Disaster preparedness and recovery and storm and weather forecasting are new to, and very obvious on the exhibitor floor at RIMS. Since this year’s annual conference is in New Orleans, that’s no surprise.
The disaster theme began in the morning keynote, where an official from CDC talked about the potential for a pandemic.
While disasters natural and biological may be the theme, the common nuts and bolts of risk management are more what attendees are after. Several risk managers were left scratching their heads after the keynote.
The consensus was “well, that was kind of interesting, but the chances for a pandemic are pretty small, and there are a lot of other issue out there that I’m really worried about…like TRIA renewal, the insurance cycle, property rates…”
The disaster folks do have cool videos and charts, and have spent big bucks on their displays.
The other interesting attendee is Blackwater, the private security and protection firm that has been very visible in Iraq of late. They are pitching protection for American companies’ overseas locations and employees, and may have a ready audience among oil companies operating in Nigeria and the mid-east.
All in all, a different flavor this year, one that is just a bit disconnected from the real concerns of most risk managers.
May
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Is this a kinder, gentler version of RIMS? Appealing to the soft side of risk and claims management or diverting attention from recent and impending litigation over the argument “Was it wind or flooding that caused the damage?”