Episodes

Continuing on from Part I, we'll continue to discuss the challenges posted to BCM and DR programs. No matter the industry, the size of your organization, or the location(s) of your business, Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Disaster Recovery (DR) programs always seem to experience a common set of challenges. Drawing from 20+ years of experience, Alex Fullick will discuss these many challenges that seem to transcend industry and location - and which seem to appear at one time or another -...

No matter the industry, the size of your organization, or the location(s) of your business, Business Continuity Management (BCM) and Disaster Recovery (DR) programs always seem to experience a common set of challenges. Drawing from 20+ years of experience, Alex Fullick will discuss these many challenges that seem to transcend industry and location - and which seem to appear at one time or another - in every BCM/DR program. Listen in to hear why some of these challenges occur and how to deal with...

When we think of Crisis Management Teams (CMT) we automatically focus on leadership, logistics, technology and business teams but one team never seems to be fully developed or initiated; the Salvage & Restoration Team. Perhaps that due to the fact that if we're lucky, we never need the team to be initiated. But what if it needed due to the seriousness of the disaster experienced by an organization? This show will focus on the activities, roles & responsibilities and considerations a BCM/DR profe...

The Business Recovery Managers Association (BRMA) is North California's largest business recovery association. In fact, 2018 sees BRMA celebrate its 25th anniversary! In this episode we'll talk to it's President, Fiona Raymond-Cox and previous representative, Julia Halsne. We'll talk about the association and all the benefits it offers it current members and prospective members. Fiona and Julia will talk to us about how we determine our critical vendors and customers and what we need to consider...

Quite often when Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery practitioners try to convey the various aspects of a Business Continuity Management (BCM) or Disaster Recovery (DR) program, we miss the mark. We use our own language to convey messages and processes that aren't in others' diction. This episode will describe 7 terms that start with R that a practitioner can use to help describe to executives or non-BCM/DR practitioners what a BCM/DR program is all about and what each phase of the program...

The 2018-03-08 episode will dig a bit deeper into how disasters impact our behaviors and ongoing responses to traumatic situations. We'll talk with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Rickey Miller, who will discuss the various ways in which people respond to situations and how we can help people overcome their anxieties and stresses related to the disasters they have experienced or witnessed. Many organizations will have emergency response plans to address evacuations and basic employee safety concerns. ...

Many organizations have plans to help their employees evacuate buildings and get to safe locations and then is the extent of most employee-related BCM plans. But disasters affect people differently and sometimes those impacts aren't know right away and don't appear until well after the situation. This episode will take BCM/DR practitioners to a deeper level and offer some insight on what additional topics need to be considered when creating long term employee focused safety and response plans. W...

Our 2018-02-15 episode will be a very personal show; one that you many or may not be able to relate to; the loss of a loved one. Host Alex Fullick will speak about his and his brother's personal journey and experiences dealing with the death of their father. Though somewhat expected when an individual is their later years, the loss of a loved one can still leave people unprepared and unable to deal with the heartfelt loss of loosing their loved ones. It's not an easy subject to talk about, let a...

In this show we talk with the President and Vice-President of the Mid-Atlantic Disaster Recovery Association (MADRA), Mr. Curtis Bartell and Dean Gallop respectively. We'll talk about the MADRA organization and the various activities it's involved with and how it offers value and benefit to its membership. We'll also talk about some new perspectives on resilience; what it is and what it means. Curtis and Dean will also provide us with a view of the current role of a BCM/DR professional and how i...

Issues Management is nothing new to those in Project Management and Business Continuity though for many it's a misunderstood practice. We're joined by retired Issues Management expert Glen Duff, who was the VP of Issues Management at Ciba-Geigy/Novartis. Glen provides allot of valuable insight on how we can manage issues proactively and how we can manage our issues better during times of disaster. Learn how to manage issues and document progress and how issues can be used to help bolster the res...

Nothing in Business Continuity Management (BCM) or Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP) stands alone; everything has a dependency on some level. On this weeks show we will talk to Alvaro Orrantia a Senior Director for one of Canada's largest Financial Institutions, who will talk to us about dependencies and dependency management. We'll learn how to identify our program - and organizational - dependencies and provide tips on how we can manage and maintain our dependencies. We'll talk about the depend...

Many organizations see BCM/DR as an expense but we'll speak with Marty Fox, author of The Ultimate Business Continuity $uccess Guide, who will tips and ideas of how BCM/DR can add value to an organization. Marty has a passion for Business Continuity and has extensive global experiences when building and maintaining BCM/DR programs. Marty will leverage his global experience and provide listeners many insightful tips and ideas for BCM/DR practitioners and organizations that can be implemented in t...

The Salvation Army has been on the front lines of many disasters since 1865 and with the Halifax Explosion in 1917, the organization began its great work in Canada. Join us as we talk to the Emergency Disaster Services Director for The Salvation Army’s Canada & Bermuda Territory, Perron Goodyear. Perron gives us some history as to the start on the organization and the incredible disaster and emergency services the organization provides around the globe. We'll learn how a person can become a trai...

One of the key components of any organization, which includes a core component of any Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery Program, is Risk Management. Risk Management is a process that is one of the first components of creating a successful, fit-for-purpose BCM/DR Program. We'll talk to Alvaro Orrantia, Sr. Director of Global Disaster Recovery, who is also a certified Risk Professional with ISACA and discover exactly what Risk Management is and how it benefits and organization. We'll touch on ...

When people talk of Business Continuity or Disaster Recovery, many think of getting their key processes up and running or restoring their IT services, but what if what you do is a matter of life and death? East Bay Municipal Utility District provides water to approximately 1.3 million people in the Oakland and Berkeley, California area and is considered an essential service so it's BCM Program has to be strong, robust, current and able to meet the immediate needs of people during disasters. We s...

For this episode we talk about community programs and 1st aid training with former St. John Ambulance regional representative, Brian Pittana. St. John Ambulance is known for helping train the community with 1st aid training programs and being there to help individuals in needs when 1st responders aren't immediately available. Brian talks about the various programs that St. John Ambulance offers from Therapy Dogs to Search & Rescue operations. Brian is also a Funeral Director and gives us some in...

The Disaster Recovery Institute Canada (DRIC) is an esteemed organization when it comes to training and certification for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery professionals. This episode we are honoured to have with us the new President of DRIC, John Yamniuk. John has many years experience in the world of Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity. We touch base on the future of DRIC and its many initiatives currently in flight, as well as the plans for the future. We'll also talk about the vari...

Creating a resilient organization is something many organization strive for but many fall short in their goals. This week we'll speak with Scott Teel from Agility Recovery who'll provide some great insight on what Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planners need to consider - and do - when turning their organization into a resilient organization. Leveraging his extensive background and using real-world examples, including some personal examples, Scott discusses some of the key aspects tha...

This episode will focus on the Ontario Association of Emergency Management (OAEM). We'll talk with the president of the OAEM, Mr. Mike O'Brien and how he and his OAEM colleagues are building a central community for Emergency Managers. We'll discuss topics such as; the OAEM conference (October 2018), the organizations goals and objectives, what sets Emergency Management apart from Business Continuity professionals, necessary skills for good Emergency Manager and tips for how current Emergency Man...

One of the most important aspects of building a Business Continuity or Disaster Recovery Program is ensuring the quality of planning and execution of a Business Impact Analysis (BIA). The BIA is the foundation upon which a strong program is build. Leveraging information contained within his book Business Impact Analysis: Building the Foundation for a Strong Business Continuity Program, Alex Fullick will take us through some of the trips and slips that many BCM/DR practitioners encounter when per...

In April 2015 the world watched in horror as Nepal was decimated by a massive earthquake; an earthquake from which the country is still recovering. Listen to this week's show when we speak to Professor Meen Chhetri from Katmandu, Nepal, who will discuss the impacts of the earthquake and how the country responded - and how the Nepal's views on Disaster Management and Preparedness has changed. You'll even hear some surprising hurdles the country encountered that have hindered its progress to rebui...

We put allot of energy into creating our BCM/BCP/DR plans and some can contain reams and reams of information but the bigger the plan doesn't always equate to a better plans. To often the plans contain information that doesn't help the user because there is too much fluff in the plan and not enough actions. This week's show will identify 12 segments of information that doesn't need to be included in your action plans because it's fluff information, which can cause the segments are really require...

We can learn allot by learning from others and this week's show will focus on the first hand experience of a business owner James Marshal of North Coast Wholesale & Distribution located in Lismore, Australia whose business came to a grinding halt when Lismore experienced a massive flood in March of 2017. James will provide us some hands on experience of what his business did to prepare for the flood and how they responded to it - even walking through waist high water to keep from loosing his sto...

This week we talk about Communications and Public Relations with globally recognized PR expert and author, Gerry McCusker. Communications is key in any disaster situation and the battle for who controls the narrative rages strong due to social media. Gone are the days of press releases; today you've got to be quick to get your message out there and know how to get the right message out there - and keep in control of the message. We'll discuss how the PR landscape has changed and what organizatio...