Thankfully there are those who are tackling these thorny questions. In October 2009 the 6th Gaining Ground Summit series attracted 600 people to Vancouver, BC to learn, talk about, and build connections around the theme of “Resilient Cities.”

Check out Mark Holland’s Resilient Cities Manifesto:

“I will open to the pain that I cause in the world through my ignorance and fear and the distance I seem to have from my internal dignity and nobility, and I will feel the pain, shock and injustice of participating in the death of so many, if only by accident — and then I will move past the grief to the restless serenity of my responsibility — to my planet, to my community, to my family, and to myself.”

With proper planning and acquisition of easy-to-use mobile communications systems, you don’t ever need to find yourself in a position where it is not possible to communicate with others. Business resiliency has to start with the ability to communicate at all times. This fundamental need escalates dramatically in times of crisis where response time is critical to mitigate the effects of a disaster. Don’t forget this aspect of your continuity planning. It is as important as backing up your critical data at geographically diverse locations.

And remember .….…. making a phone call is rarely a sufficient form of communication even in normal situations. Voice, data, and video are more and more vital to sharing effective situational awareness when disaster strikes.