A disaster occurs, and now?
What if a complete disaster strikes inexorably within your company?
It is 1 a.m., your
cellphone rings. An extensive fire is raging in your company. The fire brigade
is already there. You quickly summon the crisis team (not everyone can be
reached) and rush to the company. When you arrive, you notice that the fire
brigade has secured a perimeter. The crisis meeting will have to take place in
your external crisis room, but only the night watch is there. In the end, you
are able to convince him to set a room at your disposal as long as you meet in
silence. At 2 a.m., you are notified that the press is already outside. Only at
3 a.m. your team is complete and you can start tackling this disaster… It happened to one of our members.
A very extensive fire turned the entire production building to dust. Moreover, the building was connected to a central warehouse of multiple production sites, which caused problems concerning business continuity and food safety. It was up to the company to prove that the food products could still be consumed.
Furthermore, a huge smoke development created heavy traffic hindrance on a nearby traffic artery and made the industrial area inaccessible for days.
The crisis team had to face multiple challenges at once: the operational cooperation with the fire brigade, the external communication (with the press, neighbours and customers), the sudden unemployment of 160 employees, the monthslong police investigation, etc. Moreover, in the meantime they also had to convince the FASFC that the warehouse products were fit for consumption.
The investigation revealed that the fire had been started by a pyromaniac. This could happen to any company. We would like to list some tips on how to deal with such a disaster.
What can we learn from this incident?
Crisis management should thrive in your company
What to have at your disposal to control the situation better:
- An experienced crisis team that is also available and deployable at night;
- An external crisis room that you can access 24/7;
- Contact details to notify the surrounding companies 24/7;
- Contact details of customers and employees that you can also access when the server is unavailable;
- Disaster scenario crisis communication templates;
- A trained spokesperson
External specialists may help limit the damage
If you quickly enlist external help, it may help limit harmful consequences. In this case, the company had to submit an external risk assessment to the FASFC in order to continue supplying their products.
Practice makes perfect
When the company participates in an exercise with the emergency services, it contributes to a better mutual understanding and insight.
How can we help you?
On the 6th of October, we are hosting a study afternoon on disaster management. Several speakers will share their expertise:
- Stijn Pieters sets a theoretical framework
- Dimi Vercammen explains how to cooperate with the fire brigade
- Coca-Cola and La chocolaterie Galler testify about the floods of 2021
- Fevia discusses sectorial crises such as Covid and the war in Ukraine
- Vanbreda focuses on some case studies
Would you like to attend? Register now!
Would you also like to simulate a disaster together with the emergency services and Food Security? It is possible!
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