Flooding

Business Continuity Management 

Pitt Review places BCM at the heart of National prevention and management Strategy

Sir Michael Pitt, who has led the independent review commissioned by the government following widespread flooding last year, has made more than 90 recommendations in his final report published today (25/06/08).

Throughout the final report, Business Continuity Management is cited as a primary means of establishing a far higher capability. The submission made by the Continuity Forum has been reflected in key recommendations made by Sir Michael with all of the measures and proposals by the Continuity Forum being recommended to government by the review team.

The Continuity Forum announces Special Risks summit in association with the Cabinet Office

The Continuity Forum in association with the Cabinet Office will be hosting a Special Risks Summit on 26th September 2008. This special event will discuss the implications of the Pitt review and examine the developing role of BCM in enabling better resilience to flooding. The summit will also prominently feature the latest information on Pandemic and detail both best practice advice and our latest research into the preparedness of organisations.

This prestigious event builds on the recommendations of the Pitt review and leading Health figures we will be sharing information on the vital role of BCM in establishing better Organisational and Community Resilience across the UK. This all day event will be held in London and will be open to both members and non-Members. Places will be at a premium and early registration or expressions of interest are urged.

For more information on the Summit please contact Sara McKenna on 020 8993 1599 or by mail at info@continuityforum.org. End

Government Minister responds to Pitt Review

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has pledged to introduce a "prioritised action plan" to improve flood protection which will be published in the autumn. Mr Benn was commenting on the official review by Sir Michael Pitt into last summer's devastating floods.

Minister responds to Pitt Review

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has pledged to introduce a "prioritised action plan" to improve flood protection which will be published in the autumn. 

Mr Benn was commenting on the official review by Sir Michael Pitt into last summer's devastating floods. Mr Benn said £5m would be spent on surface water management, £1m on making reservoirs safer and £250,000 on a nationwide flood response exercise.

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We are always looking for examples and case study material. If you know of ANY please do let us know and we'll do the rest ... thanks ! You can find out more about the Continuity Forum, our work and the great value membership options by contacting us directly through this Website, by phone (020 8993 1599) or by email (info@continuityforum.org)

Thank you The Continuity Forum Team

If you would like to know more about the Continuity Forums work helping organisations develop resilience and continuity please contact us directly. 

For more details on our events, workshops and industry development work, as well as the general activities of the Continuity Forum please contact us directly on +44 208 993 1599 or mail us HERE!.

If you would like to know more about how your organisation can get involved and benefit from working with the Continuity Forum, please email us HERE! or call on + 44 (0) 208 993 1599. 

UK Flooding shows need for increased BCM planning

Businesses in northern and central England have deployed their business continuity plans after sustained heavy rainfall flooded offices and left IT centres inaccessible throughout the region.

Insurers estimate that the cost to repair physical damage across the country will run to £1bn. Among the organisations affected by the floods were steel company Sheffield Forgemasters and Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.

Keith Tilley, managing director at disaster recovery firm SunGard Availability Services, said, "This is the biggest multiple-company incident we have had after the 7 June London bombings in 2005 and the Buncefield oil depot fire in 2006." Staff at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce had to be winched to safety by an RAF helicopter on Monday evening.

Director Stephen Mitchell, who was among those rescued, said that although the chamber's systems were backed up regularly and long-term damage would be minimal, it had been difficult to help businesses with the crisis because the chamber's own IT system had not been working. Parts of the e-mail system also had to be replaced at a cost of up to £3,000.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell relocated staff after the floods caused £1m in damage to its Sheffield offices. Richard Hodkinson, group IT and operations director, said that staff working at the offsite SunGard disaster recovery centre managed to keep services to clients running despite power disruptions. "People worked well into the night, determined to get resolution to these problems. It brought the best out for the IT team and pulled them together," Hodkinson said.

EWS Railway's datacentre south-east of Doncaster was also hit by the flooding. CIO Guy Mason said, "Work on essential projects and strategy has stopped, despite not losing systems. It is still a real cost." The experience has brought the IT department and the users closer together, he said. "I have never seen them talking together more than this week." David Fletcher, a director at investment company Creative Sheffield, said, "Smaller companies may not survive this, but larger companies will mostly pull through because they usually have the financial resources."

The floods had shown that business continuity is essential for every business, no matter what size or type. END

If you would like to know more about how your organisation can get involved and benefit from working with the Continuity Forum, please call on + 44 (0) 208 993 1599.

Small firms struggle in flood aftermath

Update The current estimate for the Summer Flooding Bill now exceeds £5 Billion, insurers are now processing over 11,000 claims from businesses for the disruption and damage caused.

A farmer watches his crop rot in the fields. A pizza and kebab seller wonders when his shop can open again. A builders' merchant is still clearing skip after skip of debris from his premises. These are just three of the businesses affected by the devastating floods that swept through thousands of homes and offices last week. Teams of loss adjusters are now sweeping through South Yorkshire and the Hull area, totting up the bills for the insurance industry. New figures released on Friday by the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters suggest that claims relating to the floods will total more than £1.5bn - £825m for domestic claims, £680m for businesses. (see update note - Estimates now exceed £5 billion)
The Chartered Institute says virtually all properties where there is a claim have now been visited by its members, and the rest should have had a visit by the beginning of next week.