Cross-communication required when developing catastrophe contingencies

Attendees at the The Insurance Institute Ontario – Chartered Insurance Professionals Societys Symposium 2007 were warned to focus on their companies interdependencies and resiliencies while developing a catastrophe contingency plan.Bruce Nelson, critical infrastructure assurance program coordinator for Emergency Management Ontario, teamed up with Susan Meltzer, Aviva Canadas assistant vice president, risk manager, to deliver the seminar Contingency and Pandemic Liability.Nelson stressed the need for organizations to develop an awareness of dependencies on other sectors, and then to collaborate and work with them when developing a plan. By having an assurance document that says how resilient organizations are after identifying vulnerabilities, it will form a corner stone to build upon, Nelson said.Critical infrastructure, he explained, is the interdependent, interactive, interconnected networks of institutions, services, systems and processes that sustain the economy.Critical infrastructure assurance, he added, is the application of risk management and business continuity management processes and techniques, with the aim to decrease the frequency, duration and scope of disruptions and facilitating response and recovery.In order to achieve this assurance across all sectors, he concluded, it is key that organizations share information with one another on their strengths and vulnerabilities so that a comprehensive plan can be put in place, and a quick and efficient response executed in the event of a catastrophe.