BOMA/NY to tackle Superstorm Sandy with new Task Force: What worked, what didn't, what can be done better

The building industry's response to Sandy—the "big one" that deteriorated to a "superstorm" when it hit our shores but still wreaked $60 billion-plus in damages and took more than 100 American lives—is now being examined by BOMA/NY through its newly-formed Superstorm Sandy-Lessons Learned Task Force of the BOMA/NY Preparedness Committee. The Task Force is charged with evaluating how building teams and service providers prepared, responded and performed recovery services; particularly, what worked, what didn't and what can the industry do better in the future? BOMA/NY's Superstorm Sandy information initiative is the most wide-scale communications outreach project undertaken since 9/11 and its implications, value and repercussions are as far-reaching. Work began the morning of Friday, November 16, when the Task Force was officially launched. The Task Force held several conference calls over the Thanksgiving holiday to construct an electronic survey, distributed at the end of November, asking for both specifics and anecdotal information. The 5 to 10 minute survey responses will provide the vital information needed to compile a report that will help the high-rise community improve future responses and avoid errors. The final report is targeted for completion by January 15th. On January 30th, BOMA/NY will present a Lessons Learned seminar featuring: * How to build effective pre-incident, public-private relationships. * Insight from experts on how to best prepare for a major natural disaster. * What fellow BOMA/NY members experienced during the storm and how they recovered. * BOMA/NY's role interacting with local agencies, building owner/managers and vendors; what worked, what didn't. * Legal and logistical challenges; a realistic perspective on the limited availability of key resources during recovery. The Task Force will also be consulting with sister associations and local agencies as necessary during the study and analysis period.