Lakhan: I would say that in order to address a lot of the concerns that we’re hearing – Doug talking about integration, issues of equipment, supply during acute times of need – the bottom line is that employers need to sit down with their emergency response plan in the very near future and candidly look at that and its effectiveness. And in order to do that you need to look at best practices. It’s one thing to comply with your applicable legislation and it’s quite another thing to reach for the best practices. They are out there, whether it’s in the form of a statute or a regulation in another province or a private organization – Canadian Standards Association, Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness – all of these avenues have the resources you need to address any shortfalls in your current emergency response plan. And I would encourage everybody, looking or reading about what we had to say today, to go back, look at your emergency response plan critically and make sure that it addresses all of the areas that a comprehensive plan needs to do.

Saunders: We have not had our own Katrina in Canada in a long, long time. Hurricane Hazel was probably the last major significant incident that I would say would be the Katrina size. At the Red Cross, our mission statement is we mobilize the power of humanity and basically focus that humanity to where it’s needed most.

From a humanity perspective, human kind has an inate ability to respond and rebound from emergencies and also to step up. We see the good that comes out of humanity that steps up to make sure that everybody is taken care of. We rely on that. That’s how we exist. That’s in our organization around the world.

From a humanitarian perspective, and I’m tying this in with organizations, it is beyond just keeping your business running. In many cases, the business is essential in order for the survival of the community.

So if you are a transportation company, we need transportation to keep going during a large-scale emergency. Sometimes we have to completely rebuild an infrastructure during a Katrina-size incident. We rely on private industry to assist in rebuilding that infrastructure.

For something the size of H1N1 or a Katrina whatever size that might be or nature, going beyond that, 'this is a competitive edge and a way for me to get my competitors out of the business because if they fail I can take over the market share.'

During a disaster, market share has to go out the window. It’s about making sure that the services are provided and that the people get what they need. And that is where the corporate community responsibility comes in and that humanitarian approach.

Can we plan with our competitors to support each other, to make sure both operations continue? So, if you lose a lot of your workforce and a competitor hasn’t lost as many yet, is there a way of sharing resources to make sure that those essential services continue to operate?

If you lose your building can you share with a competitor?

We’re not really competitors in the greater scheme of things but Salvation Army and St. John Ambulance we compete for donor dollars. There’s only so many dollars that Canadians are willing to give to charity.

But yet when it comes to disasters and response, we work together. Salvation Army lost one of their main warehouses as a result of a fire. Red Cross says, 'well why don’t you use our offices to continue operating?' They may not want to take advantage of that but that’s the type of collaboration that has to happen even amongst perceived competitors.

So talking with your trade associations and seeing how you perhaps collaborate during times of emergency to ensure that people get what they need, so that the industry survives. Everything can be carved out afterwards, but I can dare you the public gratitude for those industries that take that approach will give them their market edge, post-disaster, because of the goodwill that’s generated. So there is that marketing aspect. But it really is getting beyond just a cutthroat business world. When you’re talking about emergencies it’s bigger. It is a humanitarian disaster because people are impacted and how do we work together for the betterment of the community, not necessarily the betterment of my particular company.

Hollands: Canadians have always lived in a pretty tough environment as far as the climate and some challenges that we face. It’s definitely going to be a community partnership in survival and resilience. I think we do have a strong history of that. What we don’t have a strong history in is planning, working together at all levels. I think that conversation, this being a good example, a forum bringing different sectors together to discuss and agree on next steps and strengths and gaps.

I think, again, the businesses will find a way through this. They’re very innovative typically, especially the small businesses. However, the trade associations are taking a much stronger role in facilitating the discussion and bringing speakers and forums together around that. And in any community, it’s the common touch points that bring people together and help the understanding.

The Safe Work Associations are set up to be very sector-specific so some of the hazards and risks that some of the organizations face are, I think, quite well-addressed through our websites and our services. And we have started developing some tools and processes to help businesses in that regard.

The reality of the data I think is very clearly responsibility of organizations and government to make sure that clear messages get out and the clear data gets out. Recently there was talk of one of the antivirals not being effective with children. And the review of that was that these studies were based on a demographic review of old data. We’re really trying to find our way through what really is important for us. But working together within this community, I think Canadians have pretty good communities especially with municipals and public service, we’ll probably do quite well.

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