Meta-Leadership Community meta-leadershipcommunity.org

Hi there, 

In order for those who want to be well rounded and effective leaders, it would be very beneficial if they have a good working knowledge of all the disaster components.  This would include prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.  One of the reasons  I wrote my book "The Red Guide to Recovery - Resource Handbook for Disaster Survivors" and developed the "Personal Property Memory Jogger" was not only to help disaster survivors through the recovery process, but also to educate preparedness minded folks as to what the recovery process entails and provide them with some valuable tools.  From a practical business continuity standpoint, if a company's workforce is bogged down in the chaos of their personal recovery because of a lack of understanding of what to do, the impact on the business could be catastrophic.  Even if the business itself wasn't directly affected.   What good will business continuity training do when it boils down to the individual's needs?  If key employees can't return to work, the employer may have to hire replacements or in some cases be forced to close its doors.   Much of what we discuss in the forums revolves around the concept of a catastrophic event like an earthquake or hurricane.  What people don't realize is that the same steps disaster survivors are faced with after a major event are almost identical to what happens when someone has a kitchen fire, water pipe burst, sewage back up, or a tree that falls on the house.  People need to know what the post-incident scenario looks like in real time and on an individual level in order to be an effective leader for their families, businesses, and communities.

For example, after the wildfires that struck San Diego County in 2003 and again in 2007, a lot of families became permanently displaced and were not able to rebuild their homes.  One reason was that many people got into disputes with their insurance companies as to what the scope and/or cost of the repairs would be.  What these people didn't realize was that their homeowners' insurance policies only allowed additional living expenses for a period of one year.   After the one year expired, the homeowner was on the hook to pay their mortgage and the rent on their temporary residence.  Those who couldn't afford this double whammy were forced to walk away or eat up their savings.   Not only did these people lose their homes, but in some cases this caused marriages to break up, jobs to be lost, and financial ruin.  So people need to be sure they have a minimum of 2 years worth of additional living expenses in their homeowners' policy and spend time with their agent to be sure they have adequate coverage, even if they rent.  Then, they should get a good understanding of what steps to take to get a fair settlement on a homeowners claim.

I was thinking that maybe we could create a new discussion forum that covers "Quick Tips", where people could share their knowledge or experiences with those who may have never experienced a disaster first hand.  This would not be a forum to promote or endorse services or products, but maybe a good way to communicate best practices and encourage more dialogue.

What do you think?

Sean Scott

Author

The Red Guide to Recovery - Resource Handbook for Disaster Survivors

www.theredguidetorecovery.com