Key lessons from Hurricane Dorian: The benefits of a flexible top-down storm response

Abstract

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian wreaked widespread havoc across the Province of Nova Scotia, with significant, adverse impacts affecting citizens and government services for a protracted period. This paper describes the challenges faced by the provincial emergency management and business continuity response teams. It argues that storm response requires a flexible top-down approach, with senior leadership delegating responsibility and encouraging locally-driven decision-making. Using examples from Hurricane Dorian, the paper shows that as emergency response and business continuity overlap, response teams must find a balance between the protection of life and property and safeguarding the continuity of business. This can be accomplished through strategic support from senior leadership, the adoption of evolving best practices and competency development through training and realistic exercise scenarios.