The column heading in today's Wall Street Journal was "At Wal-Mart, Emergency Plan Has Big Payoff". 126 of their stores were closed by the storm. As of last Friday 111 stores had re-opened plus Wal-Mart had served as the basic supplier for many government agencies in the areas hit by Katrina. How did they do it?
Well, first of all, the guy in charge, who is only 33 by the way, has a degree in emergency management and a masters in security management. He was at Wal-Mart's emergency command center on the Wednesday before the storm. By the time Katrina hit Florida he was joined by 50 people ranging from trucking experts to loss-prevention specialists. On Sunday before the storm hit, he had emergency supplies delivered to staging areas. By Tuesday trucks were delivering generators and tons of dry ice to closed stores.
How did Wal-Mart do it? Qualified management, competent people, comprehensive planning, excellent execution of the plan and dedicated employees.
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