Preparedness month.
00:00Planning is key to mitigating the impact of severe weather during the rainy season for SMEs, says Wendy Dixon, guest speaker at Amcham TT's Business Continuity Workshop.
00:11She says for any business, whether big or small, the key aspect of planning is communication.
00:16The communication plan, whether it's internal or external, would assist the organization in getting the proper message out there and using the designated spokesperson.
00:28Because clearly persons are not allowed really to disseminate information to the press when an incident occurs.
00:36There's a designated person to do that.
00:38So those kinds of things that I have to, that I'm reiterating and making sure that staff are aware of what needs to be done.
00:46And following the recent heavy rainfall throughout the country, mitigation manager at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, Peter Kalicharan,
00:54has reiterated a call for the public to exercise caution during the rainy season.
00:59He said the organization appeals to citizens to ensure their homes and businesses can withstand any weather disturbance.
01:06And he provided some advice for the public during a natural disaster.
01:10For individuals, there are a number of steps that they can take in preparation for the hurricane and rainy seasons.
01:17One, educate yourself.
01:20Two, make sure that you have essential items such as a grab-and-go bag, right, and as well as potable water available in case of any long-term disruptions.
01:33For businesses, make sure that your systems can stand the test.
01:39For example, installing generators to ensure continuity of service.
01:43Some of the things that you can do is make sure that you know the procedures to adopt during an earthquake.
01:50The drop, cover, and hold rule is generally accepted.
01:55Additionally, if that's not possible, you find yourself a steady structure away from glass and make sure that you secure yourself under that structure.
02:05During this month, a call to action is made to all individuals, communities, SMEs, and NGOs to become more involved in disaster prevention and preparedness activities before the commencement of the hurricane season.
Be the first to comment