Disaster Recovery

Baton Rouge, LA – February 2018 was a busy time in the NorthStar Business Continuity Division’s schedule.  The team planned for and executed several events in conjunction with multiple LSU departments prior to the table top exercise, including Phase I of the Pre-Loss Assessments on the campus and a professional drone survey.

The execution of the PLA’s on the campus as well as the drone survey were scheduled and executed without a hitch.  The PLA team was able to complete all objectives as well as a few properties in addition to those scheduled for Phase I.

NorthStar Business Continuity Director John Kunert & Deputy Dir. Andres Delacruz facilitate Table Top at LSU.

Our National Alliance partner, DataWing Global, performed the drone surveys flawlessly and provided LSU with incredibly detailed information and analyses of two of their building rooftops. Once the information was delivered to LSU, NorthStar’s focus was set on the upcoming table top exercise.

After successful planning and execution of the PLAs and drone surveys, the time came for the table top exercise.  Personnel from several of LSU’s main departments were present:  Risk Management, Facilities Services, Utilities Services, Facilities Maintenance, Emergency Management, Etc.  NorthStar was also present in force with team members including Chuck Bruce, Kevin Collins, Michael Leonhardt, Bobby Chiasson, John Kunert, Andres Delacruz, Andrew Kunert, and Ryan Drake.

“Each time the various key people meet, the more cohesive we are as a team.”

– Ed Nobles, LSU Director of Risk Management

The scenario for this exercise was developed by NorthStar and centered around a fire/water loss at the Chemical & Materials Building.  Once the exercise had begun, NorthStar Operations personnel worked well in concert with LSU staff to walk through the loss response and recovery process.  In the end, it was obvious that the relationship between LSU and NorthStar had been strengthened.

“The underwriters were impressed by the amount of work that has been put in toward the development of Pre-loss assessments. SOP’s, and planning”, wrote Colorado Robertson, Assistant Director of Risk Management at LSU.  It was also expressed that LSU is very impressed with NorthStar’s commitment to “provide both people and resources for minor and major losses that may impact campus.”

John Kunert, Capt. USN (Ret) leading & engaging LSU Stakeholders through the Table Top exercise.

The NorthStar Business Continuity Division expects that several more clients will be scheduling table top exercises in the following months in anticipation to Hurricane Season.  The benefits of running a table top exercise have drawn interest from a wide array of clients, from universities to manufacturing plants.

by: Andrew Kunert  CBRM, CBRA