Posts Tagged: natural disaster
May 10th, 2012
The Ball is in Your Court
By Katharine M. Nohr, JD
Nohr Sports Risk Management, LLC
Recently, Hawaii was hit by unexpected tornadoes, hail and thunder and lightning—weather events that are rare for the islands. Tornadoes are more common on the continental United States, with foreseeability resulting in better preparedness. Hopefully, your sports facility did not suffer any damage from the tornadoes that recently struck Kentucky, Indiana and Alabama. Even if your area is not accustomed to experiencing weather events such as tornadoes, consider that tornadoes have even struck Hawaii when doing your disaster planning.
Weather and Natural Disaster Risk Assessment
In assessing your organization’s weather and natural disaster risks, identify what possible weather related risks that your facility faces. Once those risks have been listed, the likelihood of such risks should be assessed. For example, your region may have frequent lightning storms, intermittent hurricanes and tornadoes, and very infrequent cold spells. Your risk management planning should focus on lightning storms, tornadoes and hurricanes, by developing detailed action plans for such events. Addressing cold spells should be a lower priority.
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November 21st, 2011
Katharine M. Nohr, JD
Nohr Sports Risk Management, LLC
Japan is in the process of recovering from a horrendous 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a deadly tsunami. The west coast of the United States and Hawaii also sustained millions of dollars of damages because of the tsunami generated from the Japan earthquake, but such damage was far less than feared. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, mud slides, and fires are some of the natural disasters that occur in the world every year, costing lives, destroying property and ending viable businesses. Some of those businesses are sport and recreation facilities, Universities, colleges, and schools. Just as families have to prepare themselves in the event of disaster, so should those in the business of sport and recreation.
Does your organization have an up to date, detailed and practiced disaster plan? Is the plan designed to protect people, property and business continuity? Most likely, your organization has somewhat of a disaster plan, but it is missing elements and staff and volunteers may not be aware of its details. With recent catastrophic disasters in mind, it is a good time to establish a committee and employ a risk management consultant to update the plan.
Three objectives should be met in considering your organizations’ disaster plan:
- Protect People
- Protect Property
- Protect Business Continuity
The following are some of the considerations for meeting such goals.
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April 07th, 2011
Missie McGuire
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs
Tulane University
Emergency Preparedness begins with an organized university-wide pre-storm and post-storm response to any natural disaster your campus may be susceptible to. There should be three primary objectives to an emergency plan in a collegiate environment: 1) to provide safety and security for students, faculty and staff, 2) to assist in minimizing and mitigating property damage, and 3) to provide a blueprint for the restoration and resumption of academic and business operations.
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April 05th, 2011
George Brown
Director of University Recreation
University of Alabama
As Hurricane Katrina wrought damage previously unseen from a natural disaster on U.S. soil, the ensuing shelter relief efforts that local agencies and organizations put into place were evidence of the comprehensive attempts to assist those most dramatically affected by the devastation. Working in continuous concert with The University of Alabama (UA) Emergency response team and the guidance and assistance of the American Red Cross, the Student Recreation Center (SRC) served as a shelter for over 500 victims of the August/September 2005 hurricane for a period of almost 2 weeks. Key administrators and staff of UA and the American Red Cross were in early planning within 24-48 hours before the worst of the Hurricane hit the Louisiana and Mississippi gulf coasts. The SRC transformed into a medical, childcare, job placement, communication, food and housing hub within 48 hours of the worst damage from the breaking of the levees in New Orleans.
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