Business Preparedness, Resilience and Recovery - Disasters Don't Plan. But We Can!

Business Preparedness, Resilience and Recovery - Disasters Don't Plan. But We Can!

Pat Docking has been involved in business disaster and emergency preparedness, resilience, and recovery planning since 2008, in preparation for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. She was tasked by Transport Canada to work with all maritime commerce stakeholders to figure out what could be done in advance to help restore the flow of people and goods through the Port of Vancouver as quickly as possible in the event of a terrorist attack or other major disruption. This ground-breaking work quickly led to other national and international projects and many best practices currently used around the world. 

Over her years of engaging businesses large and small, Pat was struck by how many were extremely vulnerable to the impact of a business disruption. Some were unaware, and others didn't know what to do. A few even prided themselves on emergency preparedness plans that would not stand up to the test of a real disaster. Out of the 100+ businesses she encountered, only one had a true plan that seemed complete.

Now retired, Pat helped form and is leading a new local volunteer group called KEEP - Kerrisdale Earthquake and Emergency Preparedness, which at this time sits under the Kerrisdale Community Centre Society. Its goal is to enable individuals, businesses and other organizations to survive and recover as quickly as possible from a disaster.