Opinion: Preparing New Plans for New Threats
B>By Thomas Moses
The use of commercial airliners as weapons of mass destruction on Sept. 11 sounded a death knell for business as usual. The Department of Transportation feels that new and proposed regulations on cargo security will affect all transportation providers and shippers in the United States. Companies of all kinds are recognizing the importance of re-evaluating their vulnerabilities and investing in contingency planning for emergencies, including responding to a terrorist attack.
Top managers are well advised to review what they believe are worst-case scenarios based on new risks since Sept 11. Emergency preparedness should be redefined in a detailed, written contingency plan containing instructions on coordination of response efforts and location of resources needed to respond to the emergency. Knowing who does what in advance of an emergency saves critical time. The plan should also provide for methods to document all efforts taken by company responders to defend against any litigation arising as a result of the incident.
Most important is putting the contingency plan in a place where it can be activated as quickly as possible. Electronic contingency planning, using the Internet as a secure repository for the plan, offers significant benefits. Online systems enable users to update the written plan quickly and easily and facilitate distribution and implementation across an organization. Plans can be tailored to different locations, activities and materials.
The chemical industry, like the transportation industry, has been operating under increased scrutiny to prevent trucks loaded with hazardous materials from being used as weapons of mass destruction.
Recently, DOT’s Research and Special Programs Administration invited private industry, universities and government research centers to submit white papers on ways to handle threats in multimodal transportation services and operations. The solicitation produced nearly 600 proposals, the agency reported. The white papers suggested new systems for infrastructure and disaster surveillance, terrorist identification, and warning and control systems. They also outlined new systems to detect identification fraud, safe freight technology, emergency response systems, biometric access controls and tanker fuel security.
A number of the papers discussed Internet-based communication systems. One electronic system has been developed to facilitate communication and coordination for law enforcement officials and first responders. It combines wireless communications, tracking technology and access to specialized databases via the Internet. Response units, equipped with onboard transmitters emitting unique signals, can be tracked in real time and their locations displayed on computer-generated maps.
In addition, emergency responders would list their equipment inventories and response capabilities in an online database, which would be accessed through a secure, interactive Web site. Authorized personnel would search the database when they require assistance or additional equipment during an emergency situation. The system would immediately locate emergency assets, assess their capabilities and determine which units can respond to a particular incident in the shortest period of time.
For transporters, being prepared to handle an incident is the key to handling it quickly and minimizing damage to cargo, equipment and the environment. Contingency planning is the place to start in the development of a solid program of emergency preparedness. And while contingency planning means different things to different people, it all comes down to the same objectives — minimize costs and liability to the company after an incident that can adversely affect business.
If your company has an emergency response system or a contingency plan, pick up the phone one night before you go to bed, dial the number and see what happens. Do you get a live person? Is he or she knowledgeable? Is the organization well prepared to respond to an emergency situation?
Often as executives work their way down through an organization trying to determine its response capabilities and whether outside specialists are needed to supplement in-house resources, they are told, “Everything is fine; it’s all under control; we’ve got it handled.” That is a huge red flag. You need to partner with specialists and vendors on the ground floor — experts in information and personnel security, emergency response and contingency planning. It almost doesn’t matter who you are or how good you are, you can’t respond to Sept. 11 by yourself.
With a solid contingency plan, in writing and available at a moment’s notice, your company is prepared to handle the worst — and can meet the heightened and ever-evolving expectations of shareholders, Wall Street and the public. The time to act is now. The continuation of your business may depend on it.
The writer is an environmental attorney, toxicologist and president of Spill Center Inc., Hudson, Mass., an environmental claims management company that helps transporters control costs and limit liability arising from accidental releases of hazmat and other regulated materials.
This story appeared in the April 1 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.