Opening Case Scenario: Flames Force Fan Fury

It's just horrendous, Paul said as he looked across the HAL company parking lot, towards the neighboring college campus. From where he stood, Paul had a clear view of the recreation building he had entered hundreds of times during his college years. Now, the building was a wreck of ashes, mud, and snow. If it hadn't been for the heavy snowstorm the night before, the fire probably would have burned the structure to the ground. Firefighters, weary from the long night's battle with the blaze, stood around the building, ever watchful for flare-ups, leaking gas lines, and other signs that their work wasn't over.

A familiar voice called out: Paul! Is everyone OK?

Paul turned and saw JJ walking across the lot.

Yes, thank goodness, Paul replied. There was no one in the building.

What an awful mess. Do they know what started it? JJ asked.

They suspect a lightning strike on the roof. That roof was at least a hundred years old, Paul said. I guess they'll have to rebuild.

I hope so, JJ said. The basketball team was finally starting to pull it together. A few more wins and they could have been contenders.

Then he looked back at the ruined building. I guess they'll have to find another building for the college to play home games, though, he added.

JJ turned back from the overlook that the HAL parking lot offered of the college.

Sorry about the alma mater, dude, he said. Let me buy you a cup of coffee.

Sure, JJ, Paul said, also turning around to look up at HAL's modern office building made of glass and steel, which could burn almost as well as the old gymnasium on campus, he realized.

Say, JJ, Paul said. When was the last time we went over our disaster recovery plan?

Discussion Questions

Are any organizations exempt from the need for a DR plan?

Do you think the college faces a disaster with the loss of the gymnasium? What factors can make the loss of an entire building merely an incident and not a disaster?